Can I Give My Cat Soy Milk?

Can I give my cat soy milk?

Can I give my cat soy milk?Is soy milk something you should be feeding your cat? If you want the absolute truth, the answer is, no. Soy milk is not the best thing that you can give your cat to drink. The trouble however, is that most cats seem to love it. They love any milk for that matter, and soy milk in particular. So, what do you do when your cat purrs around you in anticipation of a treat? Should you indulge?

The answer depends on what your general outlook towards your cat is. If you are the I-will-never-feed-them-junk sort, then the answer is no, you should never give your cat soy milk. But if you are a little bit more relaxed and don’t mind giving treats as long as they are in moderation, then it’s alright to give it to them. Having said that, you must know that it is only a treat, to be given occasionally, not each time your cat charms you into submission.

Can I Give My Cat Soy Milk? Answer: Occasionally, If At All.

Feeding cats too much soy milk, or on a regular basis can be harmful and can lead to serious thyroid and liver trouble in cats. The most basic argument offered for not feeding cats soy milk is that because this is a vegetable protein, meaning that it’s been derived from a plant, as opposed to an animal, it’s not suited for cats who are, by nature, omnivores. They lack the enzymes to break down this protein. This is what leads to serious health problems when it comes to the intake of soy milk.

Cats and Dairy
Cats and milk seem to go together. But, the truth is that dairy for cats is not recommended. Most cats are lactose intolerant and their digestive systems cannot handle milk and related products, especially those that are high in lactose, a sugar found in dairy products. There is a reason for this common misconception, which is that since kittens drink milk, we assume it’s alright for cats to do so as well. But, the reality is that while a kitten produces an enzyme called lactase which is essentially what helps digest lactose, a grown cat does not produce this enzyme as much, and thus cannot digest much dairy.

Alternative Treats to Soy Milk
For those who like to treat their cats to milk once in a while, but don’t want to deal with an upset stomach, can try some alternatives. Whiskas cat milk seems quite popular with cat lovers. Of course, you must know that for every ten people who’ll like this product, there will be the one or two who won’t. There are those for whom Whiskas does not work at all, so give a little first to see if your cat has any reaction to it or not. It’s 98% lactose-reduced, which is what makes it easier to digest for the cat. If Whiskas does not work for your cat, try Cat-Sip real Milk – again, a fortified, pasteurized, low-fat kind of alternative to soy or real milk that seems to be flying off the shelves.

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Cat’s Digestion System
But, treat or not, what you must know is which kind of food is right for your cat. For this, a little knowledge about your cat’s digestion system can go a long way in keeping your cat healthy.

It sort of all boils down to the good bacteria and the bad ones. Cats have an extremely sensitive digestive tract, which houses the majority of your cat’s immune system. This tract needs help in staying healthy and in promoting the good bacteria, which fights infections. For this many vets now recommend prebiotics, which iare basically the good bacteria cats need to build their immune systems.

You can either give supplements, or fortified cat-food that contains prebiotics, as well as include natural food in the daily diet that contains this fiber, such as chicory. However, beware that not everything that contains prebiotics can be given to cats.

Also, remember that even too much of a good thing is bad, so before you start pumping your cat with any sort of fortified food or alternative, speak to your vet.

You could mean well and feed your cat the absolute wrong stuff and spend the next week with the vet. More importantly you need to look closely at labels on cat food to understand what’s best for your cat.

What to Do if Your Cat Accidentally Drinks a Lot of Soy Milk.
Consult a vet, if possible. Though it’s not as bad a chocolate, Soy can lead to severe diarrhea in cats. If a vet is not available, keep monitoring your cat for any symptoms of bloating and discomfort.

Also, many vets now point out that a lot of cat food is fortified with soy, which is not really the best nutrient for your cat, but is used in cat food. Ask your vet about feeding our cat food that contains soy extract on a regular basis, as this could lead to long-term health problems, like hyperthyroidism, with your feline friend.

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One thought on “Can I Give My Cat Soy Milk?”

  1. Cats are carnivores. Humans and dogs are omnivores. Carnivores do not have the enzymes to break down plant proteins. They should be given plant based foods only as a treat and not that much when you do. It is like giving a bird carbonated water (I.E. my parrot loved Pepsi). You can give it to them, but only so much or it will hurt them. So be very careful with this.

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