Would You Give Your Cat Cheese?

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There are many pop culture misconceptions about cats and milk. One common trope is of an image of a cat lapping up milk. The actual truth is cow milk is not actually good for your kitty. This is as cats are mostly lactose intolerant. The digestive system of a cat cannot produce enzymes in sufficient quantities to properly digest milk sourced from cows. The question is whether such lactose insensitivity gets extended to cheese? Or you can happily feed your cat this delicious treat?

Cow milk and goat milk

According to veterinarians, cheeses made from cow milk is perfectly safe for cats if it is fed in small quantities. Keep in mind that this premise holds for plain cheese. Even though cheese is not healthy for cats, it is also not dangerous to feline health. Cheese is not healthy for cats due to the animal's lactose sensitivity. Kittens could even find cow milk hard to digest. All cats become lactose intolerant after the weaning period. It means any rich dairy product, like cheese, must be provided only sparingly.

Does this answer beg the question as to whether cats can eat cheese which is made of milk not taken from the cow? Goat milk is better suited for cats, and thus by corollary, goat's cheese is safer too. You can give your cat the occasional cheese as treats -but it must not be a regular affair. Put cheese in something it hates to eat, like taking medicine. Do remember to consult the veterinarian before you feed your kitty cheese in such a manner. However, there is no harm in hiding medicine within a small blob of cheese.

Small is better

It means cats can eat cheese but in small amounts. There are, however, a few varieties of cheese you should avoid feeding the cat. One of them is blue cheese. There is one factor about blue cheese though: this food by itself does not attract kittens. It means even if some pieces of blue cheese are lying around, there are fewer chances of a cat eating them. Cats like to eat the simplest and the cheapest cheeses. You should not share high quality or richer cheese with your kitty. If you give cheese to your cat occasionally, keep a close eye on the quantity. You should not feed your cat any more than a small cube of cheese for your kitty, the lesser cheese, the better.

For cats, eating cheese could have many side effects. Two of them are disgusting to humans. Primarily diarrhea and gas. Since all cats are intolerant towards lactose, all felines would suffer dietary upset. This does not mean cats dislike the taste of cheese. On the contrary, your cat may love it. It is perfectly alright to give cheese snacks at intermittent intervals.