Food safety
Can Kittens Drink Milk? Only Mom's Milk or Kitten Formula
No, kittens should not drink cow's milk. A young kitten needs its mother's milk, or, if it has no mother, a kitten milk replacer made for cats. Cow's milk is the wrong balance of nutrients for a growing kitten and its lactose often causes diarrhea, which can dehydrate a small kitten quickly. VCA Animal Hospitals notes kittens lose much of their ability to digest lactose by about 12 weeks. Once weaned, a kitten needs kitten food and fresh water, not milk. Here is what to do at each stage.
By Matt GarnettUpdated November 13, 20264 min read3 sources
Why cow's milk is wrong for kittens
Cow's milk is made for calves. Compared with a mother cat's milk it has a different balance of protein, fat and minerals, and it carries lactose, a milk sugar a kitten digests with the enzyme lactase. The ASPCA explains that pets have little lactase, and the Cornell Feline Health Center notes many cats are lactose intolerant.
For a kitten, the consequence is diarrhea, sometimes with vomiting or bloating. In a kitten weighing only a pound or two, diarrhea can lead to dehydration and low blood sugar within hours, which is why the common picture of a kitten with a saucer of milk does more harm than good.
Newborn and orphaned kittens
In the first weeks of life, kittens should nurse from their mother. If a kitten is orphaned, rejected or the litter is too large for the mother to feed, it needs a commercial kitten milk replacer, sometimes sold as KMR, made up and fed exactly as the label and your vet direct.
Do not substitute cow's milk, goat's milk, almond milk or a homemade recipe. Very young kittens also need warmth and help to urinate and pass stool after feeds, so see a vet as soon as possible after finding orphaned kittens; they can show you how to bottle-feed safely and check the kitten's age and health.
Weaning: from milk to kitten food
Most kittens start showing interest in solid food at around four weeks old and are usually fully weaned by about eight weeks. During weaning, kitten wet food can be softened with a little warm kitten milk replacer or water to make a gruel, then made thicker over the following weeks.
VCA notes that kittens lose much of their ability to digest lactose at about 12 weeks old. By then, their diet should be complete kitten food, with a bowl of fresh water always available. A weaned kitten does not need milk of any kind to grow well.
What about lactose-free or cat milk?
Lactose-reduced cat milks sold for pets are designed for cats and are less likely to cause diarrhea. VCA recommends kitten-specific milk formulas if you want to give a kitten milk at all. For a weaned kitten these are a treat, not a food, and they carry calories.
Lactose-free milk for people removes the lactose but keeps the cow's milk balance of fat and minerals, so it is not a substitute for kitten formula. Plant milks such as almond, oat or soy lack the nutrients kittens need and should never replace their mother's milk or formula.
How much is too much
For a newborn or orphaned kitten, the right amount of kitten milk replacer depends on its age and weight; follow the product label and your vet's instructions, and weigh the kitten daily if you are hand-rearing it.
For a weaned kitten, the answer for cow's milk is none. A lick from your cereal bowl is unlikely to cause serious harm, but even a saucerful can bring on diarrhea in a kitten weighing a few pounds. Keep milk, cream and ice cream out of reach.
A feeding mat under a ceramic bowl keeps any shared food in one place and easy to clean up.
Signs milk disagreed with your kitten and when to call a vet
Watch for diarrhea, a swollen or gassy belly, vomiting, crying or restlessness after a milk feed. In very young kittens, a kitten that stops feeding, feels cold, is limp or very sleepy, or has diarrhea for more than a few hours needs a vet urgently.
For an older kitten, call your vet the same day if diarrhea lasts more than a day, contains blood, or comes with vomiting, lethargy or refusal to eat. Kittens dehydrate much faster than adult cats, so do not wait to see if it settles.
What kittens should drink instead
Fresh, clean water is the only drink a weaned kitten needs. Cornell advises that cats should have clean, fresh water at all times. A wide, shallow bowl suits small kittens, and wet kitten food adds extra water to their diet.
If you are unsure whether your kitten is drinking or eating enough, or are caring for kittens without their mother, ask your vet to check them and advise on feeding.
This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.
Common questions
Can kittens drink cow milk?
No. Cow's milk has the wrong balance of nutrients for kittens and its lactose often causes diarrhea, which can quickly dehydrate a small kitten. Use a kitten milk replacer for unweaned kittens and water for weaned ones.
What can I feed a kitten instead of milk?
An unweaned kitten needs its mother or a commercial kitten milk replacer. From about four weeks, kittens begin moving onto wet kitten food, and by about eight weeks most eat kitten food and drink water.
At what age can kittens stop drinking milk?
Most kittens are fully weaned by about eight weeks old. After that they do not need milk of any kind, as long as they eat a complete kitten food and have fresh water.
Can kittens drink lactose-free milk?
Lactose-free milk for people is less likely to cause diarrhea but does not have the nutrients a kitten needs. It is not a substitute for kitten formula. Lactose-reduced cat milk is a better occasional treat for weaned kittens.
What do I do if I find a newborn kitten with no mother?
Keep the kitten warm and contact a vet or local animal shelter as soon as possible. Do not give cow's milk. A vet can check its age and health and show you how to feed kitten milk replacer safely.
Sources we checked
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell or injured, contact your veterinarian.
