Can cats eat yogurt?

Yogurt is a food derived from milk. It is of animal origin, it usually comes from cows’ milk, but it is not animal tissue, that is, it is not meat and it will not provide your cat with the essential nutrients obtained from meat.

Yogurt, although in a smaller amount than milk, also has lactose, a type of sugar that many cats cannot digest. Keep in mind that cats only drink milk in their first months of life (2-3). After, your body synthesizes lactasean enzyme that breaks down lactose and converts it into glucose and galactose, which are easily digestible for the animal.

However, once weaning is complete, most cats stop generating lactase. Therefore, they experience complicated digestion of dairy products, especially milk, causing flatulence, bloating, abdominal discomfort and even diarrhea and vomiting.

These setbacks in feline health occur because adult cats do not require milk or dairy products to have proper nutrition. Even so, sometimes you can give them a little yogurt so that they obtain the benefits that this product brings to the body, but always in a responsible way.

Discover in this article if I can give milk to my cat?

In order for your cat to obtain the benefits that yogurt provides, it is important that you choose natural one and give it in small amounts. These are the nutritional properties of yogurt:

• It is a great calcium sourceessential for bone metabolism.
• It provides a series of nutrients such as phosphorus, magnesium, iron and vitamins A, B and D.
• Improves transit and facilitates digestion, favoring the elimination of accumulated hair in the cat’s digestive system. It is important so that balls do not form that can cause any obstruction and serious damage to your health.
• Helps alleviate digestive disorders that cause diarrhea and vomiting in cats.

As a general rule, cats they should not eat dairy products such as yogurt because of the lactose. This component is not usually digested once weaning is over because they lack lactase, an enzyme responsible for breaking it down.

For this reason, dairy products such as yogurts not made exclusively for adult cats can cause certain stomach pains and make them feel bad. Vomiting and diarrhea These are some of its consequences, so it is essential that you observe if your cat reacts well or badly after trying yogurt for the first time.

If the reaction is positive, you can continue giving it yogurt in small amounts, but if it is adverse, you should see a vet and avoid giving it this food in the future.

If you choose to give your cat some yogurt, choose a natural one, without flavors, without sugar, without artificial flavors, sweeteners or too much fat. Natural yogurts are the best option for cats, since they find it less harmful and have beneficial bacteria for the animal’s digestive tract.

These bacteria help convert lactose into lactic acid, facilitating digestion. They are also called probiotics and can be:

• Bifidus.
• Streptococcus thermophilus.
• Lactobacillus bulgaricus.
• Lactobacillus acidophilus.

The best way to give your cat natural yogurt is to offer it with a spoon as a snack or reward. You can also put it in a deep container or in the yogurt’s own plastic container, although this option is less recommended, since it will be more difficult for you to take it.

In any case, prevent your kitty from hurting herself on the edges of the container or getting a little yogurt in her eyes. Also, remember that this product can never be your cat’s main food. Nor can you give it several times a week: at most, you can offer it between once and twice a week, as long as you like it and your body tolerates it well. In the case of detecting any adverse reaction after ingestion, go immediately to a veterinarian.

Now that you know if cats can eat yogurt, discover these articles on Can cats eat cheese? and Can cats eat olives?

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