Almond Milk for Kittens: Is It Safe?
The short answer is, Kittens should never have almond milk. In small amounts it can be safe for cats, but its not a good idea. The long answer is a bit more complicated.
Kitten’s first food after birth is usually colostrum (its mothers milk) which contains antibodies to protect them from diseases in mom’s body. After that, they start drinking water or milk of other animals like cows, goats etc.
But what happens when you feed your cat with almond milk instead of cow’s milk? Almonds are a rich source of vitamin B12 but not all cats can digest almonds properly so some may have problems while others don’t.
What happens if my Kitten Drinks Almond Milk?
Almonds are high in fat which can cause diarrhea or vomiting. If your cat has consumed almonds then you may notice that they vomit several times within an hour of eating them. Almond milk contains more than twice as much calories per cup compared to regular cow’s milk. It also contains less protein and calcium.
The best way for kittens to consume milk is by get it from their mother. If they’ve moved beyond the point where they need milk, then water is the best thing for them.
Can anything bad happen if my kitten drinks almond milk?
Almond milk has been around for many years now but there are still some people who don’t know that it can be harmful to your cat or even worse kill them.
The first thing you need to understand about almond milk is that it contains almost no protein at all so it cannot replace any of the proteins in your cats diet. It also doesn’t contain calcium which means that your cat won’t get enough calcium either.
How can almond milk kill my kitten?
Almond milk contains high levels of vitamin D3 which is toxic to cats. If your cat ingests too much vitamin d3 they may become very ill with an upset stomach vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weakness, seizures, coma, death.
What are the symptoms of Vitamin D toxicity in kittens?
Vitamin D toxicity causes many different signs including:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Seizures
- Coma
While it’s possible that some kittens or cats can drink almond milk without any negative side effects, its not something that they should be given. After a kitten has been weaned from its mothers milk they will be fine drinking only water. To keep them from getting sick or having any negative health problems we recommend their mothers milk or just water when they’re older.