Cats have always been associated with dairy products.
From lapping at a bowl of milk, to nibbling on a bit of cheese, your furry friends can’t get enough of dairy products.
However, you may have heard that giving cats cheese is a bad idea, as it’s actually very bad for your feline friends.
So is cheese actually bad for cats? Or is there a type of cheese you can actually give your cat as a treat?
Sadly, cheese is actually considered to be bad for cats. And that includes all types of cheese!
Cream cheese, blue cheese, cottage cheese, soft cheeses, American cheese, goat cheese, Swiss cheeses, cheddar cheese, cheese cubes…
All types of cheese can actually be harmful to your pet if given in large enough quantities.
This is because adult cats become lactose intolerant once they have been weaned from their mothers.
They stop being able to process the lactase enzyme that is present in their favorite cheesy treat.
So no matter how much they beg for that piece of blue cheese, they won’t be able to cope with the amounts of lactose that are in the human food.
Cheese isn’t all that beneficial for your cat anyway, as it doesn’t have a lot of vitamins and minerals that they can benefit from.
It also has a higher fat content, so could be a cause of weight gain in your pet if they were to eat too much of it in one go.
Your pet will get the fully balanced diet that they need from their regular source of cat food.
Today, we’re going to cover everything that you need to know about cheese, and why you should avoid giving cheese to cats.
What Cheese Is Bad For Cats?
All kinds of cheese are bad for cats.
This is because the vast majority of popular cheeses have a high lactose content, which your cat’s delicate digestive system can’t actually process.
Even cheese which has been made using other types of milk such as goat milk and sheep milk will have lactose in them.
Giving your cat the off pieces of cheese as an occasional treat shouldn’t cause them too much harm.
However, your cat is still lactose intolerant, so if they were to eat too much cheese regularly, this can give them lots of stomach upsets and other health issues.
It will be better to give your cat a tasty treat that has actually been designed for them to eat.
If you suspect that your cat actually has a dairy allergy rather than an intolerance, you should consult with your vet to see how to best tackle this.
They will be able to best advise you as to the next course of action to take.
Why Does My Cat Love Cheese?
Cats love eating pretty much any tasty treat that you give them!
Their body may not be able to process a cube of cheese that you give them as a treat, but your cat doesn’t necessarily know this.
Much like some people who suffer from dairy intolerances still like to eat ice cream from time to time, your cat will enjoy eating a creamy treat that they have had before.
The best way to tackle this is to only give your cat a chunk of cheese as an occasional treat.
Giving your pet a small cube of cheddar cheese sometimes shouldn’t harm them too much.
If you have any doubt, it is always best to consult with your vet so that your cat can stay happy and healthy.
How Much Cheese Is Safe For Cats?
It is always best to err on the side of caution when it comes to giving your cats cheese.
Seeing as this is something they shouldn’t really be eating all that regularly, we would advise only giving them a small piece at a time and seeing how they cope with this.
Your cat is lactose intolerant, so if they eat too much cheese, they will get an upset stomach.
Other symptoms may include vomiting and diarrhea, which we’re sure you want to avoid.
If in doubt, it will always be best to opt for a cat friendly treat as an alternative to a cube of cheese.
What Happens If My Cat Eats Cheese?
What happens to your cat when they eat cheese will entirely depend on how much cheese your feline has eaten.
If they have eaten a small amount of cheese, they are unlikely to experience much discomfort or signs of gastrointestinal upset.
However, if they were fed a large amount of cheese, they will start to display these symptoms.
They will appear to be in pain, discomfort, and will likely have diarrhea as well as an upset tummy.
If you were to give your cat cheese regularly, these symptoms would be a usual occurrence for your pet. So it will be best to avoid giving cheese as a regular treat for cats.
Instead, opt for a treat that has been designed with cats in mind so that your cat can stay happy and healthy.
Can Cats Be Addicted To Cheese?
If your cat is constantly asking for a bit of cheese each time you step near the fridge, it may be tempting to think that they are addicted to cheese.
And this may be the case! Just as we can find it hard to put away our own stash of cheese or chocolate, your cat can enjoy the cheesy treat that they have become used to.
However, you should only feed your cat cheese as an occasional treat if you really can’t ignore those pleading eyes.
This is because your cat is still lactose intolerant, no matter how much they love cheese.
They may even have a dairy allergy, which could mean that they can never eat cheese again.
As sad as this will be for your cat, it will do them much better in the long run to have a cat friendly alternative.
In Summary
So there you have it! Even though your cat may love cheese, it’s not actually very good for them.
This is because cats are lactose intolerant, so can’t actually process the dairy product.
Even though your cat may beg you for a piece of cheese, you should only give this to them as an occasional treat.
Otherwise, you can cause your cat lots of digestive issues, as their delicate digestive system isn’t able to digest the lactose in the cheese itself.
If in doubt, it’s always best to avoid giving your cat cheese as a treat. Instead, you should opt for a cat food or cat treat that has been designed with felines in mind.
I am aiming to shed new light on these amazing pets and hopefully change some people’s opinions on them. Also, let’s talk about wild cats - they’re just as awesome as domestic cats!
So, stay a while and learn more about domestic and wild cats from Windhaven Ocicats.
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