milk drinking for cats

[deeperlook]

I'd like to know if it's good to serve milk to cats. I have a 12 year old himalayan who's always been a difficult eater. He barely eats enough dry food, and seldom touches wet food. He also rejects most table treats such as salmon and chicken. His main beverage is water. He's also developed some kidney problems of late. Should I start giving him milk? If so, should I limit the amount or let him have as much as he wants (if he'll drink it)? Does it matter what type of milk it is (whole, skim, etc.)? I drink lactose-free milk myself. Should I give that to him? I'd welcome any good advice.

Thank you

[Traci]

Cats don't need milk, many are lactose intolerant (only kittens need their mother's milk or kitten formula to supplement if the queen is not available or cannot nurse, etc)

Since your kitty has renal problems, you need to be discussing his diet with your vet, including other care. Your vet has prescription diets available for this purpose, you shouldn't be feeding anything outside of that....no table scraps, no other human food, any of which could be high in fat or protein, sodium, etc, ...none of which are good for renal impairment.

Talk to your vet in greater detail about your kitty's health care needs and requirements. If he's not eating as well as he should be, you need to talk to your vet about that and you need to ensure he is not suffering from dehydration as well.