Lots of fibs have been told about felines through the ages. For
example, consider the popular notion that it’s supposedly
healthy for cats to drink cow’s milk. The truth is that most
cats are lactose intolerant and can’t break down the sugars in
milk, says Joseph Wakshlag, DMV, an assistant professor of
clinical nutrition at Cornell University College of Veterinary
Medicine. Kittens will -- and should -- drink the milk from
mother cats. But once they are weaned, other milks, such as
cow’s milk, are not recommended for feline diets. “Much like
(some) humans, cats don’t have the enzymes to break down
lactose,” Dr. Wakshlag says. “Evolutionarily, it’s not part of
what cats need in terms of nutrition.” Furthermore, he adds, it
can add fuel to the fire if a cat already has an upset stomach.
“It’s the last thing you want to give a cat with a GI
disturbance,” he says. As with most popular myths, there’s
usually some grain of truth. Over the years, farmers would
sometimes put out saucers of milk for kittens. However,