Can cats eat yogurt? This is a question that cat owners often ask themselves. We all know that some cats cannot drink cow’s milk due to their lactose intolerance, but is that the same for yogurt?
It turns out that yogurt is absolutely safe for your cat. In fact, yogurt contains two types of bacteria; the Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus Thermophilus. Once the yogurt is swallowed, these bacteria present in it digest the lactose. This way your cat’s body doesn’t have to take on the burden of being able to break down lactose.
According to experts, your cat can not only eat yogurt, but it also benefits from it.
Can Cats Eat Yogurt: The Benefits
Nourishment
Yogurt contains three main types of nutrients:
- Calcium, which strengthens the bones and muscles
- Potassium, an electrolyte that controls the balance of fluids in the body. It also controls the activity of enzymes and strengthens muscles and nerves
- Magnesium which helps the absorption of essential nutrients, such as sodium, potassium, vitamin C, calcium, and phosphorus.
Cultures of bacteria
Yogurt contains bacteria cultures that improve your cat’s health. Bacteria facilitate the development of flora, natural bacteria present in the intestines of cats.
This development boosts your cat’s immunity and improves its digestive system. Plus, the probiotics in yogurt help improve your cat’s bowel movement.
Solves digestive problems
Yogurt also has numerous other benefits. If your cat’s stomach is upset or has digestive problems from swallowing its fur, the cultures and bacteria contained in the yogurt will cure it.
Treatment of diarrhea
If your cat is suffering from diarrhea, give it a small amount of yogurt, about 5ml, before its usual meal. This, according to vets, can cure its diarrhea.
Since yogurt is a natural probiotic, it eliminates symptoms such as diarrhea, gas, and cramps. But remember that if it’s not plain yogurt, it won’t work.
Dental health
The cultures in yogurt also keep the flora in your cat’s mouth in balance. The flora prevents gum infections and keeps teeth healthy.
Good bacteria
Some bacteria are bad for your cat’s health and make It feel bad. Your vet will recommend antibiotics to destroy them. But sometimes antibiotics end up killing the useful bacteria in your cat’s body as well.
The bacteria in yogurt can reintroduce these “good” bacteria. In this way, yogurt boosts the cat’s immune system, enhances the effect of antibiotics and helps the cat’s body fight the disease.
Bad sides of yogurt for your cat
Bacteria
Yogurt crops kill harmful bacteria, but they can also kill ‘good’ ones. The bacteria present in yogurt however generally replace these “good” bacteria, so they are not necessarily bad for your cat.
Allergies
Most cats eat yogurt without having any negative reactions, but it doesn’t apply to every cat. If your cat is normally severely allergic to lactose-containing products, then there is a high chance that eating yogurt will have the same reaction.
Whether or not to give it yogurt is your decision. However, consider both the benefits and the drawbacks before giving them any. If you want to test his reaction to yogurt, give it a very small amount. After all, your cat’s health is the most important thing.
White yogurt and yogurt with different flavors
While plain yogurt can have great health benefits for your cat, the opposite can be said for other types of yogurt. These yogurt varieties contain large amounts of sugar and added additives. Since your cat’s digestive system cannot assimilate sugar, it can cause it a lot of problems.
Alternative suggestions
According to some sources, you need to feed your cat large amounts of yogurt for the bacteria to actually benefit. As an alternative, you can give your cat supplemental probiotics that can be bought in stores and online.
Before doing this anyway, discuss it with your vet. It is important to consult a professional when it comes to health. You should ask it for advice and get it to recommend a suitable dosage.
Final Thoughts
Can cats eat yogurt? Sure they can. Yogurt provides many nutritional health benefits for your cat and is one of the few dairy products that cats can safely consume.
This article is purely informative, at Shelterapet we do not have the right to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We encourage you to take your pet to the vet in case of any kind of discomfort.
