Can I give my sick cat milk if it has a virus and is thirsty?

Hello. I would stop all milk. Your cat may have developed an intolerance to milk. Offer plenty of fresh water, & low salt broths made from chicken or beef. If he continues to vomit, he may need to see a veterinarian to rule out parasites or other causes of intestinal disease that is making him unwell. Hopefully, he will be feeling much better soon & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Actually most adult cats and dogs are lactose intolerant. In some cats milk or dairy products can cause vomit or diarrhea. But others tolerate it. My opinion is if Jhumru doesn't get sick from milk then there is no reason to stop, but watch for any signs of an upset stomach. I hope this helps and I wish you a great day! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/cat/milk/

The cause of the vomiting must also be established - parasites, foreign body, virus, etc. I would not recommend giving anything orally if your cat is still actively vomiting. I assume that your vet has examined your cat and performed some diagnostics if she has been hospitalized for IV fluids. I believe I've also answered your most recent question: https://www.petcoach.co/question/?id=280270

Milk replacement for cats is fine to give her, but please know it's very serious when a cat won't eat. If they go long enough without eating (about 72 hours), they will develop a fatty liver. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment. You need to take her into a vet now, especially since she is nursing kittens. She may have a severe post-partum illness. Take her kittens with you to the vet.

Many cats are lactose intolerant and can develop vomiting and diarrhea as a result of ingesting dairy products. There is no need to give Bent any cow's milk and if anything, it can cause more harm than good. If he is under 4-5 weeks of age, he should be receiving kitten formula (Esbilac is one example). Canned or moistened kibble kitten food can be introduced around 4 weeks of age.

If you are feeding cow's milk, then yes it can cause diarrhea in cats. Cats are lactose intolerant, and don't have the right enzymes to properly digest cow (or similar) milk, which can lead to diarrhea. if you'd like to give Moca a "milk" treat, there are specially made cat milk treats that can be found at your local pet store. It has a similar taste to cow's milk that cats like, but shouldn't give them GI upset like regular milk as long as it's given as a treat.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If he is otherwise normal and still eating / drinking, I would withhold food for at least 8 hours and initiate a bland diet as outlined below. If he continues to vomit even on the bland diet or he worsens, I would get him examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. GENERAL INFORMATION A bland diet is a diet that is soft and highly digestible. It is low in fiber, fat and protein and is high in carbohydrates. Bland diets are generally composed of a single carbohydrate source and a single lean protein source. The most common bland diet is boiled rice and boiled lean chicken breast, without skin and bones. Since bland diets are low in fiber, stool production slows and defecation is less frequent. Bland diets are fed to rest the gastric system and to help promote normal stool formation. Animals that are physically sick should not be fed bland diets as a method of treatment. PRIOR TO FEEDING A BLAND DIET Pets should be fasted for 12 to 24 hours. Young animals should not be fasted for more than 12 hours. Fasting will allow the intestinal system to relax and minimize acid secretions that may irritate and inflame the intestinal lining. During the fast small amounts of water or ice chips may be provided. Never fast a sick animal, it may cause disease progression and death. BASIC BOILED RICE AND CHICKEN BLAND DIET RECIPE CARBOHYDRATE SOURCE: Boiled white rice LEAN PROTEIN SOURCE: Chicken breast, no skin and bones BOILED RICE: 1 part white rice with 3 parts water boiled for 20 – 25 minutes or until the rice is easily crushed. BOILED CHICKEN: De-fat chicken breast and boil in water for 10 – 15 minutes or until the chicken meat is easily pulled apart and cooked all way through. MIXING INSTRUCTIONS: Finely chop the lean protein and mix 2 cups carbohydrate source and ½ cup lean protein source. STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Bland diets can be premade and stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 48 hours. The bland diet can be cooked in a batch and frozen in feeding sized portions to minimize preparation time. Thaw and warm the frozen diet prior to feeding. PERMITTED LEAN PROTEIN SUBSTITUTIONS Pork loin, egg whites, low fat cottage cheese. 7% low fat hamburger, plain low fat yogurt. PERMITTED CARBOHYDRATE SUBSTITUTIONS Boiled potatoes, boiled spaghetti, Minute rice. PERMITTED COMMERCIAL BLAND DIETS Science Prescription Diet I/D, Eukanuba Veterinary Diet Low Residue, Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Intestinal HE. FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS Estimate 25% of your animal’s diet and feed that amount of the bland diet every 6 – 8 hours. Smaller animals will require less and larger animals will require more adhering to the same carbohydrate to lean protein source ratio. The bland diet should be fed for 4 -5 days with no treats or other food sources until stools are firm. TRANSITION BACK TO A NORMAL DIET Never transition back to a regular diet rapidly. Transition back to the regular diet over a 1 week period. Start by adding 25% of the regular diet to 75% of the bland diet and feed that combination for 2 days. If stools continue to be firm then continue substituting the regular diet in 25% increments and feeding the combination in 2 day time intervals until the diet is 100% regular diet. Minimize treats for 1 week after moving the diet back to 100% regular diet.