Should I Add Yogurt To My Cats Diet?

Yogurt is one of the most famous human food. We like to consume it on many different occasions. If you are a cat owner, your cat probably becomes very interesting when you open your yogurt. Of course, they would like to get a lick or two. If you are like us, you ask yourself: "Can cats eat yogurt?" Considering that many human foods are bad for cats, is yogurt one of them, or can your cat safely eat it? Let's find out.

Can cats eat yogurt?

The shortest possible answer is – yes. Cats can eat yogurt in small amounts but only plain and without any additional flavors. Yogurt does consist of many beneficial nutrients for your cat, and because of them, it is considered healthy snack for cats.

Yogurt is packed with:

Proteins
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B12
Potassium
Magnesium

We need to mention that even yogurt has those nutrients; if your cat receives proper and well-balanced cat food, she already gets their daily intake of those nutrients.

yogurt

Is yogurt bad for cats?

As you may know, yogurt is a dairy product, and since many cats are lactose intolerant, consuming some can cause problems for your cat. The good news is that lactose found in yogurt is much easier for cats to break down in comparasion with other lactose products.

To be sure that your cat will be able to digest yogurt, you must only give her a few licks for testing. If you are unsure if you should share yogurt with your cat, you can ask your vet for advice.

When giving your cat some yogurt, look for symptoms of a GI upset. If your cat starts vomiting or have diarrhea, immediately stop with yogurt and ask your vet about your next moves.

Are there any alternatives?

The most important thing that yogurt contains are probiotics, which can help your cat with digestion. If you want to add probiotics to your cat's diet, you can ask your vet for advice, but they will most certainly recommend probiotic supplements for your cat rather than just consuming yogurt. It is a much safer and better option.

Can kittens eat yogurt?

As a general rule, you shouldn't feed your kittens with yogurt. They have very sensitive stomachs, and even a few licks can cause GI problems. It is best to avoid giving your kitten yogurt to ensure that yogurt doesn't harm them.

Kittens will get all the nutrients they need for development from the mother's milk, and in case they have been weaned, the formula will do the trick and provide them with all nutrients.

yogurt

RELATED: Can I Share Coconut With My Cat?

What yogurt can I give to my cat?

If you are determined to feed your cat with yogurt, you must secure that you only offer her plain and unflavored one. In stores, you can find different brands and types of yogurt that can contain some ingredients that are toxic to cats, such as grapes and chocolate.

Another thing you will need to watch out for is sugar. Lots of sugar can cause problems for your cat, so you must secure that you only offer your cat yogurt that isn't high in sugar.

This is where you need to be extra careful. Many yogurt brands will offer their product without sugars, but instead of sugars, they will put an artificial sweetener called xylitol. Xylitol is extremely toxic for cats, and you should be sure never to offer your cat yogurt if it contains xylitol.

Conclusion

You are not alone if you are thinking about adding yogurt to your cat's diet. To be sure that yogurt will not cause health problems for your cat, you must only offer her plain and unflavored one. To start, only give your cat a few licks and watch for any reaction. Yogurt consists of healthy nutrients for your cat, but keeping in mind that your cat will receive those nutrients from their well-balanced cat food, we don't see a valid reason why you should share some yogurt with your cat.

If you want to share something new with your cat, many healthy treats can enrich your cat's diet. This human food you can safely share with your cat: