If you are at the table or cooking and you have the misfortune to take out the cheese, you will definitely find your cat next to you making eyes at you. And, you have to admit, you have a hard time refusing him anything. But is giving him a little piece of cheese from time to time really harmless to his health?
In small quantities it is possible
Like any food that is not toxic to your cat, it is possible to give it cheese, but only in small quantities. And punctually. For example, if you need to give a tablet to your cat, you can hide it in a small piece of cheese. Neither seen nor known! Likewise, if you want to encourage your cat to do something, a small cube of cheese can act as a treat.
On the other hand, avoid giving him cheese every day. For what ? Quite simply because it is a fatty food, very high in caloriesand that it is not good for his body weight. Then because cheese is rich in salt. And above all because it is not a natural food in one’s diet, even if it is a food rich in protein. Cats are true die-hard carnivores, don’t forget that!
Good to know : if you give 30 g of cheese to a 4.5 kg cat, it’s like eating two and a half cheeseburgers in one go. It makes you think, doesn’t it?
Beware of lactose intolerance
The myth that cats can drink milk as much as they want is completely wrong. Indeed, milk is the main food of kittens during their first weeks of life. But once kittens reach 2 or 3 months of age, it should be completely eliminated from their diet.
And for good reason, upon reaching adulthood, all cats become more or less lactose intolerant. Surprising, right? In reality, they gradually lose the enzymes necessary for the digestion of milk, and therefore dairy products (yogurt, cheese, cream, etc.).
So, if you were to regularly give cheese to your cat, it could cause digestive problems (diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, etc.). These may be more or less pronounced depending on the level of lactose intolerance of your furry friend.
Furthermore, it is interesting to note that some cats can even be allergic to lactose. Indeed, lactose allergy is one of the most common in felines, along with red meat allergy and fish allergy. If this is the case with your cat, giving him cheese could trigger rather pronounced symptoms in him, or even affect his immune system.
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