Published Sep 3, 2024
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Milk is the primary source of nutrition for kittens, but its benefits for adult cats are limited—especially when the milk comes from another species.
Cow’s milk, for example, is high in lactose which can cause digestive upset in cats. It’s less of an issue for kittens whose bodies produce more lactase, the enzyme needed to break down lactose. But lactase production slows dramatically after kittens are weaned.
Lower-lactose options like goat’s milk may be more appropriate for cats. In this guide, we’ll explore the nutritional benefits of goat’s milk and discuss how to safely include it in your cat’s diet. We’ll also introduce some of our favorite goat milk products.
At a Glance: Best Goat’s Milk for Cats To Buy
The Honest Kitchen Daily Boosters Goat’s Milk with Probiotics
- Mix as much or as little as you need
- Shelf-stable powdered supplement
- Enriched with live probiotics
Answers Pet Food Additional Fermented Raw Goat’s Milk
- Comes in resealable cardboard cartons
- Can be served as-is, no preparation needed
- Enriched with two strains of live probiotics
Raw Paws Pet Food Raw Unpasteurized Goat Milk
- Choose from raw liquid or powdered goat milk
- Free from additives of any kind
- Rich in animal-sourced protein and fat
Primal Pet Foods Raw Goat Milk
- Enriched with three strains of probiotics
- Comes in resealable bottles
- Can be purchased in pet stores
Nature’s Diet Whole Cream Goat Milk Wet Dog & Cat Food Topping
- Made from 100% whole cream goat milk
- Easy-to-administer powder form
- Offer as a liquid treat or wet food mixer
Benefits of Goat Milk for Cats
Milk is high in protein, vitamins and minerals. idikomne / Shutterstock
Goat milk is the milk produced by domestic goats—often goats that are specifically bred for milk production. Compared to cow’s milk, it’s higher in protein, lower in lactose, and more nutrient-dense. Goat milk may also be more easily digestible for cats than cow milk, though some cats may still have trouble tolerating any type of dairy.
If you’re looking for a healthy food topper or a simple way to support your cat’s health, goat’s milk may be worth considering. Let’s explore the potential benefits.
High in Protein
An 8-ounce serving of goat’s milk contains about 9 grams of protein. Your cat is unlikely to be consuming it in such large quantities, but it’s worth noting. If you’re trying to supplement your cat’s protein intake, goat’s milk could be more valuable as a food topper than plain water or broth.
Rich in Essential Nutrients
The mineral content of goat’s milk may help support healthy muscles and strong bones and teeth—particularly calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Goat milk is also rich in vitamin A which plays an important role in eye health as well as nervous system and immune system function. It’s a good source of B vitamins that support metabolism and skin health.
Boosts Hydration
Goat milk contains about 87% water, so it’s a hydrating choice as a meal topper or mixer. It can also be used as a nutrient-dense alternative to water for rehydrating freeze-dried or dehydrated cat food.
Supports Digestive Health
Because it’s lower in lactose than cow’s milk, goat’s milk is generally easier to digest. It also contains prebiotic carbohydrates and natural probiotics to help support healthy microbial balance in your cat’s digestive tract.
If you’re ready to give goat’s milk a try, take a pause before heading to the grocery store to pick up a pint—not all types of goat milk will benefit your cat equally. Keep reading to learn more.
Raw vs. Pasteurized Goat’s Milk
When you pick up a carton of milk at the store, you’re probably buying pasteurized milk. The pasteurization process involves heating the milk—usually to temperatures under 100℃ (212℉)—in order to kill pathogens and extend the product’s shelf life.
Pasteurized goat milk is generally considered safer for human consumption but it may not offer the same benefits as raw goat milk. After all, some of those bacteria and enzymes destroyed by pasteurization are what make goat’s milk good for your cat.
Though unpasteurized goat’s milk may retain more of its nutritional value, there are risks associated with offering your cat raw food products. It’s important to select a brand that follows strict safety standards and introduce the product into your cat’s diet slowly to minimize the risk of digestive upset.
Start with a serving no larger than a teaspoon and wait at least 12 hours to see how well your cat tolerates it. If your cat develops loose stools or diarrhea, it may be a sign of lactose intolerance—you should avoid feeding your cat goat’s milk. In the absence of any adverse reaction, you can slowly increase your cat’s daily intake up to a tablespoon or two per day.
5 Goat Milk Products We Recommend
kittens can digest milk better than adult cats due to a higher level of the lactase enzyme. BeautifulPicture / Shutterstock
Before introducing goat’s milk into your cat’s diet, get your veterinarian’s approval. Your vet can assess whether your cat might benefit from a goat milk product and, if so, offer daily serving suggestions. They can also tell you what to look for once you introduce the product as signs that your cat may not be tolerating it well.
If you’re ready to give goat milk a try for your cat, here are a few products we recommend:
#1 The Honest Kitchen Daily Boosters Goat’s Milk with Probiotics
The Honest Kitchen is based in the United States and produces an array of human-grade pet food products. In addition to nutritionally complete dehydrated, wet, and dry cat food options, The Honest Kitchen offers several powdered meal toppers and supplements in the Daily Boosters product line.
This product consists of dehydrated goat’s milk enriched with live probiotics to support healthy digestion. It’s free from artificial additives of any kind and is easy to administer. Just mix with water and offer it as a liquid treat or mix it with your cat’s food.
The Honest Kitchen’s Daily Boosters goat’s milk supplement comes in a 5.2-ounce canister or 1.32-ounce pouch. Each 1-teaspoon serving contains about 10 calories and at least 1.5 billion Colony Forming Units (CFUs) from three strains of probiotic bacteria.
Ingredients
Dehydrated Goat’s Milk, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus rhamnosus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Mix as much or as little as you need
- Shelf-stable powdered supplement
- Enriched with live probiotics
What We Didn’t Like:
- Prepared product is fairly watery
#2 Answers Pet Food Additional Fermented Raw Goat’s Milk
If you’re looking for a raw goat’s milk product, try this one from Answers Pet Food. It consists of raw goat milk enriched with two strains of probiotic bacteria along with a little raw honey and organic cinnamon for flavor.
This raw goat’s milk is sold frozen in cardboard cartons for resealable convenience. It comes in pints, quarts, and half gallons but keep in mind that the product should be used within 14 days after thawing. The recommended daily serving size for a 10-pound cat is 1 ounce (two tablespoons) and contains 20 calories.
In testing this product, I found it took a little while to thaw but was then easy to administer and my cats seemed to like it. Even with three cats, however, I had a hard time using the whole container within the recommended time frame.
Ingredients
Raw Goat Milk, Raw Honey, Organic Cinnamon, Dried Lactococcus lactis Fermentation Product, Dried Leuconostoc mesenteroides Fermentation Product.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Comes in resealable cardboard cartons
- Can be served as-is, no preparation needed
- Enriched with two strains of live probiotics
What We Didn’t Like:
- Sold frozen, takes time to thaw
- Requires refrigeration, should be used within 14 days
#3 Raw Paws Pet Food Raw Unpasteurized Goat Milk
Raw Paws is a small, family-owned business based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company focuses on raw pet food products, offering an array of frozen rolls and patties as well as freeze-dried options. For goat’s milk supplements, Raw Paws offers it in both liquid form (sold frozen) or powdered.
If you’re looking for a product you can serve as-is, Raw Paws Raw Unpasteurized Goat Milk may be the right choice. It comes in 16-ounce bottles and must be kept frozen until ready to serve. Once thawed, it should be used within 10 days. Because this product is unpasteurized, the milk will separate as it thaws—shake well before serving.
For a shelf-stable alternative, Raw Paws offers 7-ounce containers of powdered whole goat milk. It doesn’t contain any additives and each container yields 96 ounces of liquid goat milk when mixed with water.
Ingredients
100% Raw Goat Milk.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Choose from raw liquid or powdered goat milk
- Free from additives of any kind
- Rich in animal-sourced protein and fat
What We Didn’t Like:
- Requires refrigeration, should be used within 10 days
#4 Primal Pet Foods Raw Goat Milk
Another prepared option is raw goat milk from Primal Pet Foods. Like the previous pick, this raw goat milk is sourced from humanely-raised goats and comes in resealable bottles. It’s available in 16, 32, and 64 ounce volumes.
Where Primal’s goat milk has the edge over Raw Paws is the addition of live probiotics to boost the product’s digestive benefits. Each 1-ounce serving contains 5 billion CFUs of three strains of probiotic bacteria. The milk also contains inulin as a prebiotic fiber and a few organic spices for natural color and flavor.
Primal raw goat milk isn’t available on Chewy.com but you may be able to find it in-store at independent and specialty pet retailers. It could be a good option if you want to give goat’s milk a try but don’t want to buy in bulk or pay exorbitant shipping costs.
Ingredients
Raw Goat Milk, Dried Lactobacillus lactis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Inulin, Organic Turmeric (color), Organic Ginger, Organic Cinnamon.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Enriched with three strains of probiotics
- Comes in resealable bottles
- Can be purchased in pet stores
What We Didn’t Like:
- Not sold on Chewy.com, may not be available everywhere
#5 Nature’s Diet Whole Cream Goat Milk Wet Dog & Cat Food Topping
Our final recommendation is another powdered goat milk product available online. Like the Daily Boosters product from The Honest Kitchen, it’s easy to mix with water to make as much or as little as you need at a time. It’s also a convenient, shelf-stable alternative to liquid goat milk.
What sets this product apart from The Honest Kitchen’s goat milk powder is that it’s made from whole cream goat milk. Measured as dry matter, it contains about 26.6% protein and 10.6% fat versus 38.9% protein and 1.1% fat.
Being made from whole cream goat milk, this product is also more calorie-dense. It contains about 35 calories per tablespoon, though the ideal serving size for your cat is likely to be only about ⅓ of that. If you’re trying to help your cat gain weight, the higher fat and calorie content of this product may be preferable to The Honest Kitchen formula.
Ingredients
Dried Whole Cream Goat Milk.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made from 100% whole cream goat milk
- Easy-to-administer powder form
- Offer as a liquid treat or wet food mixer
What We Didn’t Like:
- Higher fat content may not be appropriate for all cats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is goat milk good for my cat?
If your cat can tolerate goat’s milk with no adverse reaction, it could be a beneficial addition to their diet. Goat’s milk is rich in essential minerals like calcium, potassium, and phosphorus as well as key vitamins, protein, and digestion-boosting probiotics. However, introduce it carefully as many cats struggle to digest dairy products.
How much goat milk can a cat have per day?
When first introducing your cat to goat’s milk, start with a serving no larger than a teaspoon. If your cat doesn’t display an adverse reaction after 12 hours, you can slowly increase their daily portion up to a maximum of two tablespoons per day.
Can goat milk replace cat milk?
Goat milk isn’t an appropriate alternative to cat milk or feline milk replacer to feed newborn kittens. It doesn’t contain the necessary balance of essential nutrients found in a mother cat’s milk, so feeding a diet consisting only of goat milk could lead to nutritional deficiencies and developmental problems.
