Can Cats Eat Cheese?
Most cats can eat small amounts of cheese occasionally, but many are lactose intolerant and will get digestive upset. Cheese is high in fat and calories with little nutritional benefit for cats. A tiny piece as a rare treat or to hide medication is generally fine, but dairy shouldn't be a regular part of your cat's diet.
Key Takeaways
- Contrary to the stereotype of cats loving milk, most adult cats lack sufficient lactase enzyme to digest lactose (milk sugar).
- Blue cheese and other moldy cheeses should be avoided—the mold can be toxic to cats.
- Lactose-free cheese may be better tolerated but is still high in fat.
Explanation
Contrary to the stereotype of cats loving milk, most adult cats lack sufficient lactase enzyme to digest lactose (milk sugar). This means dairy products including cheese can cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and gas. Some cats tolerate dairy better than others. If you are looking for safer treat options, cooked chicken is one of the best proteins for cats.
If your cat handles cheese well, hard cheeses like cheddar have less lactose than soft cheeses and may be better tolerated. The fat content is the other concern—cheese is calorie-dense, and obesity is common in cats. A small cube of cheese has significant calories relative to a cat's daily needs.
You may wonder whether moldy cheese is safe to eat in general, but for cats, cheese can be useful for hiding medication or as an extremely high-value training reward. If using cheese this way, use the smallest amount possible and monitor for digestive issues. Plain, low-sodium varieties are best.
To put the calorie concern in perspective, an average 10-pound indoor cat needs roughly 200 calories per day. A single 1-inch cube of cheddar cheese contains about 70 calories, which is over a third of a cat's daily caloric requirement. Treats of any kind should make up no more than 10% of a cat's daily calories, meaning cheese portions need to be pea-sized at most. Overfeeding high-fat treats contributes to feline obesity, which increases risks of diabetes, joint disease, and urinary problems.
For a nutritious high-protein treat without the lactose concern, cats can safely eat cooked eggs in small amounts. Kittens produce more lactase than adult cats, which is why they can digest their mother's milk. As cats wean and mature, lactase production drops significantly in most individuals. This is a normal biological process shared by most mammals, including many humans. The degree of lactose intolerance varies between individual cats, so one cat in a household might handle cheese fine while another gets diarrhea from the same amount.
Things to Know
- Blue cheese and other moldy cheeses should be avoided—the mold can be toxic to cats.
- Lactose-free cheese may be better tolerated but is still high in fat.
- Some cats are allergic to dairy proteins regardless of lactose content.
- Cheese spread, cream cheese, and processed cheese often have added ingredients that aren't cat-safe, including xylitol which is extremely toxic to dogs and potentially harmful to cats as well.
- Cats with kidney disease should avoid cheese entirely because the high sodium and phosphorus content puts additional strain on compromised kidneys.