This post is sponsored by Tailspring. All opinions are my own.
Fostering kittens was one of the best experiences I have ever had. Those little itty bitty babies with their straight tails, adorable mewing and crazy antics are so much fun to watch. But caring for them is no easy task!
I learned a lot during my time as a kitten foster – like holy crow they make a mess – and that cats and cow’s milk are actually not a good pairing.
When I spoke to the vet who helped me care for my first litter of kittens, I learned that most kittens are in fact lactose intolerant, so milk is not recommended.
I had no idea!
They suggested a milk replacer for kittens – which is highly recommended by most kitten rescues and veterinarians.
That brings me to Tailspring! I recently learned about their goat milk line of products and wanted to dig deeper to see if it is a good option for our rescue friends!
Fun fact: I had no idea goat milk was a thing! Turns out goat milk is popular for humans babies too.
Mother’s milk is of course the best option for puppies and kittens. But as we know in the world of animal rescue, the mother is not always available – or healthy enough to feed their young.
This is why having a milk replacer is so important, so let’s talk about Tailspring and what makes them a bit different than other milk replacement options.
The Truth About Milk For Kittens
You may remember growing up with stories of kittens happily lapping at plates of milk or cream. This is why so many of us have grown up believing that milk is good for kittens – but it is not!
Many kittens are lactose intolerant – which means they cannot properly digest the milk which in turn can cause belly aches and/or diarrhea. Other signs they may be lactose intolerant include vomiting and gas.
The main difficulty with cow’s milk is the protein called casein, which many animals (and people) may be allergic to.
Benefits Of Tailspring Goat Milk
Goat milk is a popular option for people and pets because it has smaller fat globules that allow bodies to break it down easier. This results in faster absorption of important nutrients and energy!
Goat milk also naturally has a greater amount of nutrients than cow’s milk without any additional nutrients being added.
So what are the best things about Tailspring’s goat milk products?
- Goat’s milk is much easier for kittens and puppies to digest.
- There are no added preservatives, colors or artificial flavors.
- Cleanest list of ingredients on the market.
- Milk replacers are formulated to match mother’s milk as closely as possible.
- Scientifically created by a 30 year veteran in the field of neonatal pet nutrition.
- Formula includes all essential nutrients, amino acids, fats and vitamins that little ones need.
- 100% human grade – approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFO).
- Lower content of Alpha S2 casein making it hypo-allergenic
Tailspring Products
Tailspring has milk replacer products for both puppies and kittens that are available in liquid and powdered options. These replacers are created to match the mother’s milk for each species – so you should not give the dog version to your cat!
Kittens and puppies have unique nutritional needs and Tailspring made sure to create a product that meets those needs.
Tailspring is currently the only pet brand that creates their products exclusively with goat milk. They also only use 100% human-grade ingredients. This, combined with their AAFO approval helps validate that they are a brand that cares about quality – and health.
Below are some more details about each of their products.
Milk Replacer For Puppies
Liquid Milk Replacer
- Crude Protein………….5.0%
- Crude Fat (min)………6.0%
- Crude Fiber (max)….0.1%
- Moisture (max)………..85%
Water, dried whole goat milk, safflower oil, dried goat milk protein, l-arginine, dl-methionine, calcium lactate, choline chloride, sunflower lecithin, taurine, gum arabic, magnesium sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin D supplement, vitamin A, supplement, vitamin E supplement, copper sulfate, potassium iodide.
The calorie content (ME) is 821 kcal/kg or 12 kcal/Tbs.
Powder Milk Replacer
- Crude Protein………….33%
- Crude Fat (min)……….40%
- Crude Fiber (max)……1.0%
- Moisture (max)………..5.0%
Dried whole goat milk, safflower oil, dried goat milk protein, l-arginine, dl-methionine, calcium lactate, choline chloride, sunflower lecithin, taurine, gum arabic, magnesium sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin D supplement, vitamin A, supplement, vitamin E supplement, copper sulfate, potassium iodide.
The calorie content (ME) is 4,465 kcal/kg or 31 kcal/Tbs.
Milk Replacer For Kittens
Liquid Milk Replacer
- Crude Protein…………..8.5%
- Crude Fat (min)……….5.0%
- Crude Fiber (max)…..0.1%
- Moisture (max)…………81%
Water, dried whole goat milk, dried goat milk protein, safflower oil, l-arginine, dl-methionine, calcium lactate, choline chloride, sunflower lecithin, taurine, magnesium sulfate, gum arabic, ferrous sulfate, vitamin D supplement, vitamin A, supplement, vitamin E supplement, copper sulfate, potassium iodide.
The calorie content (ME) is 878 kcal/kg or 13 kcal/Tbs.
Powder Milk Replacer
- Crude Protein…………42%
- Crude Fat (min)………25%
- Crude Fiber (max)….1.0%
- Moisture (max)………..5.0%
Dried whole goat milk, dried goat milk protein, safflower oil, l-arginine, dl-methionine, calcium lactate, choline chloride, sunflower lecithin, taurine, magnesium sulfate, gum arabic, ferrous sulfate, vitamin D supplement, vitamin A, supplement, vitamin E supplement, copper sulfate, potassium iodide.
The calorie content (ME) is 3,490 kcal/kg or 24 kcal/Tbs.
The Other Goat Milk Replacers
While there is plenty of milk replacers out there, they are not all equal.
Tailspring shines in this area as they have added the least amount of extra additives to their products and are the only brand to actually use a human-grade goat milk,
Below is a comparison of the ingredients of some of the bigger brands so you can see the difference for yourself.
Goat milk powder products are being used in this comparison table.
| Brand | Analysis | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Tailspring | 33% crude protein 40% crude fat 1% crude fiber 5% moisture | Dried whole goat milk, safflower oil, dried goat milk protein, l-arginine, dl-methionine, calcium lactate, choline chloride, sunflower lecithin, taurine, gum arabic, magnesium sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin D supplement, vitamin A, supplement, vitamin E supplement, copper sulfate, potassium iodide. |
| Brand 1 | 33% crude protein 40% crude fat 0% crude fiber 5% moisture | Dried whole goat milk powder, casein, vegetable oil (preserved with tocopherols), dried goat milk protein, dried whey protein concentrate, dicalcium phosphate, choline chloride, lecithin, DL-methionine, L-arginine, magnesium sulfate, monopotassium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, iron amino acid chelate, tricalcium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, copper sulfate, vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, folic acid, thiamine hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, manganese sulfate, calcium iodate, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin. |
| Brand 2 | 20% crude protein 20% crude fat 0% crude fiber 3% moisture | Dried Skimmed Milk, Dried Whey Protein Concentrate, Dried Whey, Dried Whey Product, Animal Fat (preserved with BHT), Lecithin Polyoxyethylene Glycol 400 (Mono and Dioleates), Dried Goat Milk, Silicon Dioxide, Diatomaceous Earth, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Riboflavijn, Vitamin B12, Niacin, Choline Bitartrate, Menadione Dimethylprimidinol Bisulfite Complex, Biotin, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine HCL, Calcium Panthothenate, Zinc Proteinate, Selenium Yeast, Ferrous Sulfate, Cobalt Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Sinc Sulfate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Citric Acid, Diosodium EDTA, and Artificial Flavor. |
About Tailspring
Located in Northern California, Tailspring is part of the Meyenberg brand of goat milk which has been in business since 1934. So while you may have never heard of Tailspring before – you can feel comfortable knowing they are from a brand that has a long history!
The brand was originally created to help those that suffered from food allergies and other health issues related to dairy products. Because of the interest from veterinarians, breeders and pet owners for their original product line, they decided to create an exclusive pet brand known as Tailspring.
You can follow along with Tailspring and learn more about them below:
Tailspring website
Tailspring on Facebook
Tailspring on Instagram
#Tailspring #GoatMilkForKittens #GoatMilkForPuppies
Have you tried goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk for you babies? Please share your thoughts – the more we share experiences, the more we can learn about providing the best care for the little ones!
