Can rats eat cheese?

Better not: rats shouldn’t eat cheese. RSPCA Australia advises against dairy, the RSPCA says to use it only as a treat, and other sources allow small amounts. Germany’s Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare (TVT) names hard cheese for the small share of animal protein. The Swiss animal welfare society (STS) allows dairy in small amounts because rats can’t digest larger amounts of milk sugar. The Royal Veterinary College lists cottage cheese as a treat twice a week, the University of Minnesota mentions yogurt, and the Zurich animal welfare society (Zürcher Tierschutz) offers yogurt, quark and cottage cheese rarely. The RSPCA says to avoid high-fat foods such as dairy and to use them only as treats and training rewards, and RSPCA Australia advises against feeding dairy products, so we err on the side of caution.