Why does my cat suck on his brothers'?
By tammyr
@tammyr (5946)
Etowah, Tennessee
August 13, 2015 10:16pm CST
I received possession of three tiny kittens, just barely three week's old. Their mom's had abandoned them.
We bottle feed them for about 3 weeks until they could eat kitten food on their own. Let me tell you, kittens are ferocious little things when they are nursing! They are happy healthy, playful little darlings, full of laughs n entertainment!
They are now about 3 1/2 months old. One kitten constantly want to suckle the ears of the other two. He tried it on my dog Hannibal once, but he wasn't having any part of that!
He mostly does this as he's falling asleep, and only once have I seen him do it on anything else, my leg, lol.
I'm wondering:
if this is normal behavior?
Does it mean anything?
How can I stop him?
6 people like this
7 responses
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
14 Aug 15
It is suppose to mean they didn't have proper time suckling on their Mom..I had one that did that and it drove me crazy..Loved her though!
3 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
14 Aug 15
If he was human, he'd be the kid that still used a dummy until kindergarten! lol Don't worry about it........as you said, he's just sensitive, needed more mom time and will probably outgrow it.
2 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
15 Aug 15
@tammyr We are an education unto ourselves! lol
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
15 Aug 15
Suckling (and pawing) is not unusual behaviour for some cats. It's probably equivalent to thumb-sucking in children, especially that odd and complicated action where the sucking of the thumb is accompanied by stroking the side of the nose and twiddling the hair with the other hand.
Hopefully, your kitty may grow out of it but more than likely he'll choose a favourite toy or piece of blanket to suckle on when he feels sleepy. Cats are weird individuals and many have little quirks which, if they were human, would make us think they were 'psychologically impaired'. Many probably are, from a cat's point of view, and some would certainly not survive in the wild! They need all our love and forbearance, sometimes.
@GardenGerty (160663)
• United States
14 Aug 15
I have a cat that for a while nursed the bathroom rug. I figured she had been taken from her mom too soon. She outgrew it.
2 people like this
@deazil (4730)
• United States
14 Aug 15
@tammyr Good job on helping these little guys! Cats are interesting creatures. As for the one that wants to suckle on his brother's ears, I don't think you should try to stop him. I think it's pretty normal considering that he's just a kitten and was separated from his mother so young. Also, I've had older cats that loved to suck on a blanket. I think maybe it's comforting to them.
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
14 Aug 15
I only stopped him from sucking on me, lol. His brother's don't usually mind, but sometimes they do 
and let him know straight away!
We were suppose to find them homes n only keep one, but there is no way we can choose who to rehome n who to keep, so for note, they all stay. 
and let him know straight away!
We were suppose to find them homes n only keep one, but there is no way we can choose who to rehome n who to keep, so for note, they all stay. 1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
16 Aug 15
I am sure that it is just fine, he probably just needs to suck a little, he is still so young.
