# Nursing on my dressing gown?



## Zoe.K (Oct 1, 2011)

Hi all,

I just wanted to get some points of view on this really as I've had six cats in the past and none of them have done this. I have two kitties, one boy and one girl, now almost 5 months old.

When they first came to live with me occasionally they would suckle on one of my cuddly toys, loudly and purrrr like crazy.

It got a bit much so I moved the toy away from my bed so they could still suckle but not make noise when I try to sleep.

Well for the past few months now they have taken to nursing on my dressing gown, more so when I'm wearing it and it's cute but I just wondered if this behaviour was normal.

They both seem happy and I just assumed it was like a child sucking it's thumb so hopefully it is.. any thoughts?

Thanks
Zoe
x


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Sounds like they were separated from mom too early.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

MowMOw has a cuddle bear and a few blankets he does that with. Kneads and suckles (and drools a LOT), it seems to send him to his 'happy place'. I agree with Doodlebug, I chock it up to weaning too early.


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## wondercat (Oct 11, 2011)

My Max does this also, sometimes I see his mouth moving even when he is not sucking on anything, he does it to me, the blankets etc. I hope it does go away eventually, i think he was separated from mommy way to early also.


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## Dorky_GiGi (Nov 7, 2011)

It does sound like they were separated from mom too early.

However, that isn’t always the case. When I got Nigel, he was properly weaned and aged to go his new home…but he has this habit of snuggling up on me and suckling my earlobe. The first time he did it, I know he was trying to suckle and it was the sweetest thing (although my soggy ear didn’t agree). He would try and do this all of the time, but as he got a little older, it subsided. Right now, he’s almost 2 years old and every now and then he’ll try to do it. Last night, as a matter of fact, he climbed up on me for a snuggle and tried going for the earlobe again.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Ugh! MowMow goes for the earlobe all the time too. I probably wouldn't mind but he's SUCH a drooler and it's gross. 

I try to let him use that as a stress reliever though. When he seems really stressed or fretting about something it settles him down and gets him purring and sleepy in no time.


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## Dorky_GiGi (Nov 7, 2011)

MowMow said:


> Ugh! MowMow goes for the earlobe all the time too. I probably wouldn't mind but he's SUCH a drooler and it's gross.
> 
> I try to let him use that as a stress reliever though. When he seems really stressed or fretting about something it settles him down and gets him purring and sleepy in no time.


Yes! Me, too. People think it's weird to let him do that...but if he's stressed, I let him do it. When Archie came home, Nigel especially wanted to do it. The only thing that grosses me out is the amount of drool they leave behind.

I do, however, find the amplied suckling noises to be a riot.


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## WhisperingWind56 (Oct 12, 2011)

My mom's gray tabby, Sarah, used to do that. Even when she grew up, if she saw that nightie lying on the bed, she'd pounce on it and start suckling like crazy.


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

Awww You're the mama. I';ve got a couple that nurse on me. Methos and PuddyWow get competetive about it. And yes most of my guys were bottle babies.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

When she was a kitten, Muffs used to suckle on a fuzzy blanket and knead at the same time. I adopted her at 12 weeks, prior to which she was with her Mom and littermates, so her suckling wasn't related to being removed from her Mom too early. I don't know why she did it, although she seemed so happy that I never tried to stop her. She essentially outgrew the habit when she was around 6 months old. She still does it now, but only rarely (maybe once every 3 or 4 months).


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## def kitty (Mar 1, 2011)

My 6 month old foster kitten does this. I was wondering if anyone could share any tips how to get him to nurse on some other object instead? My shirt gets all wet which is uncomfortable and inconvenient and i am not sure i will be able to find him a home if he keeps doing that. Even if i put another shirt over the shirt i'm wearing somehow he knows it's not the real thing. What kind of material / texture do they like best?


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## chasekwe (May 5, 2011)

I'm glad I found this post, my new kitten Stella whom I've had for almost 3 weeks now nurses on herself and her brother. She leaves big sopping wet patches of fur as her mark. She is a purebred Balinese who wasn't brought home from the breeder until 16 weeks so I know she wasn't weaned to early. Her step-brother who is 3 weeks younger, and came home from the breeder 3 weeks earlier as a result, displays no such behavior.

Is this something I should be concerned about? I'll post some pictures to give an idea.


















That isn't a wound or anything, she's just soaked! Btw she just nurses on patches of fur, no location in particular gets preference.


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## 6cats2dogs2kids (Nov 23, 2011)

chasekwe said:


> I'm glad I found this post, my new kitten Stella whom I've had for almost 3 weeks now nurses on herself and her brother. She leaves big sopping wet patches of fur as her mark. She is a purebred Balinese who wasn't brought home from the breeder until 16 weeks so I know she wasn't weaned to early. Her step-brother who is 3 weeks younger, and came home from the breeder 3 weeks earlier as a result, displays no such behavior.
> 
> Is this something I should be concerned about? I'll post some pictures to give an idea..


Siamese in particular are a little neurotic this way. I only have one outvof 4 who doesn't suck on something. In particular, my siamese/ragdoll cross sucks her belly like yours does. The vet said it does no harm but keep an eye on it for soreness. One twin siamese sucks the neck of the other. All three cats don't do it as much as when they were little. My cornish rex sucked his tail and here is the weirdest one.... My female tonkinese sucks my husband's neck if she can. So out of 6 current cats, 4 are suckers and none were seperated before 10 weeks old.


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## chasekwe (May 5, 2011)

Thanks 6cats2dogs2kids,

She only seems to do it once a day around afternoon nap time, if I do notice sores how exactly do I get her to stop?... not like I can spray sour apple or whatever right on the fur.


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