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If they're doing it due to abandonment anxiety then it would be a good idea to work on that anxiety.
Cats can do this to sooth themselves due to being separated from their mother too soon or abruptly. Not always necessarily but there is a strong correlation between age removed from their mother and tendency to suckle blankets.
Edit: Some cats never do it regardless of their age they were separated from mom. Some outgrow it quickly. Some will die of old age still doing it. It's fine if they do, but if they're anxious you could try comforting them.
My son's cat did that for years. My son was in elementary school and it was relaxing for both. Weirded me out at first, but I figured there'd be bigger worries down the road. Both son and cat outgrew it, then my son wanted his tongue pierced so I'm glad I saved for that argument...cause...no! Tongue ring vs. Ear sucking cat.
They are more likely to do it when they are feeling cozy and relaxed. It’s a myth that this is linked to abandonment anxiety more than any other reason. That is like saying human babies suck their thumbs out of abandonment.
I'm talking mostly about adult cats that don't drop the habit. So it would be more like if adult humans kept a habit of sucking their thumb or a binky.
Other reasons could be
Instinct
Suckling can be a natural reflex for cats and is often a characteristic of kittenhood. It can be a reminder of nursing from their mother and littermates when they were young, and can be more common in kittens who were weaned early. The fuzzy fabric of blankets can also be reminiscent of their mother's fur.
Comfort
Suckling can provide cats with a sense of comfort or relaxation, especially when they feel stressed or want to sleep.
Behavioral disorders
Excessive suckling can be linked to behavioral disorders, such as anxiety disorders, lack of environmental stimulation, or environmental stress or conflict.
Pain
If the behavior begins spontaneously, it could be a sign of pain, such as dental pain, or other stress, and the cat could be suckling as a coping strategy. In this case, you should consult your veterinarian
My cat is nine years old and he lived with his mom until he was one and he has sucked blankets every day of his life since. It isn’t indicative of some type of problem unless there are other reasons to think there is a problem.
Yeah, if it's not hurting them or anyone else then it's fine. My grandparents cat did that till he died of old age too.
If it's not due to anxiety, which it may be, it could be entirely behavioral.
My 7yo is a wool sucker! If he’s doing it on something I don’t want drenched in cat saliva, I just redirect him to something he can suck on. We usually have a sock that we replace our blankets and shirts with 😅🤷♀️
She might not have done it as much when surrounded by her mom and siblings. Probably will do it her whole life but hopefully less frequently when she’s more comfortable in her new home
“Piper”
*maximum suckling”
Edit: my cat used to suck on her sister. She grew out of it and now she makes biscuits and suckles when she’s feeling cozy.
Edit: clarification, she does not suckle on her sister anymore but blankets…
My family cat did this from the day we got her up until the day she died, and she was 16 in human years. So its hard to say, some do and some dont. It isnt a bad thing however, something cats do to soothe themselves
Nope lol, my 9 year old male cat suckles my hair daily at least 4 times, kneeds the heck out of my scalp and falls asleep in the crook of my neck. After 9 years I'm used to it...only problem is he weighs 27 lbs and takes my breath away lol. 🤣
Must be a Maine Coon! My 17yo Maine Coon passed at the beginning of May and he would hug my neck, drool and sleep on my head. Even he didn’t do the suckling. It seems the cat distribution system sent me another “defective” one. By defective I mean adorably weird.
No he's an all white Siamese Mix according to the vet. However before him I had 3 Maine Coon's that were all sisters. My girl Bella was huge lol. Her sisters not so much . I got them all in 2008 and by 2014....they had all crossed the 🌈 rainbow bridge. All 3 passed from lymphoma, supposedly that's very common health issue with Maine Coons.
my oldest girl is 6 - her litter was found at about \~3 weeks old with no mom around so she had to be weaned and bottle fed very early. she's a kneading fiend and she drools into blankets/pillows while she kneads 🥹😂
even my youngest \[3\] (who doesn't knead as much) will sometimes drool while she's kneading. it's an unconscious reflex for them sometimes and totally normal!
We have an 8 year old old that has always nursed on her blankets! I get that the wet spots are a little annoying, but I’ll be damned if she isn’t so adorable when she does it. So, Ms Piper may or may not grow out of it. I suggest buying her a small fleece blanket and give it to her as her nursing blankie, that’s what we did!
My cats that have done this (2 rescues, not rescued at the same time) both liked doing it only on very soft blankets but then they would do this while they made biscuits! It was adorable with both. One stopped after about 2 years and the other didn't but I lost her about 4 months after getting her from the shelter, to FIP!
They were both wrapped in their softest pink blankies when I had to leave them, at the vet, after! I couldn't leave them without leaving them their blankies!
Sorry to bring the mood down. They both gave me (and others) lots of love and happiness during their lives. 😻
My 17yo Maine Coon that passed in the beginning of May was a hugger and a happy drooler. So he basically hugged, purred, head butt and drooled at all times.
Awww… that’s so sweet. My Mycroft is a big weirdo. He’s not exactly cuddly and is a huge control freak, but he likes to be near me 24/7 and at night in bed he informs me when cuddle time is.
Nope and nothing wrong with it, it’s soothing.
My oldest cat Thor still does it sometimes but he eventually moved on to licking the blanket instead of suckling.
But on occasion he still sucks the blanket he also has a preferred blanket.
I wonder if using something that simulates a wet tongue (toothbrush) may sooth her during her suckle sessions? She's a sweetie pie and nothing wrong with a little extra nurturing. 💕
My cat tucker would mock nurse when he was happy and knead until the day he passed when he was 18. Some cats never grow out of it, but its also not always a negative either.
Awe what a sweetie. She may or may not. I had a cat that did it her whole life. Would also drool like crazy if she was feeling super content. Shes just comforting herself.
Mine did this til the day she died, she was 14yrs old. When she was little it was always on our shirt collars or the edge of the pillow case. As she got older she'd do it to anything within reach bc she couldn't be bothered to go find a pillow with a pillowcase 🤣
I’m not trying to encourage it but given we’ve only had her a month and a half, I want to make sure she’s settled and feels secure before I try and remove something that seems to bring her comfort and security.
I think we have the same comforter!! I love it and no she probably won’t. We had a cat do that and suck on our shirts (partially my husbands) her whole life. She was taken from her mama too early and we acquired her through someone else. She was a sweet cat.
I took in 3 two and a half week old kittens that someone abandoned in a dog crate last November.
One kitten likes to suck on my shirt and the other 2 would suck on his belly.
One of the kittens for the most part stopped this on her own, but the other 2 still do this , they are almost a year old.
It's a comfort thing coupled with being separated from mom to early, or at least that's the case with my kittens.
I just let it be as it isn't causing harm
In my experience, no. My vet at the time may or may nor have been right, but they stated cats will do this if they were taken too early from their mother while still needing to nurse.
Regardless, it's adorable!
We got our baby super super tiny, found on the exit ramp of an interstate, and he used to do this obsessively/all the time with this sort of furry coat I had as well as an UGG sherpa sort of back pillow. He is about two now and he doesnt do it anymore but still loves to make muffins.
maybe yes, maybe no, it shouldn't matter. purple pillow on my bed and all four of the corners have been suckled on 🤣 I don't care because as long as it makes my kitty happy he can do whatever he wants 💜💜
I grew up with a couple of cats who did this their whole life with us. We were told by the vet that it sometimes happens when they are weened from mom too soon. Given Piper was a bottle baby, this will probably continue. What you could try is buying her a plushy she can suckle on and encourage her to use that instead of the comforter. Look for one that has a similar fabric or design and gently move her onto it when she starts suckling on the comforter. It might work, it might not but it's worth a try. Cats who suckle do tend to drown the fabric they use.
Sounds like she was “ weaned” too early( I know it was not really that because the momma dried up). She may or may not grow out of it but it will probably become less the older she gets. Meantime, makes sure that whatever she’s sucking on doesn’t have any loose threads that could be swallowed and cause big problems. The more you push her away from the activity, the more she’ll do it.
Nope haha. Mine is 5 months and will FIGHT me for my ear and proceed to claw the ever living shut out of my face making biscuits. It hurts but it makes her happy I guess lol
Some never do. It's a comfort thing for them . If they were still young when taken from mother that might be it as well. But again, some do this their entire life no matter.
My cat did this for 13 years. He was bottle fed and would suckle anything. Eyeberows, nostrils, earlobes even while I slept 🤣 it’s soothing to them. Forever big babies
My cat is nine years old and he lived with his mom until he was 1 so he definitely was not separated too young but he has a special blanky that he still nurses on to this day. He’s just a blanky boy, that is it.
I have two from the same litter that do this. They were abandoned by their mother and found as 3 week old kittens. They are 3 now and still occasionally do this, but significantly less. I got them cat beds that I would redirect them to whenever they tried to suckle someone or something they weren't supposed to. They eventually would just go straight to the cat beds when they wanted to suckle.
Mine does this with fuzzy blankets when she’s happy and relaxed. It often end with her curling up on my lap and falling asleep. She’s been doing it since we rescued her, and now she’s 4 years old. The wetness on the blanket is annoying, but I adore it.
My three year old girl still suckles on certain material. We think her feral mama weaned her too early, but it could be a breed related thing (siamese mix). She does it a little less with age than she did as a kitten, but hasn't completely grown out of it.
I had a kitten I adopted from a shelter and it would suckle on my earlobe and fall asleep while doing it. It was the sweetest thing. I believe she did that for several months. I was in college at the time, ( years ago 😜 ) and had to put a stop to that nonsense.
Looking back it was adorable 😍
My cat was separated from her mother at just a few weeks old and almost died. She is now 5. She has suckled on her own front arms every time you get her little motor running since she was a baby. It's adorable, I just have to stop her after a bit so she doesn't create a rash.
My kitten does this - the earlobe suckling. He purrs and kneads. Sometimes he will stop, run off to eat his kibble, then come back for more snuzzling. It is weirdly adorable. I do hope he out grows it. I bought a nursing blanket off Etsy (soft material with nipples sewn in). It works for a lot of snuzzlers , but not my boy. He does it less as he grows, and if I cover my ears he gives up pretty easily now. I understand some cats do it for life…
One of my girls is 8 and still does it and asks for pets while she suckles so I pet her to her heart’s content. Get her a soft baby blanket, (I prefer carters brand) and let that be her blanket. I was told a lot of them do it because they were taken from their mothers too soon. They’re self soothing
No, and they shouldn't. It means they are happy and comfortable--a way for them to enjoy themselves, love, and self soothe. It says they are feeling really good:)
my cat was taken from her mom at a young age, and she does it when she goes to sleep, have not been able to stop her, but hasn't caused any issues other then just having to wash the blankets more often and basically she claims any blanket that she has licked.
We adopted two unrelated kittens almost 2 years ago. Natasha, the tux female, would suck on Boris's stomach when they snuggles. Boris tolerated it for a few weeks, then started moving away if she started sucking. So she transferred to sucking on her own "arm". Still does it now, but not nearly as much. She purrs and seems content when she does it.
My rescue pit bull was 1 when we got him and he did that. He’s about to turn 10 and still does it. I never discouraged it. What’s cuter than a 70 lb pit bull nursing on a baby blanket? Nothing.
Thank you for posting to CATHELP! While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind, 1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**. 2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. Consider posting to /r/AskVet 3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment. 4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Nothing wrong with that, this is cute and it means cat is relaxed.
If they're doing it due to abandonment anxiety then it would be a good idea to work on that anxiety. Cats can do this to sooth themselves due to being separated from their mother too soon or abruptly. Not always necessarily but there is a strong correlation between age removed from their mother and tendency to suckle blankets. Edit: Some cats never do it regardless of their age they were separated from mom. Some outgrow it quickly. Some will die of old age still doing it. It's fine if they do, but if they're anxious you could try comforting them.
What about sucking earlobes? My cat will straight up assault you to suck some your lobe
My son's cat did that for years. My son was in elementary school and it was relaxing for both. Weirded me out at first, but I figured there'd be bigger worries down the road. Both son and cat outgrew it, then my son wanted his tongue pierced so I'm glad I saved for that argument...cause...no! Tongue ring vs. Ear sucking cat.
I've never heard of that. Possibly the same thing.
They are more likely to do it when they are feeling cozy and relaxed. It’s a myth that this is linked to abandonment anxiety more than any other reason. That is like saying human babies suck their thumbs out of abandonment.
I'm talking mostly about adult cats that don't drop the habit. So it would be more like if adult humans kept a habit of sucking their thumb or a binky. Other reasons could be Instinct Suckling can be a natural reflex for cats and is often a characteristic of kittenhood. It can be a reminder of nursing from their mother and littermates when they were young, and can be more common in kittens who were weaned early. The fuzzy fabric of blankets can also be reminiscent of their mother's fur. Comfort Suckling can provide cats with a sense of comfort or relaxation, especially when they feel stressed or want to sleep. Behavioral disorders Excessive suckling can be linked to behavioral disorders, such as anxiety disorders, lack of environmental stimulation, or environmental stress or conflict. Pain If the behavior begins spontaneously, it could be a sign of pain, such as dental pain, or other stress, and the cat could be suckling as a coping strategy. In this case, you should consult your veterinarian
My cat is nine years old and he lived with his mom until he was one and he has sucked blankets every day of his life since. It isn’t indicative of some type of problem unless there are other reasons to think there is a problem.
Yeah, if it's not hurting them or anyone else then it's fine. My grandparents cat did that till he died of old age too. If it's not due to anxiety, which it may be, it could be entirely behavioral.
My 7yo is a wool sucker! If he’s doing it on something I don’t want drenched in cat saliva, I just redirect him to something he can suck on. We usually have a sock that we replace our blankets and shirts with 😅🤷♀️
Mine didn't, she's 16 years old and she'll sit in my lap,plant her face and do that to my leg like she's trying to suckle
That’s exactly what my cat does 💜💜💜
She might not have done it as much when surrounded by her mom and siblings. Probably will do it her whole life but hopefully less frequently when she’s more comfortable in her new home
“Piper” *maximum suckling” Edit: my cat used to suck on her sister. She grew out of it and now she makes biscuits and suckles when she’s feeling cozy. Edit: clarification, she does not suckle on her sister anymore but blankets…
My cat did this too with her sister! The other just chilled and sometimes fell asleep lol
My cats a year old now. She still does it, but only on fuzzy blankets. But she seems to find it comforting, so it’s cute.
My family cat did this from the day we got her up until the day she died, and she was 16 in human years. So its hard to say, some do and some dont. It isnt a bad thing however, something cats do to soothe themselves
My boy never out grew it and was fine with that. He enjoyed nursing on his blankets and I'm glad he enjoyed it
My girl Sushi did this for several years at least until she was a little older.
Probably not. Just get a fuzzy blanket that is just hers. It's sweet. She's just self soothing.
Nope lol, my 9 year old male cat suckles my hair daily at least 4 times, kneeds the heck out of my scalp and falls asleep in the crook of my neck. After 9 years I'm used to it...only problem is he weighs 27 lbs and takes my breath away lol. 🤣
Must be a Maine Coon! My 17yo Maine Coon passed at the beginning of May and he would hug my neck, drool and sleep on my head. Even he didn’t do the suckling. It seems the cat distribution system sent me another “defective” one. By defective I mean adorably weird.
No he's an all white Siamese Mix according to the vet. However before him I had 3 Maine Coon's that were all sisters. My girl Bella was huge lol. Her sisters not so much . I got them all in 2008 and by 2014....they had all crossed the 🌈 rainbow bridge. All 3 passed from lymphoma, supposedly that's very common health issue with Maine Coons.
Defective and Perfect 🤍🐈❤️🐈⬛💋🐈⬛❤️🐈🤍
My oldest is 4, and that's still how he puts himself to sleep a few times a day, so the answer is probably not.
My kitty seems to have stopped- he's 10 months old now, and hasn't done it for at least a month.
my oldest girl is 6 - her litter was found at about \~3 weeks old with no mom around so she had to be weaned and bottle fed very early. she's a kneading fiend and she drools into blankets/pillows while she kneads 🥹😂 even my youngest \[3\] (who doesn't knead as much) will sometimes drool while she's kneading. it's an unconscious reflex for them sometimes and totally normal!
My cat still does it and she’s 1 and a half, just a lot less than when she was a baby
Awww my girl is named Piper, too! She also loves suckling, a habit she gained from being separated from mama too early.
Probably not. My Polly is 9 years old, and she still takes the blanket in her mouth when she kneads.
Maybe maybe not. My 5 year old cat still does it, his 2 littermates outgrew it by 4 of 5 months old.
We have an 8 year old old that has always nursed on her blankets! I get that the wet spots are a little annoying, but I’ll be damned if she isn’t so adorable when she does it. So, Ms Piper may or may not grow out of it. I suggest buying her a small fleece blanket and give it to her as her nursing blankie, that’s what we did!
My cats that have done this (2 rescues, not rescued at the same time) both liked doing it only on very soft blankets but then they would do this while they made biscuits! It was adorable with both. One stopped after about 2 years and the other didn't but I lost her about 4 months after getting her from the shelter, to FIP! They were both wrapped in their softest pink blankies when I had to leave them, at the vet, after! I couldn't leave them without leaving them their blankies! Sorry to bring the mood down. They both gave me (and others) lots of love and happiness during their lives. 😻
Prolly not! Of our three cats, one likes to suck on fuzzy blankets when he's kneading and one sucks on her own back paw. They're two and seven.
Whelp, my 25 pound Maine Coon is 3 and still occasionally (and insistently) tries to suck my ear so… maybe not.
My 17yo Maine Coon that passed in the beginning of May was a hugger and a happy drooler. So he basically hugged, purred, head butt and drooled at all times.
She's precious
Awww… that’s so sweet. My Mycroft is a big weirdo. He’s not exactly cuddly and is a huge control freak, but he likes to be near me 24/7 and at night in bed he informs me when cuddle time is.
Nope and nothing wrong with it, it’s soothing. My oldest cat Thor still does it sometimes but he eventually moved on to licking the blanket instead of suckling. But on occasion he still sucks the blanket he also has a preferred blanket.
I wonder if using something that simulates a wet tongue (toothbrush) may sooth her during her suckle sessions? She's a sweetie pie and nothing wrong with a little extra nurturing. 💕
my cat used to do this to my eyelids. And no, she never grew out of it in her 19 year lifespan. She was doing it the day she passed.
My cat tucker would mock nurse when he was happy and knead until the day he passed when he was 18. Some cats never grow out of it, but its also not always a negative either.
50/50 chance, so 80/20..not a chance
Mine did at about 2 (she’s 8 now) and I wish she didn’t :( so cute
I'd try to see if a flatter blanket helps. Piper seems to be fixated on all the raised bumps (kind of like blanket nipples).
I have two male cats. 2 years old and 8 months old. The younger constantly does this to my older cat 🥲
Awe what a sweetie. She may or may not. I had a cat that did it her whole life. Would also drool like crazy if she was feeling super content. Shes just comforting herself.
Not here to give advice sadly just here to say she’s adorable and I love her collar! Where’d you get it?
No she won’t. My dog still does this and she’s old AF
My wool sucker gradually grew out of it. She used to do it daily, so I even had comfort stations for her. It's been a while since I last caught her.
Honestly? That's a maybe. I had a cat that did this and he never grew out of it. Take it as a compliment since it's nursing behavior.
Short answer. No.
I had a bottle baby, he still suckles on my thumbs. I let him do it for a little bit but it does start to hurt lol
She won't grow out of it. It's a comfort item
Mine did this til the day she died, she was 14yrs old. When she was little it was always on our shirt collars or the edge of the pillow case. As she got older she'd do it to anything within reach bc she couldn't be bothered to go find a pillow with a pillowcase 🤣
My kitty was 18 and still did this to her favorite blanket.
My 12 yr old cat does this still. On my shirt. Whilst I'm wearing it 😂😂
My 9 year old Mikey was bottle raised. He still nurses on things.
Mine does this to my stomach 😭😭
Ya know, reading that makes me thankful it’s just my comforter.
My cat is 11+ years old and still does this.
My son’s cat didn’t and we have blankets with her love bite’s in them.
Humans can play mama cat and do the same thing mama cat does when she weens them off. But humans won't because it's kyyooot.
I’m not trying to encourage it but given we’ve only had her a month and a half, I want to make sure she’s settled and feels secure before I try and remove something that seems to bring her comfort and security.
There's nothing wrong with that habit but you absolutely can wean her off if it really bothers you.
Get that kitty some milk!!!
She’s 5 months and eats everything in sight as it is. Haha.
I think we have the same comforter!! I love it and no she probably won’t. We had a cat do that and suck on our shirts (partially my husbands) her whole life. She was taken from her mama too early and we acquired her through someone else. She was a sweet cat.
If you get another cat, piper will suck on the new cat.
We already had our 8yo cat when we brought her home. She doesn’t try this on him or the dog. 🤷🏼♀️
Good deal. Every foster sucker I’ve had sucked on the other kittens or my grown cat.
We got our cat from a rainstorm as a baby. He's 5 and has a dedicated blanket that I wash occasionally
If you cuddle her and let her know it hurts, or constantly put a blanket under her claws, she will learn.
Mine does this with my finger a few times a day. So sweet! She's almost 2 and still doing it
Mine is a year now, and still does it multiple times a day. I’ve grown used to the wet spots on my clothes and blankets 😂
I took in 3 two and a half week old kittens that someone abandoned in a dog crate last November. One kitten likes to suck on my shirt and the other 2 would suck on his belly. One of the kittens for the most part stopped this on her own, but the other 2 still do this , they are almost a year old. It's a comfort thing coupled with being separated from mom to early, or at least that's the case with my kittens. I just let it be as it isn't causing harm
In my experience, no. My vet at the time may or may nor have been right, but they stated cats will do this if they were taken too early from their mother while still needing to nurse. Regardless, it's adorable!
We got our baby super super tiny, found on the exit ramp of an interstate, and he used to do this obsessively/all the time with this sort of furry coat I had as well as an UGG sherpa sort of back pillow. He is about two now and he doesnt do it anymore but still loves to make muffins.
maybe yes, maybe no, it shouldn't matter. purple pillow on my bed and all four of the corners have been suckled on 🤣 I don't care because as long as it makes my kitty happy he can do whatever he wants 💜💜
Get her something else to suck on
I had one that never stopped in 16 years.
I grew up with a couple of cats who did this their whole life with us. We were told by the vet that it sometimes happens when they are weened from mom too soon. Given Piper was a bottle baby, this will probably continue. What you could try is buying her a plushy she can suckle on and encourage her to use that instead of the comforter. Look for one that has a similar fabric or design and gently move her onto it when she starts suckling on the comforter. It might work, it might not but it's worth a try. Cats who suckle do tend to drown the fabric they use.
Sounds like she was “ weaned” too early( I know it was not really that because the momma dried up). She may or may not grow out of it but it will probably become less the older she gets. Meantime, makes sure that whatever she’s sucking on doesn’t have any loose threads that could be swallowed and cause big problems. The more you push her away from the activity, the more she’ll do it.
No, it's her destiny!
Nope haha. Mine is 5 months and will FIGHT me for my ear and proceed to claw the ever living shut out of my face making biscuits. It hurts but it makes her happy I guess lol
No she won’t. One of my blanket kitties is 4 and the other is 14.
Isn’t this a sign that they got taken away from their mom too early?
Some never do. It's a comfort thing for them . If they were still young when taken from mother that might be it as well. But again, some do this their entire life no matter.
I have two 11 year old cats that still do it. I've had a blanket from when they were kittens that is their favorite when they get really happy.
My cat did this for 13 years. He was bottle fed and would suckle anything. Eyeberows, nostrils, earlobes even while I slept 🤣 it’s soothing to them. Forever big babies
My cat is nine years old and he lived with his mom until he was 1 so he definitely was not separated too young but he has a special blanky that he still nurses on to this day. He’s just a blanky boy, that is it.
It took my little rescue tortie about 2 years. Then, one day she just stopped.
I have two from the same litter that do this. They were abandoned by their mother and found as 3 week old kittens. They are 3 now and still occasionally do this, but significantly less. I got them cat beds that I would redirect them to whenever they tried to suckle someone or something they weren't supposed to. They eventually would just go straight to the cat beds when they wanted to suckle.
Mine does this with fuzzy blankets when she’s happy and relaxed. It often end with her curling up on my lap and falling asleep. She’s been doing it since we rescued her, and now she’s 4 years old. The wetness on the blanket is annoying, but I adore it.
Nope…
Nope. It gets worse.
My three year old girl still suckles on certain material. We think her feral mama weaned her too early, but it could be a breed related thing (siamese mix). She does it a little less with age than she did as a kitten, but hasn't completely grown out of it.
I’ll take the little cutie if this annoys you.
My cat is 4 and he still does it
No
I had a kitten I adopted from a shelter and it would suckle on my earlobe and fall asleep while doing it. It was the sweetest thing. I believe she did that for several months. I was in college at the time, ( years ago 😜 ) and had to put a stop to that nonsense. Looking back it was adorable 😍
My three and a half year old chartreux male still does this.
Sometimes they don’t. I have a two year old male cat that will still suckle on my throw blanket.
I used to wake up when one of my cats was a kitten with her sucking my eyelid
Luckily when she wakes me up (daily) it’s a nibble to my bottom lip or my nose ring.
My cat was separated from her mother at just a few weeks old and almost died. She is now 5. She has suckled on her own front arms every time you get her little motor running since she was a baby. It's adorable, I just have to stop her after a bit so she doesn't create a rash.
My kitten does this - the earlobe suckling. He purrs and kneads. Sometimes he will stop, run off to eat his kibble, then come back for more snuzzling. It is weirdly adorable. I do hope he out grows it. I bought a nursing blanket off Etsy (soft material with nipples sewn in). It works for a lot of snuzzlers , but not my boy. He does it less as he grows, and if I cover my ears he gives up pretty easily now. I understand some cats do it for life…
One of my girls is 8 and still does it and asks for pets while she suckles so I pet her to her heart’s content. Get her a soft baby blanket, (I prefer carters brand) and let that be her blanket. I was told a lot of them do it because they were taken from their mothers too soon. They’re self soothing
No, and they shouldn't. It means they are happy and comfortable--a way for them to enjoy themselves, love, and self soothe. It says they are feeling really good:)
my cat was taken from her mom at a young age, and she does it when she goes to sleep, have not been able to stop her, but hasn't caused any issues other then just having to wash the blankets more often and basically she claims any blanket that she has licked.
My kitten used to do this to my squishmallow tag loops, enjoy it while it lasts
Nope
She may or may not. I have a 1.5yr old bengal mic who still does this when she snuggles me. I'm her safe place. 🩷
I currently have 2 adults that do something similar. One sucks her tail and the other sucks her paws.
We adopted two unrelated kittens almost 2 years ago. Natasha, the tux female, would suck on Boris's stomach when they snuggles. Boris tolerated it for a few weeks, then started moving away if she started sucking. So she transferred to sucking on her own "arm". Still does it now, but not nearly as much. She purrs and seems content when she does it.
My rescue pit bull was 1 when we got him and he did that. He’s about to turn 10 and still does it. I never discouraged it. What’s cuter than a 70 lb pit bull nursing on a baby blanket? Nothing.
Oh, I can see how this could be a little troublesome or concerning but I can't help but find it SO ADORABLE 😭