Why is My CAT Still SUCKLING? 🐱 (4 Reasons for Nursing Behavior)

👕🐈 Does your cat suckle on clothes, blankets, toys, pillows or even your fingers as if it wants to breastfeed? In this AnimalWised video about feline behavior, we explain the 4 possible reasons why your cat is still suckling like it is breastfeeding. Find out why your cat nurses on clothes, blankets and other objects.

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[julybutterfly]

I disagree, my cat suckles on a particular tag on a particular blanket and it is a source of comfort for him. He suckles for about 5 minutes or so then knocks out as if milk drunk. Cuddles and sleeps. He is not bored, he has 2 brothers and they play all day long. He was 8 weeks when he left his mother. This is not harmful to them, this is comfort. That's all.

[jrwheeler]

Sorry, but this video is spreading totally false and inaccurate information. A cat who purrs and suckles is NOT stressed. In fact, it's the exact opposite. It's almost always a sign of contentment and happiness. I've had cats my entire life and I can assure you that whenever my cats knead, they are VERY happy and are purring up a storm and wanting love and affection. One of our cats even gets so relaxed that he starts drooling. Kittens will also knead and suckle on things like blankets because it's a natural behavior for them and it can sometimes be an indication that they were taken away from mom a bit too soon, but it in no way means that they are "stressed" or "under stimulated." One of our kittens, who is currently 5 months old, has a specific blanket that he suckles and kneads on and he was NOT taken from his mother too early. He purrs like crazy and wants attention when he does this and is clearly VERY happy. Not sure where you got your "information, " but it's entirely incorrect and you obviously know very little about cats.

[PhotoQueen]

I adopted a kitten from an animal shelter. The kitten was dropped off at the animal shelter unweaned, and was bottle-fed. By the time I adopted the kitten, the kitten was eating food.

[asherthecat]

I’ve had cats my entire life and most all of them knead…and a lot of them “nurse” on blankets or me or my clothes…I even had one that sucked his own paw….and they did it when they were VERY happy and content. This is strange information. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a cat doing it and honestly my cats that did this were more loving and chill than the ones that don’t.

[Christy_Abner]

The only time I have a problem with this, is when someone allows a grown cat to nurse off an already nursing mother cat. It can deplete their milk supply fast. Most call it comfort nursing. That's when I have a problem with it. It's unfair to kittens that have no other food source. I consider it putting a cat's wants over a kittens needs. I stopped watching a kitten site because this was allowed to continue. The foster mom had to tube feed one of the kittens and even admitted that the mother cats milk had been depleted. Yet she continued to let the cat nurse. Even moved a wall so alot of the nursing was off camera, when some chatters voiced concern. However most chatters seemed to be fine with it. To me that's not prioritizing needs over wants.

[reneev]

My husband is an animal control officer and he brought home Sonny. He was only 3to4 weeks old. So he didn't have a mother for long. So it's only one blanket that he nurses and it's the one that looks like fur. He nurses the blanket while it's on me. I got him on Nov 13th 2020. I have been his mom. I took such good care of him. He is happy and healthy. I have my own YouTube channel which I have documented his life #Sonnyslife I have other things on my channel not just him. I can go back and watch how he has progressed. It's amazing. I have a total of five cats that are rescues.

[ankupandey]

My kitten weans on his own nipple.. he’s adopted from a fosterer and was found alone ( without a litter of his siblings or mother)
Usually does this sitting in contact 3:30 with us ( me or my partner) and puts himself to sleep doing so.
Also, that’s the only time he purrs. Please suggest what can be done.
He’s a 4 months old kitten from India.
At our house he’s the only pet and at the foster he had many cats around. I wonder could he be missing them but he also seems quite happy with us 🥺

[margaretorban]

My cat, Jerry, is 5 years old and likes to suck on my ear lobe on occasion. He seems to be a very happy guy and I gave no behavioral problems with him. I got him when he was 5 or 6 weeks old. His litter was found outside under some bushes. Maybe that’s why but I don’t worry about it. He’s content. Maybe he just thinks I’m him mom.

[laurenbrady]

My cat nurses on the shoulder/arm pit area of my shirt. He does this when he seems happy - he’ll start out cuddling with me and I pet him and then he turns his head towards my arm pit trying to find a fold in the shirt to nurse from. As a small kitten he would nurse on his Sherpa bedding and blankets, but then quickly turned to my armpits.
I adopted him at the age of 12 weeks. He was found and taken to a shelter at 8 weeks of age. His behavior obviously stems from being weened too early from his mother.

[colbi]

My car does this every single day while I’m sleeping while laying across my neck on whatever blanket I’m using and it drive me crazy!!!! He wakes me up at 530 every day and every time he is moved, he comes right back. Please help!!!!

[yasminberrytic]

2 of my cats that i rescued when they where 2-3 weeks old do that all the time
One ( a she ) loves doing so on my clothing and blanket
The other does so on my ears but when they got sore and I don’t let him he does so on my clothing
The other 2 that I rescued when they where a few months don’t do so at all
But very rarely when I pet them they do the movement on air ( very cutesy )

[gordontheengineswifedr.nirmal]

Any cat that tries to suckle me gets kissed! sacred precious cottony cuties!

[EffRoccoevaElmo]

My kitten has been suckling on my 8 year old male dog. Sometimes he walking away cause she completely misses, and sucks on his upper chest, other times he gets a nipple. She only does it around night time when their about to sleep or sometimes when they take a nap together

[kellyaustin]

What kind of behavioural problems can premature separation cause later in life. I have a cat who came from a litter of 8 which were rejected by the mother.

[RyuokAni]

My kitten who is just over a year old suckles and kneads on me every single day and night in bed, purring up a storm. She also licks constantly, never had a cat like that before.
But when she was born she was one of a litter of 12 siblings and apparently was bottle fed, so I guess it makes sense?

[janbenwharton]

I have three ragdolls who all love to go to bed when I do and they jump up on the bed and start nursing on the big fluffy micro blanket. They just seem to really enjoy it. They knead, purr and leave wet spots. They were with their mothers until they were 8 weeks. They have tons of toys and we play with them several times a day. I don't think there is any fuzz coming off of this blanket. Digestion seems fine. So... do I allow them this pleasure, or is it harmful?

[terig]

My new kitten suckling on his own belly.🙁 he purrs and kneads too. I just hope he grows out of it.

[Go_Away_T-T]

My fur baby does it. I got got him given to me at 4 weeks because his mother left when she got pregnant again and he sucks his blanket everyday

[manuelcavallo]

We recently adopted this poor thing who had been left in a trashbag with her sibling (who unfortunately didn't make it) and she just keeps trying to nurse. We know for a fact that she was separated by her mother too soon but what can we do about it? She obsessively suckles on any piece of skin that she sees, and sometimes my shirts too. How can I teach her not to do It? Is it even possible to discourage this behaviour?

[GothicPoet]

My cat only suckles when he's cuddling with me. He doesn't try to eat the blanket he just sucks on it while kneading and purring really loud. Otherwise he doesn't suckle on anything else. I keep him busy and fed he also gets daily treat's and training. Cat's are easy for me to train. I use to train stray cats when I was younger. They sat and did tricks like fetch and jumping over stuff I put together for training them. My neighbors think it's cool they say my cat is very social and smart. My family call me an animal whisperer.