Herding Cats At Home - September 2004

A: Six weeks (and even 8 weeks, in my opinion) is much too early for a kitten to leave MomCat and his siblings. Even if the kitten is technically "weaned" (eating solid food most of the time rather than nursing), he still has quite a way to go in physical development and in his "cat education" -- a course best taught by MomCat. The weaning process is not instantaneous -- it takes time. I don't think a kitten should leave Mom until he's at least 12 weeks old. Most breeders of pedigreed cats don't sell their kittens until they're at least that old.

Your kitten's original owner, and you, probably assumed he was all finished nursing when you saw him eating solid food. But there's a long transition phase, in which kittens gradually stop nursing and gradually start going to all solid food. It sounds like your kitten was interrupted in the midst of this process. That doesn't mean he'll have permanent psychological problems or anything, but he'll probably tend to be more of a "comfort-seeker" than other cats.

Kittens who are taken too early from their Moms sometimes develop lifelong habits of sucking (nursing), drooling, and the like on their owners' skin or hair, clothing, blankets, bedclothes, etc. This is comfort-seeking behavior. Some cat owners find this cute and endearing; others find it very annoying. I have a 15-pound, 4-year-old "kitten" who loves to drool and knead in my hair. I find that indulging him for a few minutes seems to satisfy him…and it's SO cute! But a cat who immediately starts sucking on your neck or hair or t-shirt as soon as he sits down, and leaves you with big sopping wet patches, is not everyone's idea of the ideal pet.

Your kitten probably sees you as a replacement for his MomCat. That's a GOOD thing, in many ways. Remember, he's still just a baby. Because he's probably missing the warmth and close physical comfort provided by his MomCat, you might want to fix him up a cozy, warm "nest" with a fleece blanket (cats LOVE "polarfleece"-type fabrics) in an enclosed cat bed or tent. Place it near where you sleep or work, so he'll still know you're nearby.

To discourage the neck-nursing, gently but firmly remove your kitten from "the scene of the crime," each time he starts. Place him in his "nest." Or just get up and leave the room for a few minutes. If the kitten seems like he wants to be more active, divert him with play, such as with a "Kitten mitten" or other interactive toy, such as a fishing-pole feather toy. The vigorous exercise will channel his energies, get his mind off nursing and tire him out. He'll soon be ready for a nap.

Or, you could get him a "mom-substitute" such as a small doll, stuffed animal or other soft, fuzzy toy. If you're VERY consistent, and give him acceptable outlets for his nursing urges while he's still young, he may outgrow the habit. Many kittens do. Or, if you don't mind the behavior, you could do like I do, and indulge him for a bit and see if he's satisfied with a short nursing session.