A nursing male cat

Yes- you read that right!

I just got in a new foster family of kittens.

Momma and 3 babies. Only thing is - that ain't Momma!

He is an un-neutered male that has taken over the care of these babies - including "nursing"!!

Now, these babies are eating dry food but they still go back at least once or twice a day to suckle on poor Crookshanks! He is not swollen or tender in anyway but he does try to keep away from them more.

My question - is there anything that I can do/give them to suckle on so that Crookshanks can get a break? Or just leave them alone to sort it all out themselves?

This is Crookshanks.


This is Crookshanks with Bagheera, Simba and Nala.

Hrm... I don't know how to encourage them to stop, but would like to say that we had a cat do this when I was a child (a very long time ago) and I'd completely forgotten about it until I saw your post! I wonder how unusual this is? Our male cat didn't seem to mind at all (he was also neutered, I don't know whether this makes a difference) and actually mothered the kitten all the time. I think at the time we took them to the vet and the vet said something like, "Well, if they don't mind then I don't mind, either". =P

That's odd, MissGrim, because I was about to write basically the same post - I was a teenager when Mommacat had her litter and Caleb, an unrelated (neutered) mini-Siamese became Official Not-So-Wet-Nurse! Mommacat really appreciated the breaks & had no trouble leaving her children with Caleb, and he used to lie there, not that much bigger than the pair of kittens, and be the purrfect and purring babysitter.

Poohnpiglet, I think your idea that Crookshanks and da Kidz (who are adorable!!) will sort it out between them is correct. Although if your kittens are like the brood I have now, it will involve Crookshanks hissing and yelling at them - Myrtle had to do that to get rid of her on-dry-food lot!

I think some males are just "maternal" like that. My Billy used to let 5 month old Chay suckle on him too, with the funniest look on his face! But Billy likes kittens, so maybe that's why. If they're already eating dry food, then the suckling is probably just a comfort mechanism that they'll grow out of. Either that or Crookshanks will just decide they're "old enough" and not put up with it anymore.

Originally Posted by cat52

That's odd, MissGrim, because I was about to write basically the same post -

Click to expand...

Now it's my turn to call "odd", heh, because our male cat was also an unrelated siamese! *chuckle*

I do believe some animals are just more parental than others... Shin-Shin will even let baby chinchillas try to nurse on her ears. 0.o

Awwww...he should become a Nanny Cat!

My mom recently told me more about a cat we had when he was very young. He was a tom cat that they finally neutered because he was constantly off doing tom cat things, and coming home much worse for the wear. She said after he was neutered he became the best mama cat we ever had!

Thanks for your responses.

I took them ALL in to be spayed/neutered on Wednesday and since then the behavior has fallen way off. Not sure why - but at least Crookshanks is getting a little more "alone" time.