Suckling Adult Kitty

I have a female cat that is nearing 1 year old. She constantly tries to suckle on my skin. She is my "baby," but I don't know why she still needs this. Any ideas? Never weaned, just ripped from her mother cat?

My Loki does this to my ear, but he didn't start to do it until we had him for almost a year. I think it is just comforting to him, and it tickles so I only let him suckle for a couple minutes whereafter my hystercial laughing usually drives him away.

Oh my goodness!! No! Don't ever discourage this beahviour. If you can stand the feel of it, that is. Suckling and/or kneading has nothing to do with how early or not they were taken away from their mom. I have had a kitten that was ripped away from her mother before she was 5 weeks old. Never suckled or kneaded anyone or anything. And I have had cats that were with their mothers plenty of time and have done just the opposite! This is a regression of sorts to when they were babies. They kneaded their mother's stomachs to get the milk and then of course, suckled the milk. This is a highly trusting and loving act. If your furbaby thinks of you so much as his/her mom, then you should feel honored! To turn them aside when they are extending this much trust is a rejection. I have read up on this because my Tiger used to like to come up every night and lie next to me and knead my arm while he suckled my shirt and purred and purred. This was one of the only times he truly purred. But you can well imagine the state of my nighthsirt after awhile! Then when we got Ashke, my husband used to have to hold him every day, about 3 times a day while he suckled his own paw. And then he would come up every night and lay between us and do the same thing while we petted him. He outgrew being held on his own, but he still comes up to have his nightly sessions with us. But he now only suckles about 2 - 3 times a week. I guess sometimes they do outgrow it. Our Aiden will knead us some and purr before he curls up to sleep on us, but he never suckles. Yet he is still so friendly. Every cat is different, I guess, just because they don't do this doesn't mean they don't love us just as much. But please, never reject this bonding between you and your furbaby.

P.S. I volenteer at a shelter and have had cats over 10 yrs. old knead and suckle me because they were just so happy to have some human love and affection!

OH, OH, OH, miss.cec that picture u posted looks like my Sara and Baby Licorice. But my 2 don't get along like that, Lic is lucky if when he goes by Sara he doesn't get a swat!! But Sara is queeny to everyone, I think she knows she is a registered cat, and therefor more important. We use to show her, Mainecoon, but now her coat is to frizzy. We shaved her one summer when there weren't any shows coming around(we thought it would be cooler for her, since Cornflake also long hair enjoys it, no furrballs, less cleaning and brushing) and after when her fur grew back toward autumn it was like frizzy. So we never took her to show, anymore.Perhaps that's why she is a %^$&* now?????????????

but they love the comforter on the bed. My bed is never made because one kitty will climb up and start to suckle, but, first she will have to arrange the covers to give her enough to mouth and knead. Soon another will join her. I just leave the bed alone now. After all they like it all mussed up! Silly kitties!

Do they leave wet spots??

Suckling is a response from a cat, one she cannot stop or control. The only time I discourage this is when the cat is sucking on his own tail or paw, or his sister or brother. Otherwise, I just let them have their time of it, they sometimes grow out of it, and sometimes, they do not. I do offer them substitute objects, the best so far has been a snugglekittie, or a beanie baby. In many wild colonies of cats, without human intervention- kittens will nurse and suckle on the mom for quite awhile before stopping, even after mom has dried up- it doesn't really seem to matter.

55Dali: They are cute aren't they? The black one is Aiden and the other is Ashke. Would you believe that Ashke is only part Main Coon? His mother was a short haired brown tabby cat. But everyone who sees him just thinks he is pure bred. LOL! He is beautiful! I just think Main Coons are the sweetest ever! Oh, and don't let that picture fool you. That was when aiden was a baby. I have never seen them sleeping like that since.

Thx for all of your posts!! It took awhile to get back because of having my car accident back on 3-3. I'm in pain almost 24/7.

I am actually allergic to cats and I'm fine as long as I take my Zyrtec and nasal spray. However, when Bootsie started suckling and kneading I broke out. I would LOVE to let her do it constantly because she IS my little baby girl!! I let her do it for short periods and then spray Benadryl on it. Oh, the suffering a Mommie goes through for her beloved child!!!

Below is my precious suckling kitty!

His name is Trouble, because he has indeed been trouble from Day 1.

Oh!!! they are adorable! the pic of bootsie is particularily sweet! Hee Hee They are both just so cute! I know what you mean about being allergic. I am allergic to both dogs and cats. More so to dogs. But whenever I get a cat scratch my skin puffs way up around it and it is itchy as anything just like a bug bite. And sometimes, if a cat decides to suckle my skin, I get a similar reaction. Their fur makes my eyes itch and water and I am allergic to litter dust too. But it's worth it!

AAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!
I always wanted an all grey kitty but I never go on the hunt for any animal, they always tend to find me. BUT I do have Wieland and he is black and white so I figure if I spinn us around really fast he'll look grey.(heehee)

You kitten is ssoooooo squeezable, and mama too of course.

I hold Bootsie all the time and she is softer than ANYTHING IN THE WORLD. Trouble wants you to stroke him and tweak his ears and rub under his chin; but, don't try to hold him in your arms too long. He will bolt and you will have lots of scratches. He demands petting about 2:00 a.m. every morning.

Bootsie rolls around on the floor all the time and she chirps. She meows, too, but chirps more often. They've really helped me during my convalescence.