very strange behavior

Has anyone ever heard of kittens sucking other kitten's toes? My newest kitten, Cheba, is sucking on the pads on the bottom of Farina's paw. And she is definately not cleaning it like we had originally thought.

It wouldn't bother me so much, but Farina sleeps right above my head on my pillow, and when Cheba is trying to fall asleep, she just walks over to him and begins sucking. Keep in mind that this is VERY loud at 2am. In fact, most times i have to seperate them because once i am awakened, i cant get back to sleep. I can tell she is enjoying it, because when i pick her up to seperate them she is purring like crazy. Farina doesn't seem to mind too much, but he sleeps like a log.

If she is trying to nurse, she's got the wrong body part for sure. Plus, Farina is a boy kitty.

let me know what you think, our vet is puzzled.

-lawrence

She is just trying to satisfy her need to suckle. It is normal for cats who usually get taken from thier moms too early. His toes probably just feel most like mom.

Some cats never get over sucking things or areas of people or other anmals. I have a cat who sucks on my clothes (he learned rather quickly that I wasn't pleased to have him such on my arm or fingers), and also sucks on blankets or sweaters. He also drools a lot when he sucks.

Sucking is a common behavioral thing, and there really isn't much you can do about it. A number of my cats still suck on the skin or even the teats of both my male and female dogs, and this activity seems to bring out the mothering side of the dogs (even the male). Most outgrow it, but my blanket sucker is almost 3 years old now. He was a bottle-fed baby from about 6 or 7 days old. But another cat, who was bottle-fed from 4 or 5 days old doesn't suck on things at all. Human children suck their thumbs...

When kittens don't have moms or are taken away too early they try to find something that brings them comfort and this is what your kitten has found. The kitten may outgrow it but may not - sometimes obsessive compulsive behaviors come out of being weaned too early. You will learn to live with it and as long as your other kitty doesn't care, it doesn't hurt anything and, in fact, comforts your needy kitten.

My little Roxy (female 1-yr old DSH sweetheart) sucks on a very specific tuft of hair at the end of her tail. She only does this when I'm there, and MUST be cuddled up against me. She kneads as she does this (prefers to knead on me somewhere!)and purrs very loudly. When she's done (after 3 or 4 minutes or I might very gently say "Roxy, that's enough and she stops) she looks at me with the most contented look on her face. It's obvious she's in heaven!

A bit of carpeting draped over your lap and thighs helps if your cuddly kneader tends to use its claws, and it makes it possible for everyone to enjoy the moment. When one of the older cats has a bad experience outside the garden, he or she will revert suddenly to clinging for as much as a week (depending on how severe the trauma was). It brings out all the mothering instincts -- just like hugging the kids when they have a nightmare.

My Minnosh used to suck on her brother's penis (not being naughty here, telling the truth only :LOL when they were babies. (It was probably because they were abondaned by their mother at birth; they never sucked milk from their mother's breasts !) She still sucks a blanket sometimes. Actually, she just kneads the blanket while grasping it with her teeth & purrs with closed eyes !! I never interrupt her since she doesn't chew it & doesn't suck it actually.

My Rocky trys this all the time. It is kind of funny as when I move him away he gos after any body part he can find. My elbow or my knuckle, even one time my chin.