Stop kitten nursing

My friend, who is allergic to cats, found a very small kitten under a bush in her front yard. She called me and asked what she should do. I picked the kitten up from her and she is now a member of my family. I have 2 half-sister kitties that are about 18 months old.

When I got her she was filthy, covered with fleas and infested with worms. She is doing quite well now, she was about 5 to 6 weeks old when I got her and is now about 9 to 10 weeks old.

She likes to purr, chew and suck on my clothes and comforter on the bed. She is very loud about it and gets everything all wet. I put my finger under her nose and tell her to "no" and I also will disrupt the procedure by physically moving her to another spot. She still keeps doing it. What can I do to stop this behavior? I realize it is because she was most likely not fully weened. Please help! I am fully committed to my pets and would not consider abandoning my committment to her. Please help!

Patrick,

Your kitty is sucking because she was taken from her mother too soon. She is MORE than ready to be weaned. Give her kitten chow (science diet, iams, whatever) and some canned food. Mix it together and let her go to town on it. I'm sure she will love it. As far as trying to break her of the suckling habit, she might just outgrow it. I have a 1 year old Sphynx cat who was also taken from his mother too soon. He's been through alot in his short year, so when he curls up and sucks on one of his own teats till he goes to sleep I don't stop him. I've never done anything to stop him because I think it gives him comfort.

Does anyone else have any ideas? Is it good to break them of the habit or will it stop eventually anyway?


Patrick, good luck. Keep us posted.

Donna

Thanks Donna, I appreciate your input. I feed her exactly as you said and she is a little piggy. She loves to eat. I would not mind if she sucked on her own teet and left me out of it, but she likes to do it to my pillow or comforter beside my head at 3 a.m., so sleepless nights are inevitable at this point unless I quarantine her to a separate room. I would like to not have to do that. Thanks again!