I think our new kitten is trying to nurse on me!

vjneville

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We got our daughter a new kitten for her birthday on Wed. He is 7 weeks old. He's eating dry food fine but last night he kept trying to get down my shirt while I was trying to sleep. He was purring while he was doing it. Then I'd feel something wet on my neck when he was trying to burrow down my shirt. I'm in Florida and it wasn't cold last night so I don't think he was trying to keep warm.
Could he be trying to nurse?
I was told he was weaned about 2 weeks ago. He's the first kitten we've gotten that's been this young- the other 2 were at least 8-9 weeks when we got them.
 

petnurse2265

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It is very possible that he is trying to nurse. Sturgis turned 2 years old this month but still nurses on our earlobes when he needs a little comforting.
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by vjneville

I was told he was weaned about 2 weeks ago. He's the first kitten we've gotten that's been this young- the other 2 were at least 8-9 weeks when we got them.
From what I have read....kittens really should stay with mom until they are 8-12 weeks.

Katie
 

jennyr

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He is looking for his mom and you are it! He needs lots of warmth and cuddles apart from nursing at his young age. Some cats never stop this nursing behaviour - my Ellie still does it at a year old. But it is more likely he just wants warm milk and comfort.
 

ollyextra05

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My parents have a cat Lily who's about 7 months old who does the exact same thing--they live in FL as well! Maybe there's something about that tropical air that makes kitties needier!
My cat Oliver was about 4 weeks old, believe it or not, when I got him--even though the shelter told me he was 7 weeks old when I got him--so its possible she might even be younger than 7 weeks old--in which case the nursing would make even more sense. The vet can tell by her teeth how old she is--there are teeth that come in @ 6 weeks, I've been told, which is how our vet knew Oliver was only 4 wks.

I'm sure the nursing will not be a problem...my mom's cat has a blanket she likes to nurse on, and its really quite cute!
 

stmatthew

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My mom and I hand-reared three little orphans many years ago. Their mother was killed by a pitbull and the dog's owner felt so horrible that she turned to us to help with the babies.


Even after Smokey--the male--was grown, he would cuddle up with my mom and nurse on a mole on her arm!


She'd have to pry him lose to go to the bathroom, LOL
 

rapunzel47

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My RB kitty Shasta was 7 weeks old when I got her. (And that is accurate, because the people she came from were able to tell me the date the kittens were born.) She nursed on my fingers for years -- yes, years. She'd latch onto one, and chomp and suck for a while, then she'd move to the next one, and the next, and the next, back and forth for as long as I'd let her -- and as she got into it, she chomped and sucked harder, until I had to hide my hand from her, or lose it! She was five or six before the behaviour petered out.
 
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vjneville

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Thanks for all the replies. He's still doing it but at least I know he's just trying to cuddle. I have never had a cat try to do that and I was afraid he really still needed to be with his Mom. That's not a possiblity any more so I just wanted to be sure. He's eating dry food just fine so I didn't think it was because he's hungry.
 

millyanddaisy

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My Daisy still does this, and she's coming up to seven years old! She has a special place where she 'snuggles' but I have to be sitting next to her or it's not right! She will cry and follow me around the house until I go to the special place and sit down, whereupon she starts nuzzling, dribbling & purring. It does seem to answer some basic need of hers.

Sue
 

esrgirl

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Isabelle was weaned too early as well. She was eight weeks when I got her. She loves to "nurse" on my arms and legs if she's sitting on my lap. It's so cute- she'll start purring and make funny sucking noises and knead like crazy. She thinks you are here kitty mom!
 
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