Male Cat Playing Mommy??

I've been reading these posts since we adopted Max our adult male cat (about 7 yrs old) and I've found so many helpful tips. Now I need info on something that I can't find... Max came from the shelter with a note that he needs to be the only cat in the house, we abided by that until we helped out a friend and took in a little kitten (Zack) that would have gone to the pound or given away without the home being checked first (people were moving out of state).

Max is very picky; can't change food or litter; not even location. Max spent the first day hissing and spitting at kitten Zack. Next day he hissed once; then that stopped; he was skittish at first of the kitten hopping all over the house. By day three, the hissing stopped. Now, two weeks later, they are inseperable; Max is laying on the floor and the kitten is kneading his belly and sucking away?? Max could care less that this is happening; he is extending his legs and spreading out his paws (like when we pet him and he's happy). Max is consumed with cleaning the kitten from head to toe.

Max who doesn't like change, is now eating the kittens food and using its litterbox! Max was neutered and declawed before we got him if that info is helpful regarding his behavior. Why did he hiss and spit for days then turn into a parental figure? What is in store for this duo from here on out? I see by his initial behavior with the kitten why the shelter deemed he should be an only cat; were they too quick to make that assumption?

The whole time writting this message, Zack is still kneading & sucking away at Max's belly; should I allow this to continue? Thanks so much for any info you could share on this.

Max has become a kitten ambassador, lol! Our Sheldon also plays "mommy," though he's pretty much into the grooming thing.

Cats are very territorial, and whenever a new cat enters their territory, they spit and hiss. This is normal. While it is too late too bother with any of this (and apparently isn't needed now!), there are many things that can be done to make introductions go smoothly (or smoother, lol!). If you ever decide to bring a 3rd kitty into your home, keep the new guy (or gal) in a separate room for a few days. Rub each kitty with a separate towel, and put the towel of your kitties under the food dish of the new cat, and put the towel of the new cat under the food dish of your current kitties. You can read up more on this here: http://www.thecatsite.com/Behavior/4...cing-Cats.html

As to the suckling - Max will likely get tired of it at some point.

According to Hissy,

"You can stop this behavior, and you really should try. It will grow old for mom cat soon and the little one could start irritating her nipples. You can use bitter apple on the substitute mom's tummy. Just take a tiny bit on a cotton ball and dab the teats.

You can also give Milhouse (love the names of your cats btw) a small piece of tied bunched cloth that has been dunked in warm water and honey, and see if he will suckle that instead. Just be sure that no string is dangling. Kitties think string is a mouse tail and they will go after it and possibly eat it causing a potential for blockage."

You can also purchase a "snuggle me" kitty on which your kitten can nurse:

http://www.snuggleme.com/kitties.html

And you can read up on other suggestions here:

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/kitten_suckling.html

It isn't urgent - but at some point Max will likely get tired of it.

And way to go Max!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by lyn917

Max spent the first day hissing and spitting at kitten Zack. Next day he hissed once; then that stopped; he was skittish at first of the kitten hopping all over the house.

Click to expand...

He was protecting his territory.

Originally Posted by lyn917

By day three, the hissing stopped. Now, two weeks later, they are inseperable; Max is laying on the floor and the kitten is kneading his belly and sucking away?? Max could care less that this is happening; he is extending his legs and spreading out his paws (like when we pet him and he's happy). Max is consumed with cleaning the kitten from head to toe.

Click to expand...

He stopped hissing because he decided he liked the little guy and decided that he wasn't a threat to his territory.

Originally Posted by lyn917

What is in store for this duo from here on out?

Click to expand...

Why worry about it? Max found a new friend that he likes. The kitten found a new surrogate parent. When Max gets tired of the kitten sucking on his belly, he'll let the kitten know

In the meantime they're both happy. That's all that counts

Is the kitten actually attempting to suckle? When I got Mosi he used to lie down and reach under Jaffa in what looked like an attempt to suckle but I don't think he was actually sucking. Jaffa wasn't at all bothered and just washed him from head to toe. Sometimes Mosi would reach right under Jaffa (more so than in the photo).



Even male cats can be quite parental around young kittens. Jaffa is far less tolerant of Mosi now that he's older and Mosi's got the message!

Thank you for taking the time to write, I appreciate it. We came here to the boards first and found out how to bring the new kitten into the house. We sheltered him in our bathroom for the first day or so, but wanted them to meet and get it over with. The kitten had already been to the vet and had preliminary round of shots and also blood work to make sure he didn't have something he could pass to Max according to the vet.

Zack the kitten is definately sucking at something; Max's is definately wet where the kitten was. I took pictures but for the life of me can't figure out how to put them on like you guys do. I don't even know if I'm replying correctly. I've never actually used a forum like this before, I've just enjoyed reading and getting the info needed.

It is funny to see Max (adult cat) be so obsessive about something; sometimes I put the kitten in the bathroom for awhile to rest and Max sits outside the door crying??

Well, I guess I'll let things run their course - Keep up the good work with the valuable information! Lynnette

To post a picture you have to upload the picture to a website. Either your own or one that allows off site linking like www.photobucket.com

After you have done that, highlight the link and right click it and copy it. Then when you are at the forum here and wanting to add your picture, just click the yellow icon that has a mountain and sun. Paste in the link to your picture, and click "ok".

Or you can just paste the link to the typing window and add the following right before the link (no spaces between the link and the img tags):

How adorable. It's great! He's found his inner chick!

They will be best friends and it's a wonderful thing. The kitten behavior will be outgrown in time.

Maybe it's all in the name! I too had a male cat named Max that used to suckle 2 kittens - Bogart and Boris. And you will find this hard to believe, but after a while, Max started producing milk. Yes, if stimulated long enough, a male cat can produce liquid. I talked to my vet about it (he confirmed), but I was never able to find any information on whether or not there was anything nutricious about it.

As Bogart and Boris got older, they stopped on their own. The suckling created a bond between them that made them inseparable.

Check Max's nipples periodically. If they are red and swollen, you need to discourage the kitten. If they are swollen around the nipple but the nipple is a normal looking pink and the skin around them is a normal color, then he is probably producing milk for him. My vet and I gave my Max's nipple sack a squeeze and it produced fluid - it's a way to test for this rare event.

I had a paternal cat that raised every kitten I ever brought home. All I had to do was leave a kitten some place where he could find it, and he would bring it to me like he had found it and brought it home. He would even babysit the neighbor cat's kittens when we lived in a place safe enough for him to go outside. She would bring them to him, and he would stay right in the box on the porch with them until she returned, then he would help her carry them home. He even brought a kitten home with him once. We don't know where he came from, but he was old enough to be away from his mom, so Fred adopted him and brought him home. We let him stay.

Well my cat oddessey has been the "mommy" for all of the kittens we have had. He is 4 yearsold and we have had 3 other kittens since we have had him (we lost one to feline lukeuimia) and he has acted motherly to every one of them. He has even acted motherly to the dog we have. But when he was a kitten he would suckle of of the other cat we had and the dog we had. so maybe he feels like he needed a mother so they need a mother to? I dont know cats are something else they have the best personalitys but are so hard to figure out.

Welcome to TCS, Lyn917 & MyMrLover!!
JC has nurtured our last 3 additions and eventually the kittens outgrow the need to suckle. IMO, the kittens grow up happier & more confident.
And KrazyKat's Fred's story is ADORABLE! Cats are so much more social than they are often given credit for I think that Max & Odyssey could give parenting lessons to more than a few human fathers I know of