3

My cat has started to lick and suckle his sister, he does this on the side of her. She doesn't seem to mind, but when she has had enough she walks away. This has only just started to happen, her fur gets very wet from him. Why does he do this, is it normal, should I try and stop him. Advice please

Zaralynda
  • 20,176
  • 15
  • 74
  • 149
Anne Watson Bradford Angel
  • 39
  • 2
  • @Sonevol The answer is the same even if the suckling object is different, https://pets.stackexchange.com/a/6233/7526 and https://pets.stackexchange.com/a/17805/7526 – Rebecca RVT Oct 09 '17 at 15:59
  • I think there is enough difference as in this case the cat is suckling from another cat, that is not the mother and not an inanimate object, like a blanket. –  Oct 09 '17 at 16:56
  • 3
    How old is your cat that's suckling? Can you describe additional behavior? Does she knead or purr while suckling? Does she growl when your other cat walks away? Is she suckling herself or any other objects also? Like the links to other questions indicate: I had a kitten that did this to herself (she'd slump down and suckle her own teet while purring, and the vet concluded it was because she was taken from her mother too early, we had to make an appointment because she'd bruise herself in the process). Unsure how I feel about referring to other experiences till we get more details, just in case – Christy B. Oct 09 '17 at 19:24

1 Answers1

2

This happens with young cats that recently have been separated from their mother. In of itself it doesn’t really hurt anything however the cat’s teat can become raw or infected.

You can gently and quietly shoo the cats trying to nurse away from the other cat. The behavior should go away over time.

Beo
  • 4,402
  • 15
  • 17