They're not eating the needles -- too prickly for their mouths. I know that some pines are toxic to cats, which is why I did my research before getting one.I pretty much like to generalize with all pine trees and just assume that any pine tree sap and cats don't mix. Some are toxic to cats, so I just keep the mindset to avoid letting cats ingest any sap. That goes especially for kittens, whose digestion is a bit more sensitive than adults. Licking sap and ingesting it could cause some nausea and irritation, and you don't want them to get a taste of liking the sap in any case (?) as any pine needles could be the next "edible" your kitty explores! And needles are really bad for a cat to ingest.
Anyway, I'd not wait to let a kitten lick the sap! I'd use an oil that might be safer for cats, like olive oil or coconut oil in small quantities, and soften any hardened sap. Then try combing it through, and also wiping with a warm wet rag.
You can call a pet groomer or vet, too, and ask them.
They've probably run into this scenario more often than I have.
Thank you!
I learned this to get pine sap out out the Havanese coats.
He was quite squirmy.
You sure about that? It looks like he's still hiding his face.
I finally found his nose in this photo!
I did too, after you mentioned it LOL
What a character! Too cute!
