5 Month Old Cat Suckling Me When I Sleep

[Caragami]

Hi, I have a half siamese black cat and she loves to suckle on anything that I am wearing (thankfully not on my skin). I don't usually mind it as she's super hyper and it's one of the few times she's calm. When she's tired of playing she'll usually come and join me on the sofa and suckle for a little before going to sleep, which is fine. But lately I've been waking up at 6 or 7 in the morning to the kitty laying on me and suckling on my sleeve, with her claws in my arm. Unfortunately I live in a studio apartment so just shutting her out of the bedroom at night isn't an option. Is there anyway I can kindly discourage her from doing this? Usually there's no way to distract her from suckling, no toys or food will work, she's really focused on it which I why I gave in and let her suckle my tops as she didn't do it all that often and the fabric wasn't going to break off, so no harm done. But the amount of suckling has only increased and I don't think its wise to continue letting her suckle me when I sleep.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Your kitten is still a baby, and it's a comfort thing for her.

Until some other members reply with comments, here's a link to an older TCS thread on the same topic:
My 2.5 month old kitten suckling on my clothes

 

[duckpond]

I know kittens will sometimes do this if taken from their mother too early. As rubysmama said, its comforting to them. I would just give her extra loves, and i expect she will grow out of it someday.

 

[susanm9006]

I would peel her off once and tell her no. If that didn’t work, I would put her in the bathroom until you get up. It might take a few mornings of this but she will catch on.

 

[saleri]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Your kitten is still a baby, and it's a comfort thing for her.

Until some other members reply with comments, here's a link to an older TCS thread on the same topic:
My 2.5 month old kitten suckling on my clothes

Is 5 month still considered a baby? I know most cats are still considered kitten until at least a year old, but I thought 5 month wasn't considered that young?

 

[abbyemma]

My 6 month old kitten did this at first to my clothes, and it would hurt because she would also be kneading (with claws) at the same time. Whenever she started doing this I would place her on a folded up fleece blanket, and she would start kneading and sucking on the blanket. Maybe you could try moving her over to a fleece blanket. Just an idea

 

[Caragami]

Thank you all for your help, I did try to transfer her to a fluffy blanket this morning and she seemed quite happy with it. I will continue to redirect her attention and maybe she will grow out of it.

 

[Winchester]

Mollipop did that to me, only she suckled on my skin, usually around my neck. I'd awaken and she'd be latching on to my neck. Molli did grow out of it and eventually your kitty will, too. It's a good idea to redirect her to the blanket and I'm really glad she's OK with it.

FWIW, BooBoo (one of our cats) would suckle off his mom for a good year after he was born; obviously there was no milk or anything. Whisper (his mom) just lay there and let him go; it was usually at night and I think it was comforting to both of them. She eventually did get him completely "weaned" but it took her a while. When I'd notice it, I'd make him move away and he did. It was funny to see it because he was twice the size of his mom.

 

[abbyemma]

I guess it makes sense that they like a soft blanket, it reminds me of a baby that likes to snuggle with a blanket or a stuffed animal as a source of comfort.