5 month old still suckles?

[linawaary]

Hi! Not really a problem just curious as to why my 5 month old kitten still suckles.

I've caught her doing it a few times now. She would lay beside me and begin needing and I noticed her head would be bobbing up and down facing my blanket and I realized she suckling on my blanket. She seems to do this before sleeping or when she's rly happy after I pet her. Is this just an old habit from kittenhood she hasn't let go yet?
 

 

[di and bob]

Cats do this by instinct, the kneading and purring were to get the milk supple stimulated and to let mom know everything is all right when they nursed from her. Now they do it for comfort and pleasure, many cats will do it all their life. I had a 4 month old that went back and nursed from mom, who had another set of kittens when he was less then three months old! That when on until he was as big as her, and finally she had enough and made him stop. 

 

[linawaary]

Oh that's so cute haha!! I was just a little weirded out seeing it due to the fact I have never seen my other cats do it nor any of the cats I work with. Thank you for letting me know!

 

[siggymauw]

Hi linawaary and welcome to the forum. Siggy, my four month old kitten, also suckles me...usually when she's hungry. I've made the big mistake of once feeding her after she suckled the first time and now she usually does it to let me know it's feeding time again. Actually the little piglet is suckling me now after having wolfed down her dinner. Sometimes she'll just do it when she feels like cuddling but only if I wear my fluffy pajamas to bed.

I agree with Di and Bob that many cats will continue doing this all their life but I've noticed that especially lend who have been seerste from their mother and litter mates have a higher tendency of displaying this behavior. That isn't to say on only cats we end to young can show this behavior. So if you're not bothered with it you can let her continue. It might also be a way for her to self soothe or simply express lI've. Best not to let her associate this behavior with anything but cuddles, I speak from experience [emoji]128517[/emoji]

 

[catmom marcia]

I have a 5 year old cat that kneads and sucks her blanky.  Seriously, it is nothing to be concerned about.  Many cats do this when they are removed from momma too soon, but I have fostered kittens that were with momma until they were 12 weeks old and still suckle on stuff (including other kittens!).  Don't worry about it.  You can gently redirect her by diversion tactics like playing or offering a treat if it bothers you.

 

[linawaary]

Thank you guys! I wasn't really too worried I was just more curious as to why she still did this at such an older stage! I work with feeding kittens and I see the little bottle babies suckling on eachother's ears and such but i've always seen them grow out of it. Guess you learn something everyday 

 

[Dee Ashley]

     It was love at first sight with my cat, Jack, when I was holding him at my vet's office and he started suckling the button of my jacket.  He was six weeks old.  Jack was a rescue kitty and had been in "foster care" with one of my vet's employees before he came home with me that day.  I assumed he would grow out of the suckling stage, but he never did.  He suckled several times a day, which became a bit of an issue, as he would leave little spots of saliva/drool all over my shirt as a result.  I had to change clothing several times a day!  Then came along... the binky.  Jack was just too adorable to chastise for this oddity in behavior and it became clear that he was not going to "grow out of it." The spots he left on me were the only issue (I found the behavior itself to be endearing, honestly).  My new roommate had a fleece blanket, and this was quickly to become known as, Binky.  My issue with my clothing had been solved, and for five wonderful years, Jack never stopped suckling, and managed to accrue three, four, maybe five binkies.  He preferred the fleece material to the cotton of my shirt, but I had to be within range of Binky or it somehow lost its magic.  I found the behavior to be incredibly calming, for both myself and Jack, and I'll admit, it made me feel really special, since I was the only one he would engage in this behavior with. I haven't heard anyone else on this site mention or complain about the suckling becoming an issue for the above reason, but I wanted to throw this out there just in case someone else found this behavior a nuisance because of the spots they tend to leave behind.  

I never could have imagined making him stop the behavior.

To him, I was his mama, and I never would have had it any other way.

 

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• Dee Ashley
• Oct 17, 2016

 I miss him more than words can express.