Kitten All Of A Sudden Suckling Other Kitten..

[Kittie_0413]

so I have two kittens (Beyonce & Rosie). They are 4 months (will be 5 months on 9/13). I’ve had them since they were 12 weeks.

Rosie has all of a sudden started to suckle on Beyonce. I noticed her doing it for the first time yesterday, and today she tried again so I separated them. Not sure why she’s started doing this.

I’ve also caught Rosie laying in the litter box twice. One time yesterday and again today.

Not sure why the change in behavior for Rosie this weekend.

Any advice of how to get her to stop suckling Beyoncé? When I see it happening I separate them but I’m not sure if it’s happening while I’m at work as well.

 

[Kittie_0413]

I’ve been googling but it keeps being said that kittens do this when taken from mom too early. But if this was the case wouldn’t she have been doing this when we first got her and not two months later?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Can you find something, other than the sibling, to give her so that she uses it even while you're gone?

I'm wondering, what with her laying in the litter box suddenly too, does she possibly need a checkup at the vet?

 

[susanm9006]

It might be a little bit of stress (both laying in litterbox and suckling sibling) or it could just be one of those phases kittens seem to go through. The suckling doesn’t harm Beyoncé and she will let her know when she has had enough but I would try giving Rosie a fuzzy fleece or wool blanket or toy to see if you can redirect her to suckling in that.

 

[Kittie_0413]

Furballsmom they have toys that I leave out. Or do you mean something other than a toy? Like a blanket, if so no I don’t have one readily available atm but I will stop by a store to see what I could find for her. She could possibly need a check up at the vet.

susanm9006 i was thinking stress too but couldn’t pin point what the cause of the stress could be. The first time she did it she was doing it for so long that Beyonce stomach was so wet that she left a wet spot on the bed where she laid after. Now beyonce definitely lets her know that she doesn’t like it. When she starts beyonce starts kicking her off of her. Which leads to fighting, But I don’t want them fighting either lol.



Hopefully this is just a phase that stops soon. They’re getting spayed on the 15th and I don’t want Rosie trying to suckle Beyonce while they are healing.

I will monitor them for the rest of the week if it continues I’ll take Rosie for a vet visit.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Maybe a blanket, or a really plushy toy? You may have to experiment to find what she'll think is acceptable

 

[susanm9006]

You might need to buy a onesie for Beyoncé to wear post spay to prevent Rosie nursing on her.

 

[Kittie_0413]

Furballsmom i will try a blanket. They have plush toys but they play with them for 1 min. then lose interest lol

susanm9006 yes! I’m definitely going to get one.

 

[danteshuman]

My boy likes his binkie. That said his brother started sucking on his balls when he was around 2 months old, luckily he stopped on his own. That kitten stopped all sucking but the other two turned to binkies. He has multiple binkies (& yes they were bottle babies.) Wash the blanket in unscented laundry soap & softener.
The second pic is Cami & the original binkie (I think they like the soft small almost fur like texture.) You can try a wool scarf to.