Nipple sucking

[maherwoman]

Hey guys. I have a friend that has a problem that I haven't got any experience with, and therefore any or ideas for...here's her dilemma:

My husband and I found a 2 month old kitten that had been
abandoned. We have taken him in and notice that when he gets
very relaxed he starts sucking on his bottom two nipples and
sometimes they get red. His fur is starting to turn into a light
brownish color in that area (his belly is white colored.) We realize
he was propably not weened properly and are unsure how to get
him to stop. We've been puting replacement formula in a bowl for
him several times a day but it's really annoying when he does this
on our lap or at night when we are sleeping. It's only been about a
day since feeding him the formula along with moist food. He is
very persistent.

Any thoughts or advice???

 

[tnr1]

Originally Posted by maherwoman

Hey guys. I have a friend that has a problem that I haven't got any experience with, and therefore any or ideas for...here's her dilemma:

My husband and I found a 2 month old kitten that had been
abandoned. We have taken him in and notice that when he gets
very relaxed he starts sucking on his bottom two nipples and
sometimes they get red. His fur is starting to turn into a light
brownish color in that area (his belly is white colored.) We realize
he was propably not weened properly and are unsure how to get
him to stop. We've been puting replacement formula in a bowl for
him several times a day but it's really annoying when he does this
on our lap or at night when we are sleeping. It's only been about a
day since feeding him the formula along with moist food. He is
very persistent.

Any thoughts or advice???

I would follow the advice on this page....

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/kitten_suckling.html

Katie

 

[bab-ush-niik]

I've heard that some cats will grow out of this naturally. However, one of my cats (Princess) is 16 and still does this when she is relaxed, usually when she is curled up in bed next to someone. She doesn't do it as much as before though. She was taken from her mother at only 6 weeks.

As long as the cat does not hurt himself, it's ok. However, it sounds like he's causing himself harm. You better see a vet about it.

One thing that does seemto work is to gently move his head and block his tummy with your hand. Then give him lots of love and attention in the form of chin rubs and ear scratches. Be patient and persistant. It may not stop entirely, but you can at least train him to not hurt himself.

 

[maherwoman]

Originally Posted by bab-ush-niik

I've heard that some cats will grow out of this naturally. However, one of my cats (Princess) is 16 and still does this when she is relaxed, usually when she is curled up in bed next to someone. She doesn't do it as much as before though. She was taken from her mother at only 6 weeks.

As long as the cat does not hurt himself, it's ok. However, it sounds like he's causing himself harm. You better see a vet about it.

One thing that does seemto work is to gently move his head and block his tummy with your hand. Then give him lots of love and attention in the form of chin rubs and ear scratches. Be patient and persistant. It may not stop entirely, but you can at least train him to not hurt himself.

Is there anything she can put on him (like some sort of clothing type thing) that would keep him away from the area until it heals? Is there anything she can put on it to help it heal that wouldn't be harmful for kitty?

Or should she just take the poor guy in to the vet?

Thanks!

 

[maherwoman]

Originally Posted by TNR1

I would follow the advice on this page....

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/kitten_suckling.html

Katie

Thanks for the advice. The only problem is the fact that he's doing it to himself. It's not others doing it to him.

Thank you anyway, though!

 

[tnr1]

Originally Posted by maherwoman

Is there anything she can put on him (like some sort of clothing type thing) that would keep him away from the area until it heals? Is there anything she can put on it to help it heal that wouldn't be harmful for kitty?

Or should she just take the poor guy in to the vet?

Thanks!

Try some bitter apple and see if that works.

Katie

 

[katkisses]

I replied to your other thread but will post it here too:

Tell her to gp tp her local pet store and read a couple of those bottles of bitter stuff. (I don't know brands, I have never had to use any. But they are made so cats wont chew on stuff-you spray it on anything that you don't want chewed. It is supposed to taste nasty.)

Or better yet maybe someone on here knows of a good brand that you can safely use on a cat? But anyways after she finds some that is OK to apply to her kitties skin she can squirt some on her finger and rub it on his nipples. I woudl say within a week he will probably be over it.

I have never ran into this problem but is sounds liek he was weaned way too early, and was stressed out at one point, did this, it clamed him and now it's a habbit. IMO.

 

[fud24682000]

Clearly they were taken from their mother too soon, but we have tried to do our best. They are 2 months old, and we observed them trying to do this to the resisting female a couple of weeks ago. They have also tried to mount her. Today I saw the 2 males sucking her at the same time. She was sitting up and allowing this, then when I stopped them she got back into the same position and suckled herself.
Putting bad-tasting stuff on her is not an option, they are slowly getting tamer but so far won't let us close enough to pick them up.
Ray Mac