Suckling

[CatsAreTheBest]

My kitten is about 6 months old. I got her 3 months back. She is very affectionate. Every morning she suckles on only one specific bathroom mat. We have an identical one, but she ingnores that. Does anyone know why?

 

[CatsAreTheBest]

She only does it when she is tired.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

It is called "smurgling," actually, and I rather adore that word. For some reason it makes me smile. It generally happens when a kitten is weaned too soon. And just as each kitten in a litter will always go to one preferred nipple, so kittens seem to have one preferred item that they suckle. Some outgrow this, others don't. Some can be gently dissuaded from it, others can't. It just depends on the kitten's need to do it. My girl is a smurgler. She was taken from her mom at five weeks and dumped at my house. I bottle-fed her for another 3 weeks while slowly transitioning her to solids. Her preferred spot is the inside of my right elbow, which generally looks as if I have some obscure skin disease. I think she'll outgrow it. She's only nine years old.

 

[CatsAreTheBest]

Thanks

 

[Evie's Mommy]

My calico has been doing this since we got her at 6 weeks old.
She's 8 month old and still suckles on my neck every night. Luckily it doesn't leave marks anymore.

 

[CatsAreTheBest]

Thanks

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Now, that's a world-class, champion smurgler!

 

[maggiedemi]

Demi sucks on his blankie and kneads up and down, and he's 3 years old. I didn't know it was called Smurgling though!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Demi sucks on his blankie and kneads up and down, and he's 3 years old. I didn't know it was called Smurgling though!

Learned that from Jackson Galaxy, and fell in LOVE with it! I smile every time I say or type it.