This Is Out Of Control....

[KittyKat184]

Hi guys,

Loki, my 1 year old fur ball, is sucking on his bed everyday!!! He has a cat bed that made of soft fabrics (Idk if it's wool material or not) and literally, he sucks on it every, i mean everyday. Is this a normal behavior?

I do understand that kittens usually develop this behavior when they wean too early. I took him in as a tray and he was around 3 month old at that time. It's understandable if he does this one in awhile. BUT, he does this everyday tho...... Any thought?

 

[duckpond]

Such a cute guy

Young kittens do this you are right. Older cats will too as an attempt to self comfort.

First make sure he is not having a health problem. if no vet visit recently then i would have him in for a checkup. Otherwise it sounds like he is stressed for some reason? Does he get enough time with you? Play time? Cat tree, and windows he can look out of? Maybe even a friend cat? Could be he is lonely or bored?

 

[KittyKat184]

I don’t think he has any sort of health issue. He is eating, drinking, sleeping, and everything is normal. I do notice one thing but I am not sure if it’s a normal behavior. He sleeps a bit more often recently. Also, after eating dinner, he usually goes straight to sleep for like a good hour then he will roam the house. I am thinking of ordering him a cat tree and spend more time with him tho. I also have a dog so I don’t think he is bored. They chase each other sometimes, especially feeding time. It’s quite fun to what. How can i know if he is stressed or has some sort of health issue?

 

[lutece]

Here's some information from the Winn Foundation about chewing/sucking behavior in cats: Chewing Disorders and the Aberrant Appetite

 

[danteshuman]

Hmmmm it has been awhile since I was raising kittens but I remember feeding them , then the wee terrorist running around nuts then sleeping. I would have a vet check him out.

Could you take a picture of him nursing on his bed so we can see? Sure call it evidence but really I just want to see the cute kitty nursing his binky

I had a cat that kneaded and nursed off her binky her entire life. She was a bottle baby I raised when we found 2, 10 day old kittens. It could just be him relaxing. Have you tried purrring at him and stroking his head with the magic 2 finger pet while he suckling on his bed?

I would love to say that getting a cat would solve it but by now it is an innate habit to destress/enjoy. That bottle baby always had a cat buddy and she still had a binky when she was old.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

The behavior isn't abnormal at all. In fact, it has a rather lovely name, "smurgling." That kneading, sucking/nuzzling, sometimes drooling thing that mimics nursing. And many outgrow it. I'm certain Hekitty will, she's only 10 years old now! LOL, this could be worse, Hek's chosen spot is the inside of my right elbow (thank goodness I'm left-handed), and half the time I look like I have a skin disease from the tiny claw-pricks.

 

[KittyKat184]

Thanks everyone for such fast and useful replies! Appreciated!

I will try to get a picture, or even a video of him when he is doing his "thing". He always purrs when he is doing it tho. Sometimes, I pick him up and get him out of his bed, he will jump right back in and continuous whatever he is up to. I am totally hopeless and clueless on how to stop him doing it. I am thinking of hiding the bed away to stop him doing it (he only sucks on this one, and he also has a cat cave to sleep in)

From the article that lutece
provided, it seems like this type of behavior is not a good practice. But a few people replied above said it's a very normal thing for a kitten, especially for those that wean too early (Loki is). So i really don't know if I should worry about this or not... Is having a trip to the vet is that necessary? He is acting perfectly fine tho, besides the fact he sleeps a bit more often compared to a month ago.

Anyway, is Loki still young enough to be considered as kitten? LOL. He is approximate 1 year old. I hope he will eventually outgrow this habit when he gets older

 

[lutece]

Lots of cats have this habit, and it is not necessarily a problem. It is a problem if the cat swallows the stuff he is sucking/chewing on (since that can be a health hazard) or if it becomes an obsession that interferes with other things in life.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Anyway, is Loki still young enough to be considered as kitten? LOL. He is approximate 1 year old. I hope he will eventually outgrow this habit when he gets older

I repeat, Hekitty is still at it, and turned 10 on April 1st. So long as he doesn't actually chew off and swallow bits of the bed, it won't hurt him, and keeps him "off the streets and out of trouble." There are worse obsessions for a cat to have! My neighbor's cat won't stop turning on the kitchen water faucet and sitting under the stream.