Does anyone know about cats that suck/suckle?

[TheSumofUs]

We have a lovely cat - orphaned young and came to live with us - he's now about 10 months old - he's had his operation, and all vaccinations etc - he is Burmese looking and very very fluffy like a powder puff - weighs 14 pounds - so a big boof of a boy

The thing is he sucks everything that is remotely fluffy -stuffed animals are a favorite and blankets and jumpers/fleeces pretty much fair game

The sucking leaves everything wet

Does anyone have any experience of this and how we might encourage him to stop ? We've given him his own stuffed toy to sleep with which he loves, but it hasn't stopped him "loving" everything's else too

[cozietoesie]

I'm afraid that it sounds a little like \link{http://www.icatcare.org/advice/problem-behaviour/pica-cats\PICA.} Do you know if he's ingesting any of the stuff?

[cozietoesie]

PS - surely not 14 pounds ?

[sashh]

Some cats do this, fortunately I've only had foster kittens that did.

You are right to give him his own toy, make sure he can't swallow any bits of fur/fluff.

Then I thin you either need to keep things away from him or replace with unsuckable things.

You could try a replant spray.

[sashh]

Oh and where are your pics?

[TheDoctorsNewKidneys]

My boycat does this and he'll be a year old in March. It's a comfort thing apparently - does he knead too? Because it's how they stimulated milk from their mums and some cats just keep doig it as a way to self-comfort.

Just make sure he doesn't swallow anything he shouldn't and that nothing is going to harm him.

[TheSumofUs]

Thx for answers

No I don't think he is ingesting anything - he is not chewing at all, and it is always something like a fleece where nothing can come away - he doesn't do it on wool or materials that shed - and he does kneed just like a kitten would of his mum

Unfortunately yes 14 pounds - he just keeps growing - he is huge

[TheSumofUs]

Sashh - by pics do you mean pictures on my profile of him? Yes I can upload those. I'll need to work out how to do that. He's a beauty :-)

[systemsaddict]

My first cat did this her whole life, but only on one spot on my school jumpers so it wasn't such a problem. We had her a bit too early in kittenhood, and she transferred the suckling behaviour for comfort on to me. When I left home she stopped doing it, but every time I came back to visit she insisted I put my old school jumper back on my bed and she came and sucked it every night whenever I was there. She lived until 17 and was buried wrapped in that jumper.

[TheSumofUs]

Oh systems - wow - that's an amazing story - thank you for sharing

He does it in the fleece blanket only bed, the stuffed toy we gave him, my fleece jumper, and my daughters teddy - primarily - I wondered if it was a smell thing - although he will have a go at other things

His mum died at birth and we fostered him for the shelter, and then couldn't let him go

[TheSumofUs]

I'm on my phone so can't upload pictures - the mobile app doesn't let's - I'll try to do that when i get my computer

[satintaupe]

One of my cats does this, but only on one item (a hair scrunchie that I used to wear at night). It started as soon as we had him as a kitten, so is a comfort thing. He used to want it numerous times a day but as he's got older (he's eight now) he only looks for it every few days or so (he searches around my pillow until I give it to him, then suckles on it). We got his brother at the same time and he's never done this.

[cozietoesie]

14 pounds at 10 months. Crikey. I'm wondering whether he's got eg Maine Coon or NFC blood in him. Do you know his breeding?

(He could also be just a little .....full figured...... of course but let's not go there for the time being.)

Looking forward to the picture(s) when you can get to a computer.

[furlinedsheepskinjacket]

two of mine do this - the rest don't.i think its a comfort thing like licking you.they seem to enjoy it.my old boy did this all the time and lived to nearly 20.we had him from 4 wks so thought it may be connected with leaving his mum early but our other cat fully weaned does it too.

[Purplemonster]

Little cat did this with the fleece blanket on the sofa when she was younger, she still kneads it but thankfully stopped dribbling all over it when she reached about a year old.

[TheSumofUs]

Yes he certainly seems to enjoy it - always before he goes to sleep

Have uploaded photos now - hope you can see them

[TheSumofUs]

Oh don't know his breeding - they arrived at the shelter eyes still closed and then we fostered them all until they could go to homes - we kept him and his brother tho - his brother is 8 pounds and sleeky black - the cuddle and wash each other's faces - it's very sweet

[furlinedsheepskinjacket]

Do you need to make yr profile public?

[cozietoesie]

Possibly- but there may be some site lag. It sometimes glitches.

[cozietoesie]

PS - he and his brother might be from different fathers even if they were from the same litter. 14 lbs is humungous at 10 months.

[tallulah]

Our cat used to do it to the dog . She didn't seem to mind, and he seemed to think he was a dog.

[TheSumofUs]

I think I've made it public .....

[FidgetPie]

One of my cats did this - he was a rescue cat, his mother died when he was only about 4-6 weeks. He would knead and suckle my old baby blanket in particular - but sometimes anything woollen was fine. (His 'brother' used to dry hump jumpers now and again, so the suckling was def preferable!)

[cozietoesie]

You have.

TheSum

It's a bit difficult to say due to his coat (he looks like he had a Birman dad) but he looks just a tad.......full-figured. Have you done the tests on him for overweight? (And what has his vet said at his most recent appointment?)

[TheSumofUs]

Vet wasn't worried last visit - said he still had a bit of growing to do - called him a "big lad" - his paws are huge - we joke his daddy was a lion

I can take him to get him checked again for his 12 month mark

[furlinedsheepskinjacket]

How. Sweet :)