Kittens suckling/kneeling during the night.

[Talksense]

I’m a very proud cat momma to two 6/7 month old boys.

Since we’ve had them they’ve always slept in our bed (the first night they meowed until we let them up with us).

Around 2/3am after they’ve had their catnap they love to suck either on our fingers/nose/earlobe/elbow (we can’t sleep naked!) and they also like to dig their claws into us in therapy.

It got to the point that one of us will sleep in the guest room for a full 8 hours.

We’ve tried making them cosy in another room and as our house isn’t too big we can hear them meowing/scratching the doors trying to come into our room. I know I’ve spoiled them and it’s completely my own fault but does anyone have any suggestions on how to make them loved and for us to get more than a three hour sleep.

I could sleep through the suckling on my finger but it’s the kneading that wakes me/becomes irritating/gets caught in my hair. I’ve tried moving their paws to a blanket but they will only knead on my scalp/bare skin.

Cheddar did this to me for quite a while. She's settled down now. But still does it occasionally. I've discovered the trick with her, is to not let her think you are awake. Could you try putting a towel or fleece on the bed to get them to do it on that. My late cat loved the texture of towels. And magic likes fleece. Or try putting a bed in your room for them to sleep in.

I was going to say try a fleece blanket or a fake fur something or other.

Even when it was 26c inside our house our departed boy would try and curl up on a fake fur throw. He was drawn to it.

@fluffy I’ll have to give a fake fur blanket a try. It’s almost like they want human attention just at night. All day they’re happy doing their own thing (usually trying to escape through the windows or sleeping behind the sofa) so it’s strange that at night they need our attention.

I’m hoping they’ll grow out of it as I’m exhausted but I’m doubtful. I was wondering if there’s some sort of kitten dummie but I guess that would be bad for their teeth.

A car dummy is a great idea. I'm sure cheddar could use one!

Kitten dummies should deffo be a thing. There’s a gap in the market.

One of our cats did this, we think he was weaned from his mum too early. He mainly suckled on his sister although he really liked my dressing gown too.

The vet said he would most likely grow out of it, and he did before he was a year old. We got them a proper, big fluffy sheepskin rug for the end of the bed which helped redirect any kneading.

They will probably grow out of sucking but they may kneed on you for their full lives xx

My cat is 19 and she still does this everyday. They find it comforting and I don't mind.

Our kittens suckled snogged each other for about a year.

It was v sad when we suddenly realised there had been no snogging for a while and it was over.

Could you shut them in the kitchen or room furthest from your bedroom. They won’t be alone as they have each other. Maybe use some sleep sounds or a fan in your room so you don’t hear them? They’ll soon get used to it. Leave them water and a nice bed.

We’ve always shut our cats downstairs at night and they are fine. In fact they stare at us when it gets to about ten o’clock because they want us to move off the sofa so they can sleep there!

We did have our first ever car in our room at night but he was a bastard for swiping at our toes at the end of the bed so we’ve never done it with subsequent cats.

My 7 month old kkttrn loves fleece blankets and sucks and knead it so cute

Awake because Cheddar was at it again. And one of her claws has snagged so it's really sharp. She's now purring her head off, and I can't get back to sleep.

My younger cat is 5 and has always done this, only from time to time now she's older, it's the suckling they do to feed from their mums. I be heard it's when they're weaned too soon but actually just wonder if it's more about comfort because she did this a lot after an upheaval at home recently