My cat is 7 and she has suckled me from the day I got her. She wakes me up in the middle of the night. I think she just wants cuddles from her mum. Is this normal?
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I had a cat that did this too (on the belt of my robe). The vet told me it can happen for three reasons (1) weaned too young, (2) some breeds, such as Siamese, have this tendency (3) lack of playtime. If the behavior is rewarded, it will continue. So, in your case I might advise removing the favorite blanket and spending more time gently teasing your cat with string and other items she can use her mouth on to displace some of this energy. Plus give lots of cuddles outside of bedtime if possible. Good luck!
You mention '7' - is this 7 years old?
If this is years and it has continued from a young age, I can see no way to stop this now.
I cannot see what harm it does as see is sleeping with you and I feel sure she considers you to be her 'mum'.
Most times this happens is because the kitten was weaned too young. Doing this helps the cat feel more secure. I had a grown cat that did this when she was on my lap or in my arms, and she would suckle on any buttons on my clothing. leaving big wet marks around the button. She never woke me in the night though.
As a side note: she never weighed more than 7 pounds and would frequently chase my neighbor's Rottweiler and German Shepard out of my yard and down the street back to their house...
Don't be alarmed, adult cats suckle because performing this behavior can provide them comfort.
The most common cause of suckling in cats is early separation from their mothers and littermates. Kittens should stay with their mothers until they reach around 12 weeks of age. If they are separated earlier than 12 weeks, they can develop compulsive behaviors, including suckling, later in life.
Oriental cat breeds are more prone to adult cat suckling than North American or European cat breeds, for example Tonkinese, Siamese and Balinese.
Ignore, redirect or prevent this behavior as calmly as possible. Don't scold your cat or punish her, because this will only serve to increase her anxiety and can cause her to fear you.
It sounds like she was weaned too soon. Try distracting her, playing with her or offering her some water to drink.
Most cats stop at 3-4 months. It is unusual, but I dont think abnormal. I would not encourage it if I were you
She is 7 years old she has done it from the day we brought her home, she is a little princess and defiantly gets plenty of attention :), this morning it was 3.30am she decided she needed a suckle, I do think its just she wants cuddles just wanted to see if anyone else had experienced this, thank you for all your replies
According to PetMd, this is common, and happens in all ages. Although this is hard to deter, it's not harmful. Here are reasons why this happens - www.petmd.com/
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