Suckling Behavior in a Cat

Cats suckling on their own paw or a woolen blanket might seem funny or cute at first, but it may be a sign of an underlying psychological compulsion. Suckling behavior can be compared to a human child sucking her thumb: normal and expected in youngsters, but problematic if it continues beyond a certain age. Owners may find that Siamese cats are more prone to suckling into adulthood than other breeds.

  1. Why Cats Suckle

    • Kittens should remain with their mother until at least 10 weeks old.

      Suckling behavior begins when a cat is young. Kittens need to remain with their mother in order to develop properly; if separated before 10 to 12 weeks of age, a kitten may never grow out of the psychological need to suckle. A kitten, or full grown cat with this behavior, will suckle on clothing, wool blankets or even its owner, or its own tail or paw.

    Level of Severity

    • Before taking action, measure the level of severity of the behavior. As an afflicted cat matures, it may end up growing out of suckling on its own. If a full grown cat limits occasional suckling to its own body and isn't doing itself any harm, the owner shouldn't worry. However, cats can suffer significant hair loss and even open sores because of constant suckling; your blankets, socks or other clothing may also develop holes if the cat has progressed to eating the material, in which case it's time to intervene.

    Stopping Suckling in Kittens

    • If the mother is removed from a litter of kittens before they are weaned, they will look for something to replace her and fulfill their need to suckle. This can include their own paws or the paws of their littermates to the point of causing serious harm to the kitten being suckled on the most, so kittens in this situation need to be physically separated. Dusty Rainbolt, author of Kittens for Dummies, suggests using a screen to separate the litter's box into sections; the screen separates the kittens but allows them to see and smell each other, preventing separation anxiety.

    Stopping Suckling in Cats

    • Adult cats may continue to suckle on themselves or fabric as a comfort mechanism or as a response to stressful situations. In severe cases, the behavior can even be compared to obsessive compulsive disorder in humans; the cat cannot function normally without suckling regularly. In these cases, an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist and medication may be required.

    Warnings

    • Owners can actually encourage suckling behavior without realizing it. If you notice your cat suckling, never punish or admonish him. Stressing your cat out will just intensify its compulsion to suckle. Monitor the times your cat suckles the most. If he seems to suckle at any time of day, boredom could be the culprit; try to enrich your cat's environment with interactive toys, cat condos and more positive attention.