Nipple sucking

[Pinkhebe]

we have a gorgeous male kitten (Perry) who is about 5 months old now, we got him from his mother when he was 13 weeks old.

since we've had him he likes to suck his nipple whilst padding and purring, usually he'll do this on our lap or during petting, and if allowed to do it for a while will fall asleep.

I've assumed this is just the same as a child sucking his thumb and have ignored it (although he makes a really yucky sucking sound lol), but his nipple is now quite obvious when you stroke his tummy.

Is this a problem? or will it just stop as he gets older?

[angieh]

I can't say I've heard of a kitten sucking it's own nipple before - it's quite obviously a comfort thing. But as you say he was with his mother until he was 13 weeks, it can't be because he was taken from her too early. Can you be completely sure he was 13 weeks old???

I'll be interested to read what other members think about this.

[dandysmom]

I too have never heard of this ....... odd.

[Pinkhebe]

I didn't want to hear it was odd where are all the members to say it was perfectly normal

yes he was definately 13 weeks as he was from a friend of my son's, family and we saw them on the day they were born.

[PoshPuss]

Well it's obviously a comfort to him and providing it does no harm , let him be I'd say .
My cat is constantly grooming and licking herself, in fact even after I've painstakingly combed and preened her she undoes all my good work each to their own.
Welcome BTW, I'll post on your intro thread too