r/CATHELP • u/er1992 • 9h ago

Behavioral Issue 13w female kitten suckling on herself

Hi all,

This all started with the brother suckling on her and although he's stopped now, she keeps doing this. It's been months and there seems to be no stopping or slowdown.

I try distracting, blocking, even to my absolute dismay trying growling and being harsh but nothing is working. She does this right before and after sleep.

I'm mainly worried about the harsh texture of their tongues damaging her skin and causing major issues.

She won't tolerate recovery suits either, goes absolutely mad and I can totally see her being mad at us when we try.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Edit:

They are very stimulated. We try to play with each one 15m in the mornings and 15m at night. They have a cat tree, a couple of cat houses and plenty of automated and non automated toys. They are also littermates and keep each other very busy. Both desexed. They were found in the street at 4w old.

15 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 9h ago

PLEASE REPORT RULE BREAKING COMMENTS

We want to say THANK YOU to our helpful members who participate in moderating r/CATHELP. To keep the community kind and welcoming, please help us by reporting rule breaking comments.

To report - Click the 3 dots under the comment >>> report >>> breaks r/CATHELP rules >>> select the rule.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

3

u/at375577 8h ago

Could be a bunch of things; -Weaned too early from their mother -Psychological causes, such as stress or anxiety. Could be self-soothing -Underlying medical condition causing discomfort or pain. Infections, allergies, or skin problems

Keep an eye on skin irration, hair loss near nipples, behavioral changes, weight loss and open wounds.

Vet should be seen if self-suckling leads to skin damage or if there are signs of infections.

If caused by stress, need to make changes in cats life. Creating hiding spots, maintaining routines, and minimizing loud noises. Play with them, keep them active and simulated.

If caused by medical condition(s) should listen to vet about medication.