You may see your beloved furry feline bite into soft, fuzzy, or warm objects like a blanket or soft toy. She may snuggle up with you and suck on your finger or your skin. This behavior is formally known as cat suckling.
Cat suckling is normal behavior among kittens and growing cats. Not, however, that not all cats suckle because it is on a case-to-case basis. Kittens who are hand-raised or bottle-fed are prone to having this kind of behavior because they are weaned early from their cat mothers. And such behavior may last into adulthood.
So, do not get surprised when your adult cat remains to suckle. But what are the reasons why adult felines still do it? Here are some:
Suckling out of natural instinct. Yes, suckling is an instinctive behavior among cats. It is comparable to the thumb-sucking behavior among toddlers. The concept is just the same.
Suckling for comfort. Kittens suckle a lot because doing it makes them feel comfortable or relaxed.
Suckling for stress release. Since kittens find it comforting to suckle, it means most of them do it to relieve themselves from stress. Other indications of stress among felines can be seen through over-grooming behaviors, like tail-chewing, flank-licking, and paw-sucking.
Suckling due to genetic components. Oriental cat breeds (e.g., Balinese, Tonkinese, and Siamese) are at higher risk of bringing this behavior into adulthood than North American and European breeds.
Suckling because of early weaning. Kittens who are taken away from their cat mothers and are weaned early excessively suck.
If you have concerns about your pet's health and/or behavior, make an appointment with your animal hospital Frisco, TX.
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