Expert: Jessica - 6/23/2011

Question
Hello - My husband and I adopted a cat from our local animal shelter about 6 months ago.  She is approximately 2.5-3 years old and allegedly, was delivered to the shelter after her original owner abandoned their home (she is from a tougher part of town).  That is about all I know of her background.  She is a very, very sweet but needy cat.  She will often vocalize what sounds like a cry if she can't see me and the funny part of her behavior is that when you pet her, she suckles whatever fabric is at hand and also kneads it.  Her suckling and kneading sessions last between 5-15 minutes!  It is pretty cute but my question is why does she do this and is there something I can do to make her feel more secure?  (I should add that we also took in another foster cat about three months ago and they get along really well with occasional competitions for attention.  Her suckling/kneading was not affected by the foster, if anything, it improved her anxiety).  Thanks!

Answer
Hi Le,

In nearly all cases, cats who suckle persistently were taken from their mother before they were weaned. They were never able to fully satisfy their suckling instinct as kittens, and slowly and naturally grow out of this behavior. Most cats will start to suckle less and leave the behavior behind once they're a few years old. However, some do continue it throughout adult life. Bottle fed orphans have a strong bond with people, and cuddle sessions tend to trigger suckling behavior long into adulthood because they have always associated this with feeding. It's an automatic reflex. Without this kitty's known history, it's hard to say which of these categories she might fall under.

Innocent suckling is rarely an indication that the kitty is feeling any insecurity or anxiety but suggests the kitty is feeling content, like she did with her mother. So I don't think you need to worry about her behavior. If it's bothersome to you, see if she will accept a designated pillow or worn cotton t-shirt to suckle on.

However, if she begins to ingest the materials she's sucking on, this becomes a behavioral problem known as wool-sucking (which is a misnomer - it should more properly be called wool-chewing). Wool-sucking is a form of pica, the urge to eat inedible materials, and seems to be strongly related to anxiety. It's also very dangerous in cats and can cause intestinal blockages. The only effective treatment thus far has been to place the cat on a low dose of antidepressants. Some people have experimented with allowing the cat to ingest small pieces of more digestible fibers, such as paper or cotton. Obviously, most professionals wouldn't recommend this approach, as these can still cause blockages. Talk to your vet if your kitty's behavior escalates to eating instead of just suckling.

Best wishes!

Jessica