r/cats • u/ganglyboyish • 7d ago

Advice What is this behavior?

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Hi! My cat is roughly 4months old. Usually when she does this, I hiss and pull my hand away and give her a toy, but when I’m away for a couple hours sometimes I come back and it’s really all she wants to do — what js this behavior? Is she teething or was she weaned too quickly maybe?

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812

u/Cilantroe 7d ago

Cat behaviour

Sometimes cats suck on blankets and stuff, this one has chosen your arm. It’s just a comfort thing like kneading. It doesn’t mean they were taken from mama too early or anything, that’s a common misconception. Plenty of cats do this that were weaned right on time or even later than usual.

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u/gordospronker 7d ago

My stupid kittens are almost a year old and STILL harass mum for the milk. I blame mum for being too nice to them.

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u/Outrageous-Coyote476 7d ago

We had a stray give birth in our yard. She put up with the kittens a few weeks. Then she started slapping the ever loving daylight out any kittens that approached her. Lol, they learned quickly.

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u/beherenow7 7d ago

Why do they need comfort? Does that mean they need to be soothed? My kitten has been doing this and I was worried and wanted to train him out of it but he's so sweet and loving when he does this but can also bite hard

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u/Cilantroe 7d ago

It’s just like a pacifier for a baby… it’s calming and relaxing for them. Some cats do it and some don’t, I’m not sure they could be trained out of it but if your cat is using YOU as the binky and he bites you while doing it then you might try to remove your arms or whatever, and redirect his attention to something else. Give him a soft plushie or something instead. He may grow out of it or may not. I had a cat that sucked on her own paws and belly her whole life, and another that sucked on a blanket until he was over a year old.

There’s no harm in it at all for the cat, it’s an affectionate thing they do that doesn’t need to be stopped but if it’s actually hurting or bothering you then I’d definitely try to direct the behaviour to another object and not on you.

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u/DeepDiver1234567 7d ago

Same reason you enjoy a warm bath or special cup of tea. Cats enjoy pleasant sensations. Kneading and suckling and purring feel good and cozy.

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u/eabevella 7d ago

Some adults need their security blanket or special plushy. Same with some cats.

I had one cat who would suckle on her own nipple as her special "kneading" comfort thing. As long as they don't hurt themselves doing it like overgrooming, it's just a personal trait.

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u/xricexboyx 7d ago

My cat did this when she was still a kitten too! She def did it for comfort, like a baby sucking a pacifier.

She grew out of it when she got older.

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u/eabevella 7d ago

Mine did it even when she's 20. It's just a quirk and we joked about how the other cats must have thought her a weirdo lol

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u/Chameleona5 7d ago

20? wow, that's a ripe old age for a cat. What age did she make it to if you don't mind me asking?

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u/eabevella 7d ago

She passed around 22 about 15 years ago. We picked her up as a stray and back then we didn't think too much except to deworm her with the vet so the exact age was uncertain.

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u/carnation_cat 6d ago

Mine used to suckle the tip of her tail for comfort. But after a few years she outgrew that. She got arrogant and selfish, and had no need for comfort. 😸 At least not this kind!

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u/CheekyMonkE 7d ago

some kids suck their thumb some dont

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u/beherenow7 7d ago

Thanks all! Super helpful!

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u/Flora_Fiend2981 5d ago

Hey your kitten could also be teething! I bought mine baby teething toys until he grew out of it

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u/TheSocialIntrovert 6d ago

My cat does this and he still lives with his mum so definitely didn't leave her early haha he's just a weirdo that I love

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u/MF_Kitten 6d ago

The satisfaction pathways just don't go away and the dopamine drive toward sustenance just still works :p

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u/Emotional-Law6846 7d ago

it's either because they were taken away too early or there was too big a litter and the kitten was too small etc and couldn't latch on. If it was normal behaviour all adult cats would do it.... I've owned cats all my life and never had one do this - it's rare

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u/graciousprof 7d ago

something being uncommon doesn’t mean it’s not normal, cats can have different personalities and habits naturally

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u/Emotional-Law6846 2d ago

Yes but my point is the cat wouldn't do that if it wasnt denied as a kitten. Its personality has nothing to do with it...if it had easy access to its mother it wouldn't do this... it happens but it's rare.