Cute Little Kitten Suckling From Mom

Cute Little Kitten Suckling From MomShow more

Kitten sucking is typical for many cats, especially kittens less than three weeks old if they are breastfed. Kitten suckling is often associated with teething in kittens, but the behavior does not begin or end with teething. Mother cat behavior can indicate that a kitten is experiencing emotional turmoil or stress. Kitten suckling may also be a warning sign of teething, compulsive behavior, or just pure happiness or contentment - so just what do cats and kittens suckle from?
One possibility is that kittens have begun to take milk in preparation for early bottle feeding. Nursing mothers usually hold their babies close to them at all times, especially during the first few weeks after birth, until they learn to nurse independently. Although kitten suckling is a normal part of this type of nursing, it can indicate other behaviors such as bottle feeding, obesity or low birth weight, difficulty breastfeeding, distress and stress, and even possible illness.
Siamese cats are a rare exception to the rule, as kittens don't usually suck milk. Instead, the animals nurse by regurgitating food off their mothers, particularly when nursing young offspring. A variety of factors can explain the Siamese breed's unique suckling behavior. These include maternal instinct, deficiency in progesterone, and a lack of milk. It seems that the breeding process has eliminated the cause.