# Why does my cat do this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 1, 2010, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243 "2010-09-01T10:40:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/1 "2010-09-01T10:40:13Z")
My cat Taffy is about 4 months old, I think. (I have a horrible memory when it comes to stuff like age.) I got him when he was 6 weeks old, and the entire time he continues to nurse. Pillows, blankets, sheets, my clothes, he tries to nurse on all of it. I’ve had cats all my life, and this is the first time I’ve seen a cat do this, so I’m stumped. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/2 "2010-09-01T10:50:24Z")
If you got him when he was about 6 weeks old, he might very well have not been fully weaned. In any case, he wasn’t ready to be weaned, or away from his mother. Kittens should be at least two months old before they are rehomed. And some cats just like to suck, it’s like some kids will suck their thumbs until they are shamed out of it by their peers. Cats have no shame, so they’ll suck all their lives. One of my daughter’s cats was a feral orphan kitten, and she got him when he was really too young to leave his mother. As his mother was dead, though, we didn’t have the option of waiting for him to mature enough. This cat will nurse on bedding and clothes and the occasional human earlobe, if the human isn’t paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/3 "2010-09-01T10:55:07Z")
I thought it might be because he was weaned to soon, but I wasn’t sure. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t 6 weeks old either, but I had no way to prove it. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/4 "2010-09-01T11:31:51Z")
Ever cat I’ve ever known has “kneaded” object no matter how old they get. Pillows, blankets, carpets, whatever ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/5 "2010-09-01T11:36:08Z")
It’s not just the kneading. I’ve had plenty of cats do that in the past. This one sucks as well, sometimes to the point where I have to wash what he was sucking on because it’s dripping with cat saliva. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/6 "2010-09-01T12:31:18Z")
We had a cat who did this, his mother was killed when he was 1 week old and we hand raised him and his litter mates. His favorite was to suck on shirt buttons. He never grew out of it. Maybe you can make him a kitty pacifier out of a baby animal bottle nipple and then wean him off the pacifier. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/7 "2010-09-01T12:42:25Z")
My male cat does this and he’s 3. We suspect he got weaned a little early for his liking and misses his mommy, so to speak. He’s a pretty normal cat but is a bit needy(and kneady). It’s not that big a deal. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/8 "2010-09-01T13:07:09Z")
Yeah, in my experience, wool sucking cats don’t change their habits. Google that term…wool sucking…for more information. Some cats, like my daughter’s male that I am catstitting, turn this into fabric eating. I cannot count the number of socks this cat has eaten, start to finish. And plastic. Hasn’t caused him any serious harm, but I wish he would eat the socks in pairs…sigh. One of our other cats would just lay on your chest and suck on whatever clothes you were wearing until it was soaking wet. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/9 "2010-09-01T15:12:53Z")
I have an adult cat who does this. We got [Lisa (on the left) and her sister Trudy](http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn210/hrhomer/TL1resized.jpg) from the pound when they were maybe… 6-8 weeks. Lisa nurses our ratty pink blanket to this day, 8 years later, while Trudy doesn’t. Cats is crazy. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/10 "2010-09-01T15:15:12Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Some cats, like my daughter’s male that I am catstitting, Cats-titting? Perfect for a nursing-related thread. Joe ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/11 "2010-09-01T16:37:52Z")
Pictures please!! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/12 "2010-09-01T16:42:08Z")
[Here he is with his favorite toy](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v209/tebyen/?action=view¤t=S4022025.jpg&newest=1). I’ll take some more later, when he comes back home. Right now he’s out in the kudzu field taking care of the rodent population. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/13 "2010-09-01T17:20:43Z")
My older kitty does this too - suckles, kneads, the fabric gets soaked. She’s rather intense and creepy about it, except for when she does this she’s a very aloof cat. I found her starving outside at a about 4 weeks old and always assumed it was because she was too young to be weaned, did it for comfort, and never grew out of the habit. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/14 "2010-09-01T17:41:03Z")
Him in his [favorite sleeping spot](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v209/tebyen/?action=view¤t=S4022062.jpg), for those who wanted pics. ---
**Author:** ![OtisCampbellWasRight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@OtisCampbellWasRight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtisCampbellWasRight)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/15 "2010-09-01T18:04:26Z")
This is actually pretty common behavior for cats, properly weaned or otherwise. Some just do it and others don’t. It is generally pretty harmless albeit a little messy since they will often salivate heavily while doing it. You may want to check with your vet, though, as I’ve heard some cats can get cloth fibers trapped in their little throats. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/16 "2010-09-01T20:41:23Z")
Whoo, Kitty pics! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/17 "2010-09-01T21:55:22Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Ever cat I’ve ever known has “kneaded” object no matter how old they get. Pillows, blankets, carpets, whatever And please, dear cat, eschew using my tummy when you’ve got the urge to knead. You do understand what an insult that is, don’t you? Find something which is SOFT. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/18 "2010-09-01T23:26:26Z")
My cat Slugger would do this, too, leaving huge wet spots on our clothes. His favorite was my chenille robe, where he suckled a huge bald spot across it where the nubby pattern used to be. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/19 "2010-09-01T23:31:59Z")
My male cat is over ten years old and still does it some. He used to wake me up in the middle of the night, nursing on my eyebrow if he couldn’t get to my nipple. That’ll wake ya right up! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243/20 "2010-09-01T23:37:33Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > > [@Markxxx](#): > > > > Ever cat I’ve ever known has “kneaded” object no matter how old they get. Pillows, blankets, carpets, whatever > > And please, dear cat, eschew using my tummy when you’ve got the urge to knead. You do understand what an insult that is, don’t you? Find something which is SOFT. :rolleyes: You do know that they’re just checking your muscles and internal organs for consistency, right? That way, when you die, they’ll know what part to eat first. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/552243.md?page=2)