Kittens are so cute and so is everything they do. However, a kitten sucking on things is surprising and may not be considered normal. Why then do kittens suck on things? Let’s find out!
Despite this surprising behavior, the main reason for kitten sucking is because they tend to suck their mother’s teats and are mimicking it with anything that comes their way. When separated from its mother at a younger age, it displays its need to be nursed by sucking on things.
Why Does My Kitten Suck on Things?
Kittens tend to suck on things for a variety of reasons, which include:
1. Early Weaning
This is a widespread phenomenon not only in kittens but also in human beings. If you have interacted with growing children, you have seen many sucking things, mostly their thumb fingers.
This may be because they were taken away from their mothers too early before they finished their weaning stage, and they, therefore, tend to exhibit that behavior they were used to.
A standard weaning period for a kitten is four to six weeks, and therefore anything less than this is defined as early weaning. This could be why a kitten randomly sucks at anything that comes their way.
2. Underlying Health Conditions
In some cases of illness, kittens may tend to hide their disease by sucking as a means of releasing pain from an underlying condition.
Some conditions that can result in a kitten sucking are anal sac impulsion (anal glands swelling), oral or digestive disorders, or even nausea. In most cases, once a prolonged sucking or abnormal sucking is observed in a kitten, you are advised to seek medical attention from a veterinary officer.
3. Genetic
Some behaviors are a result of inheritance from the precedent generations. In most cases, some character possessed by a parent will automatically be passed to its era.
The generation exhibits what their elders used to be showing. This applies in cats, too, in that a kitten has a sucking behavior from their parents or relatives. In this case, a kitten has no other reason for sucking but simply genetics.
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4. Way Of Expressing Contentment
Kittens tend to suck as a way of communication since they cannot communicate verbally. Whenever a cat sucks you, it’s trying to express its gratitude towards your kindness to them.
This mostly happens after they have been fed and they are contented.
5. Stress and Anxiety
Whenever kittens are stressed, or they are anxious, they suck. They find satisfaction in sucking, and in this instance, sucking acts as a stress reliever and relaxing agent to the kitten.
They find refuge and comfort in sucking. Kittens cannot communicate their problems, and they have to find a way to comfort themselves through stress and anxiety, and they do this by sucking.
Final Take Away
As much as sucking in kittens can be seen as normal behavior, it should never be underlooked. A kitten’s sucking should be taken seriously to ensure its well-being.
