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Bengal Cat Forums • View topic - Comforting/wool sucking.
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 Post subject: Comforting/wool sucking.
PostPosted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 4:09 am 
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Bengal Kitten
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Will she grow out of it or should I intervene?

My girls are the same age, 3 and a half months, one is a wool sucker the other is not. She was fully weaned and came home with me at 8 weeks. She doesn't have pica, meaning she's not swallowing anything. I don't see it as a big deal. It reminds me of a toddler that pops their thumb in their mouth before falling asleep.

What I read online is contradicting. Some say that unless my cat is a siamese I should distract her sucking and get her to stop. Others say she'll grow out of it, and still others say that if I let her keep comforting herself to sleep that way she will develop pica. They have a vet appointment coming up for their next shots, but it's not like their vet is a Bengal specialist. I've seen other topics about this behavior has anyone come up with a definitive answer?

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Ginger born March 1, 2017
Fred born March 3, 2017
Brown rosetted females born days apart at the same cattery. They will always be sisters in spirit and always my babies.


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 2:33 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

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My eight yr old rescue boy still does this. He likes fleece blankets to suck. He just sucks and needs as if he is feeding from his mother. He does this most evenings and he has not come to any harm. I would see if your cat grows out of it and maybe as she is so young, she will. Also I would make sure the things she likes to suck don't have long fibres etc. The way I see it is that cats groom themselves and produce furballs so they are used to bringing up hairballs. Oscar does not have more hairballs than usual and what he does bring up does not contain the fleece he sucks. Hope that helps.

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 3:56 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

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The suckling is common among cats. I don't think it's anything to worry about. It's like a toddler carrying around a blanket -- and bengals, especially, are like toddlers. I believe cats find it comforting. As long as the cat is not ingesting anything, it should be fine. And it won't lead to pica. It is always best to try to find a vet who has treated bengals. My vet even has Savannah cats as patients.

Also, most of the cats will suck on wool -- so if you are truly concerned, change the type of blanket.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 7:03 pm 
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Senior Bengal
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Mine used to do that, but only on one certain blanket.. she stopped when I washed it, which was a bit annoying at the time, because it was a good way to calm when she got anxious. I'd take her to her blanket and let her suckle to settle her and then suddenly after I washed it, she had no interest in it.


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PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 5:51 am 
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Bengal Kitten

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Mine used to do that until he was just shy of a year old, every now and then if he's in a deep sleep he may but other than that he did grow out of it. I'm pretty sure with him it was just a comfort thing, if my other cat's tail was too close to him he'd suckle on that too, but he never tried to nurse from her and was fully weened when I got him. In fact they waited an extra month before giving him to me just to be sure he would be comfortable leaving his mother and siblings.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 7:31 pm 
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Bengal Kitten

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Some cats, regardless of whether they are siamese or bengal just naturally 'grow out of its / decide suddenly one day that they dont want to suck anymore and never do again, others do it whenever they are feeling safe, happy and content for their entire lives.

Nothing at all wrong with it and it is not a behaviour you should actively try and stop. Usually the cat/kitten will selects some particular fabric type (eg wool, fleece, that synthetic 'minky' fabric), some are even more particular, and helpful, and select a specific fabric thing and only suck that one item, (an item like a jumper of their owner or a particular rug from one of their beds/sleep etc nests/baskets are common)
Only time sucking is any sort of real problem is when the preferred sucking item is not fabric! There are some who select the flesh of their owners or fellow felines instead of fabric! Some of those cases as they get older themselves will naturally transfer their sucking preferences to a fabric piece. But when that doesn't happen, without being negatively discouraging you need to get them to transfer their sucking off of you/their feline sibling and onto a fabric piece.

Kittens and cats basically only do sucking behaviours when they are HAPPY and feel safe. So dont stress about it, but rather enjoy it as a sweet kitteny behaviour throwback moment and the happiness of your cat that it represents, and the compliment to you that it is!! Heh


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