Odd cat behavior.. HELP !!

[MicahHall]

My cats, or kittens if you will, are six months old. A pair of sisters, I got them when there were six weeks ( or so I was told ). My problem is this.. my cats try to nurse on my dog!! STILL !!
It started a few weeks after I brought them home, and I would shoo them away. I assumed that it woud stop as they got older and they were just working on instinct. It hasnt. I have more than one dog here, but the only dog they try to do this to is my Scottie who is the only female dog we own that is currently in residence. It is quite obviously irritating to her, but she knows shes supposed to be gentle with the babies, so she doesnt snap. At this point I almost wish she would. The worse part of it all.. for me.. is that Nessa sleeps in bed with us, so almost every night I am woken up by the horrible sucking sounds these cats make as they try to burrow through her fur to nurse on god knows what. Nessa is eight months old, and hasnt been bred, so its not like shes producing anything. This has been going on for too long and I really need to figure out why so I can put an end to it. Any helpful advice would be welcome at this point. Mrs.Hall

 

[OldHag]

LMAO!! Yes, cats do this.(especially if taken away from mom rather young. Dont know if thats always the case, but its what Ive noticed) If you didnt have a dog they would do it to you. Our cats have adopted a large stuffed lion as their "serrogate mom" Its annoying to say the least. Slobber everywhere.
My friends cat will "nurse" on her earlobe. Rather disturbing way to be woken up I would bet. I dont feel so bad letting them have their "mommy moments", as my girls call it, with the stuffed lion. It could be worse.

 

[MicahHall]

lol.. I guess it is rather funny... now that its not two in the morning.. but how on earth do I stop it?? Will they outgrow it?? Please say yes.. PLEASE !

 

[OldHag]

um.. No...At least, my friends is about 8 and she hasnt yet. My cats are 2 and they still actively nurse the stuffed lion..... Its their Comfort thing. They will just keep doing it unless you get rid of what ever it is theyve fixated on. Then I suppose they would just find something else.. like your ni.. erm earlobe.

 

[MicahHall]

Anyone want a cat or two???:wall:

 

[Malhavoc's]

um.. No...At least, my friends is about 8 and she hasnt yet. My cats are 2 and they still actively nurse the stuffed lion..... Its their Comfort thing. They will just keep doing it unless you get rid of what ever it is theyve fixated on. Then I suppose they would just find something else.. like your ni.. erm earlobe.

Oh come on finish that sentance.


For the Brief time I had a cat, it would try to nurse on my lip or chin, and would growl/bite if I tried to pull away, and when you sleep and get bit you roll, and it hurts more *sigh* so I no longer have a cat.

 

[Drachenjager]

katz?

Feed them to your tarantula
just a suggestion

 

[MicahHall]

Sadly.. not sure for who.. either me or my cats.. they are some beefy babies.. so if anyone has a t that is a couple of feet long.. we can negotiate.. no I am so joking. The problem is that I adore the cats.. well one of them, the other has no use for anyone.. but the nursing thing is REALLY annoying. The good thing is that they dont try to do this to the humans of the family. I can just keep my fingers crossed that poor little Nessa gets tired of it enough that she decided to end it herself.

 

[Socrates]

um.. No...At least, my friends is about 8 and she hasnt yet. My cats are 2 and they still actively nurse the stuffed lion..... Its their Comfort thing. They will just keep doing it unless you get rid of what ever it is theyve fixated on. Then I suppose they would just find something else.. like your ni.. erm earlobe.

This is hilarious!

Probably not for Mr. Hall though. Sorry, but I can't stop laughing.

Your poor dog, bless her heart for tolerating it all this time.

Perhaps you could bandage up her nipples for a while and give the kittens a stuffed animal?

---
Wendy
---

 

[MicahHall]

It would be alot easier if the kitties were actually going for a nipple.. however.. there aim is off.. they try to nurse out of her armpit!! The next time I catch one of them doing it in the daytime, I will make sure to take a picture of it. The look on the dogs face really says a thousand words, and I am sure they arent nice words.

 

[Socrates]

How about something like this:

http://thisplaceisazoo.com/products/fatcats.html#15072

It has armpits, too.

---
Wendy
---

 

[MicahHall]

We have a house full of stuffed animals.. dont forget that we are dog infested here.. the cats dont touch them.. i really wish they would. That fat cat is cute though, I think my daughter would love it.

 

[Oasis Inverts]

Not sure if this will help much, but our cat was taken away from his mom at a little shy of 4 weeks old. When we got him he was already eating kitten food, but would still suckle on anything (dog was readily available) or my neck while I was lying down. So we took his favorite crunchy food, and poured milk on it. He would lap the milk, and eat the food. This knocked out all most all of the suckling. To stop it totally we introduced Kat nip. He preferred the little mouse full of KN. We offered milk less and less and the toys more and more...and eventually NO suckling. Once the suckling is gone, then end the milk..unless you offer it as a treat (we do). The thing to do is get their mind off suckling and onto something else that brings joy.... negative responses bring worse behaviors...

You could also spray or wipe hot sauce or one of them many biting sprays on the dog...that'll stop them from suckling her...might move them to something else, but the dog will be free....



Enjoy....

 

[MicahHall]

Since the kitties are now on there way to adulthood, its not like Im trying to wean them.. its a horrible habit.
But.. I really dont think my dog would appreciate a mouthful of hotsauce the next time she tried to clean herself!!!

 

[Oasis Inverts]

It worked for me and a few other who had 4 year old cats doing it...just suggesting....

 

[Malhavoc's]

Idea edited out!

Man I should read better, It was allready stated