Sucking on himself?

[Sphanks]

Hey there!

I recently adopted my first sphynx cat (he is now 4 months old and a week or so) and he sucks on himself like he's nursing his mother. He does this every day before he falls asleep and sometime I think he is even asleep and still doing it.

I know this can be a sign of being taken from his mother too early, but besides that is this bad for his health at all? Should I stop him from doing it? Will he stop on his own when he gets older? Anyone else's cats exhibit this behavior?

When he does it he drools all over himself and makes funny noises and sometimes makes biscuits on the side. All that is left behind is dried drool and a small hickey.

Besides the sucking, he is healthy and happy. Any advice on what I should do here would be appreciated! Thanks,

Isabel

 

[zoinks]

We had this too. If he is not doing any harm then I would just leave him too it, it is a way of comforting himself.

Our boy grew out of it around 8 months.

 

[Cleopatra Beers]

This is really common with lots of cats. My Marcus, who is also 4 months old (today!), likes to suck on the tip of his tail sometimes when he is going to sleep. He doesn't do it often, but when he does, he gets slobbery and noisy about it. Other cats like to suck on their people or other cats or dogs. Often they do outgrow it, like @zoinks baby, and sometimes you can break them of the habit by gently redirecting them. But, we had a black dsh, B.J., that we adopted when she was 2 weeks old. I bottle-fed her for about 4 weeks, and as she grew up, she liked to suck on Bob's right earlobe (never the left one). B.J. lived to be 13 years old and sucked Bob's right earlobe for her entire life! He never tried to discourage her, but he did finally get her to do it only at night and some early mornings.

 

[Sphanks]

Thanks guys! Glad to know this isn't uncommon. Heres him assuming his usual position.

 

[andreanar]

So funny! He is the twin to my Archie!

 

[Hairless Blessing]

:joyful:

 

[Ickushouse]

Awww, sweet little boy. It's like he's sleeping with his mouth on his momma... My boy, too, sucked on his tail but grew out of it.

 

[pussiette]

Do not stop him it's comforting like thumb sucking in humans both my girls do it.

 

[Kyla L]

My boys do it too, except they do it to Yuri, never Nigel. It gets extremely loud in the middle of the night, but I don't stop them unless it is keeping us awake.

 

[momdeeze]

Awww, the video & Kyla's photo are so cute. Like others said, Malakai sacked on us if she found any bare skin under or out of the covers!

 

[Sphanks]

Kyla that photo is adorable! The sounds that they make are so funny aren't they. The only victim of his suckling is himself so our other furry cat and my self are hicky free.

Thanks for all your replies! Loving the Lair!