Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got my orange tabby when she was about 2 months old. She lived with her mother up until the point that I got her. She's a very mellow cat, playful and loving when she wants to be. However she does have a very strange habit. Whenever I pet her, after a certain point she climbs up to my ear and starts to suck on it like it is a nipple. She'll knead it and everything. I've never seen a cat do this before, so I was shocked the first time she did it. She really seems to enjoy it, even though she doesn't get milk from it. It doesn't bug me anymore, and I make sure I always clean my ears good so she doesn't suck out any wonky bacteria. I dont know if there is a reason she does this, I just thought I'd share this.

Anybody else's cat suck on their ears?

Hi There,

My Jonny Cat used to suck my earlobes throughout the night when he was a baby. He was only 4 weeks old when I adopted him and I feel that this made him more likely to want to suck. If he had his mom, he wouldn't have been totally weaned so young.

My Freddie, when he is very happy, likes to knead my arm and suck on my shirt or PJ's. He has done this since I adopted him at about 2 months old and he is now 2 years old.

If you have ever watched baby kittens nursing from mom, they knead as they are sucking. Kneading is always a sign of happiness in cats and some kitties really get into it. It's a kind of carry-over from their babykit days, when they were happiest while nursing. I love it when my cats knead. I know they are very happy and see me as their mom!

Feel honored that your baby loves you so much

Regards,
PHKitkat

Aww! Nursing or suckling behavior is quite common in cats, especially those who didn't quite get enough from their mothers. Your cat has really bonded with you in a unique way.

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Smile, it will make them wonder what you are up to!

Thank you both for your input. In the beginning I wondered what caused her to do this. I've grown to love it when she does it and it really becomes "our time". She really is a special girl to me.

I have a 2.5 year old 13lb male DSH that still suckles and kneads! He does it to his Abbysinian brother (7 lbs) all the time. The 19 year odl Abby tolerates it for a bit, but doesn't really appreciate it. The DSH just finds any old tiny knot of fur anywhere and starts needing and suckling away! The vet states that this is normal for some cats, they do it all thier lives as it makes them feel happy and comfortable. So, as long as he's happy it's funny to see!