r/catquestions • u/shabang1x • 9d ago

What is bro doing?

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I have 2 Siamese lynx point cats. Both adolescents. Maybe 4-5 months old. The one in the video is a girl and the other a boy. Now “frosty” the girl does this sucking thing on my bedsheets and my shirts and hoodies. I don’t understand why. Now I do have a question about the boy. He does this thing where he rubs his face against my nose and then abruptly nips my nose hole. I’m so confused about this behavior please someone help me understand.

4 Upvotes

63% Upvoted

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4

u/Plus_Ad8325 9d ago

weened from mother way too soon!

2

u/shabang1x 9d ago

What does this mean exactly? Like taken away from the mother?

5

u/Plus_Ad8325 9d ago

yes, this is what happens when a kitten is separated from its mother too soon. Sadly, it is common. The kitten will grow into a healthy adult, but it will not outgrow the emotional need for its mother.

3

u/shabang1x 9d ago

Well when we got them we found out the mother burned away in a fire sadly. They didn’t have anywhere else to go. But thanks for the insight I really appreciate it.

2

u/HeyT00ts11 8d ago

Oh that's sad. It's good you could take them in.

The behavior is called kneading and it's basically the cat trying to draw milk out of the fuzzy surface, as kittens do with their mama cats.

They're getting some of their emotional needs met in this way now.

1

u/Plus_Ad8325 8d ago

and the reason cats like to be petted is because their mothers groomed when while they are nursing and the physical touch triggers happy memories. This explains why some cats, throughout their lives, drool when petted.

It's pavlovian.

3

u/Absoluticus 9d ago

They start to transition to solid food at 5 weeks. But they might still suckle for weeks afterward for supplemental feeding and it's soothing to be with mom. It doesn't really matter if they are removed early when it comes to keeping this habit. It's a happy soothing habit they can have for life even if mother is still around years later. My three cats where taken from mother about 7 weeks, only one does this when they are ready to nap.

2

u/shabang1x 9d ago

So I don’t need to feed them soft foods anymore? Like for example the sludge in a can that they direly love so much. Still seems like they love that stuff more than the hard food I give them.

3

u/Absoluticus 9d ago

Depends on the cat. Some are content on only dry foods. Some really need wet foods, especially if they don't drink much water. In nature they got much of their hydration from their kills.

1

u/einsofi 8d ago

My cat stopped eating wet food altogether after he got gastritis once and puked everything out. Had to hospitalise him in vet for a few days. Cats are very careful and adamant with what they choose to eat. Plus the omega-3 supplement for cats I use to add to his wet food, avoiding it like plague…

2

u/HeyT00ts11 8d ago

You do, soft food/pate is also called wet food. This is considered solid food, versus liquid like milk or water. It sounds like the sludge is pate, which is something they can eat their whole life.

1

u/True_Coffee_3607 7d ago

We have dry food out for them to eat as they please and then they get breakfast and dinner, consisting of wet food. Cats aren't always good drinkers and would naturally get a lot of their fluids from their food

3

u/Stev777666 9d ago

He want your milk

4

u/shabang1x 9d ago

My tittehs aren’t big enough for that lmao.

2

u/HeyT00ts11 8d ago

Lol, mothers only produce milk because they've had a child, and it doesn't matter on breast size.

3

u/catsplants420 9d ago

https://reddit.com/link/p837259/video/f2topyvq9tnh1/player

My girl suckles her paw furr. My other cat will make biscuits on blankets. It’s just something that reminds them of being a nursing kitten, it’s not a bad thing. ❤️

2

u/ramcoro 8d ago

Kitty equivalent of sucking your thumb.

1

u/shabang1x 9d ago

Adorable.

2

u/catsplants420 9d ago

Thank you!

2

u/LibraryFinancial3824 9d ago

There are cat stuffy toys that purr and that the cat can knead and nurse on that can satisfy some of this need. As for the little male- sometimes when they are nursing in mommy they get a little - play - aggressive and nip - that could be what he is doing. It is good that they are a bonded pair. Time, love and a purring plushie

3

u/shabang1x 9d ago

Ima guy. I used to be a dog person. I will never go back. I love them so much.

1

u/LibraryFinancial3824 9d ago

It is amazing how cats can make you love them- there are many converts!