Non-lactating cat nursing kitten?
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
United States
October 1, 2008 1:19pm CST
Is this possible?
We just got a new kitten to add to our family and she's started nursing on the other female cat. But the other female is not her mother but her biological sibling and has never had a litter on her own.
Just curious if it's possible for Socks to actually nurse the Tootsie? Or the kitten wasn't ready to be weaned despite eating cat food & drinking water from a bowl?
1 response
@minx267 (15526)
• Hartford, Connecticut
1 Oct 08
A cat can nurse anothers kitten without having had them - but generally it takes a while before she would start producing the milk- because she would have to go thru a "false pregnancy" first. My siamese did this.. we had 2 litters of kittens and she loved being a mother- but wouldn't let any of our boys near her- so she talked herself into this hysterical pregnancy thing and when those kittens were almost ready to be weaned from their mother, she started nursing them- so they nurse off her for another 2 months and you would see this littel cat with half grown kittens nursing on her- It was really funny!
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
1 Oct 08
I knew there was a way to do it but I wasn't sure on what was done. As I've heard of Women who adopt their kids being able to nurse thru medical intervention.
I totally picture this kitten turning into a lil cow still nursing on her big sister. Their brother is like a 19lb and Sister is like 6-8ish.
@minx267 (15526)
• Hartford, Connecticut
2 Oct 08
wow. big boy... Yea - you can never tell- it depends on the female cat and their desire to mother.
I have had A LOT of cats MANY and my Siamese Soleil (still my favorite- I miss her) was the only one who did this- it's rare but not unheard of..
my aunt's husky had one of these hysterical pregnancy's too- and she walked around with a tennis ball -crying over it and protecting it as if it was a puppy- that was actually quite sad- cause you felt bad she didn't have one to mother.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
8 Oct 08
It must of worked or something or unless the lil kitten Tootsie has spittle over her lil chin from "nursing" and Socks walks around like her mommma though they are just sisters. And course Boots the big tom cat could care less bout the kitten now that they are all aquainted better.
Poor puppy wanting to care for a tennis ball. Sweet & sad all @ the same time.
