My kitten, when the mood strikes her sits on my chest and sucks my clothing while she kneads with her paws and purrs like crazy.

Her mum neglected her and her brothers and sisters so she was most likely weaned too early.

Is this sucking something I need to worry about? I must admit I love it when she does it because I get a nice long cuddle with her.

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My Chaucer still does this (he's about 8 months now) on pretty much a daily basis. We got him at about 5 weeks from the shelter, so I know he was weaned far too early. I worried about it, because he was suckling constantly at first, but everyone said it's fine. And he's a lovely cat--not at all neurotic or nervous. We have 4 adults, so he wasn't lacking for grown cat interaction and socialization, which might have helped a lot. But he's fine. Your kitten may or may not grow out of it. Just be glad she only likes to suck on fabric. He went for my chin and nose when he was really small! It's not so fun being awakened at 3am by a kitten sucking on your eyelid

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My babies
Aber, Ragnar, Kelso (the corgi trio), Daisy (our rescue mystery-mix puppy), Ellie, Henry, Gwennie, Jezebel (the kitty quartet), Blake, Chaucer, Molly and Milton (the kittens), and Bingo the African Grey parrot

Over the Bridge:
Pippin: 1/6/08-17/5/11
Freja: 11/8/10-30/10/10
Kirby: 11/8/10-1/11/10

"Praise liberty/The freedom to obey/It's a song that strangles me/Well, don't cross the line" Billie Joe Armstrong

My Georgie does this. When we first got her she would sleep on my pillow and knead my hair,thankfully she grew out if that,literally. She would suckle my clothes and now loves nothing more than if I leave my dressing gown on the bed so she can suckle the little cord all day long lol.

My youngest does this on soft clothes and fabrics, its annoying though so we try not to let her do it freely. They will probably do it on and off throughout their whole lives now.
Oscar my 1 1/2 year old tabby suckles his own nipple. We thought he'd grow out of it but he still does it from time to time. That's why I think he's so antisocial, because he can soothe himself, he doesn't need us!
All of my cats were weaned and separated from their mothers too early and two out of the three have suckling behaviour still imbedded in them.

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I had a cat many moons ago that suckled my earlobe. He just gently purred in my ear.

He did it until he died at 9 years old.

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MY FAMILY

Caramel (ginger girl) Harry (oldest son) Nick (Youngest son)

Just like to add that cats that do this aren't always doing it becuase they had a hard start to life. One of my kitten owners says her boy (now 3) still sucks the end of his own tail when he's sleepy. This kitten/cat was from a litter of 4 and was continually with his mum and brothers/sisters till he left here at 13 weeks. He lives with his litter brother who doesn't do this, neither does mum, or any of the cats in that line.

Like many things, sometime its just a personality quirk.

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Emma Yeoman
Purindoors Birmans
www.Purindoors.co.uk

I'm glad my kittle Violet does it. I feel like it's a really special moment between us because she only does it to me.

She's a very happy, confident kitten who spends lots of time playing with her big brother so I'm just going to enjoy it rather than worry

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My Henry was the only other cat I've heard of to do this! He and Ellie would suck on him together. It was quite strange looking, but cute at the same time.

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My babies
Aber, Ragnar, Kelso (the corgi trio), Daisy (our rescue mystery-mix puppy), Ellie, Henry, Gwennie, Jezebel (the kitty quartet), Blake, Chaucer, Molly and Milton (the kittens), and Bingo the African Grey parrot

Over the Bridge:
Pippin: 1/6/08-17/5/11
Freja: 11/8/10-30/10/10
Kirby: 11/8/10-1/11/10

"Praise liberty/The freedom to obey/It's a song that strangles me/Well, don't cross the line" Billie Joe Armstrong