My two girls are 3 months old. They do this funny thing every night when they go to bed; they lay on their little bed and suck on the edge as if they were being breastfed! they show the same behaviour as when their mum used to breastfeed them. I was a little concerned to begin with, thinking that maybe they must be missing their mum (i guess on some level they must do)

The bed has got this fluffy white material, which might resemble their mum's tummy. Has anyone else seen behaviour such as this in their own kitties?

One of the cats at college does this to our clothing, scarfs, coats, anything she can find! Very sweet

__________________

What age were they taken from their Mum? My Wabbit was separated at 6 weeks and has just recently started doing this (although showed no signs of it in the first few weeks he was with us) His litter brother lives with my friend and does it to a much greater extent.
Wabbit only started doing it when I got my new coat. I now have to hide my coat everytime I take it off as it has a fake sheepskin material inside that he goes crazy for lol.
Anyway, it's usually a behaviour that occurs from being separated from Mum too early.

I have a Tonkineese who is about 18 mths old and he still does this before going to bed, although his brother doesn't. He doesnt seem stressed or has any other behavioural issues so i just look at as being cute and he seems happy enough!

Our kittens like kneading on our sheepskin rug, no sucking though. They look like they're having a blissful moment when doing it! I'll try and get a picture - they do look cute.

My kitty sweep does this.
Sucks and kneads her blanket, also purrs.
She was taken from her mum at 4 weeks though. I have brought her up from that age.
I think its lovely thing to see.

Janex

often sucking and kneeding is because kittens are removed too soon from their litter mates and mum.

And before anyone reminds me, yes, I know that some kittens who were with their mothers till they were 13 weeks still suckle and kneed... I just mean it is statistically far more likely to happen when kittens are removed too young.

I agree it is lovely to see, but.... I don't think it is ..... well.... I think it is a symptom of something that isn't so lovely. If you see what I mean. Purely because it is so much more prevalent in orphanned kittens or kittens rehomed too young.

Hi! thanks for all your responses. They were separated from their mum at 10 weeks, and have only started doing it about two weeks ago. I've had them for a month.

I'm sure ours do it on the sheepskin rug because it is (used to be?!) another animal. They reacted quite strangely to it first. They don't knead on us thank goodness - their claws are like needles! One of them likes sleeping on my head though!

My female cat does this. She is two years old. She is a rescue cat, so I do not know when she left her mother. I notice she does it just before she goes to sleep. I think it is comforting for her. She sucks and kneads her soft fleece blanket that we have put on the bed. She also has uses a strange "watery" purr. She very seldom purrs otherwise. Sometimes she kneads my feet at well, a lovely foot massage for me.