A kitten’s mother typically starts to wean him/her in the fourth or fifth week of their life. It may be earlier if: the litter is large or; the mother is stressed or; the mother is unwell. The mother (‘queen’ in … Continue reading →
With reference to domestic and feral cats, mothers do not abandon their newborn kittens if you touch them. But the question opens the door to a much bigger topic and before I address that topic, I will expand on the … Continue reading →
“Sibling suckling” is when domestic cats beyond the age of weaning suckle on each other for reassurance and comfort.
Continue reading →Domestic cats become sexually active when they are nearly 12-months-of-age. However, it varies. For males the youngest sexually mature age is, unusually, six months. Some are sexually mature at 8 months but typically it is between 11-12 months. It may … Continue reading →
“Wool-sucking is the act of feeding at a ghost-nipple….[and] lanolin acts as a powerful unconscious reminder of the mother’s belly…” – Dr Desmond Morris. I think by now, most experienced cat owners understand that wool-sucking by domestic cats is most … Continue reading →
New “Lucy’s Law” legislation has been laid in Parliament to put an end to puppy and kitten farming (factories). The phrase, “laid in” means that if no one objects (and no one will) the law will take effect automatically. This … Continue reading →
A visitor asks: I have one cat that likes to chew on my hair while I’m sleeping; why? There are three possible reasons as I see it. Yes, one more than in the title! Grooming – specifically ‘allogrooming’ When one … Continue reading →
I had no idea that kittens sometimes suck their thumbs. It is probably unusual but this video is good evidence it happens and it confirms that cats seek pacifiers just like people.
Continue reading →The mother starts the weaning process about four weeks after birth. She makes suckling more difficult. She does this by avoiding her kittens and; adopting body postures which makes her nipples less accessible. This process takes place over about three … Continue reading →
Kittens should be weaned at fourteen weeks. The current recommended weaning age is twelve weeks. I am told that kittens can be weaned as young as eight-weeks-of-age in the United States. Early weaning increases aggression and stereotypic behaviour in cats. … Continue reading →
