# Still suckling at 14 weeks - advice?!



## skylarose (Jan 13, 2015)

Hi All, 
It's been a while since i've been on so just getting used to this new layout - hope everyone is ok.

So Rupert is just over 14 weeks now, and is doing fantastic, great weight and he is eating all his solid food at meal times (and more) etc. However he is still suckling and Molly is still lactating. 
When Rupert went for his check up at injections, he vet told me that as we are keeping Rupert (and being a singleton who's used to all the milk to himself) the only way he will stop feeding from Molly is to split them up for a few days, so that he doesn't suckle and she stops lactating. 

We have kept them apart for the majority of the time for a week now, just let them together for a play etc, but have made sure he hasn't sucked. Today I put them back together for while and he has suckled and she is still lactating? so the whole process has been for nothing, but we had left it for longer than the vet recommended. 

Am I doing this right? Should i keep them apart for longer? (i'll be honest it hasn't felt natural doing it, I was going on the vets instructions) or should I have not done this at all, and eventually molly will stop lactating?

I'm also worried that long periods of nothing and then sucking could increase chances of Mastitis.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Many kittens will continue to suckle, sometimes not even their mum but other cats or their siblings too. Can you see if Molly is actually still producing milk? She may not be and it may just a comfort thing on Rupert's part. My Gracie, who is 10 months old will suckle if she gets the chance but usually just gets her ears bitten for her trouble 
One of my former queens would nurse other kittens whether she had milk or not. It didn't seem to do any harm and the adult cats will walk away if they don't like it.


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## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

When I got Fliss at 6 weeks old she paired up with our big ginger male Oscar and proceeded to suckle on him...he didnt mind it...he lost a few nipples in the process mind! She will still occasionally have a go but he usually bites her these days (shes nearly 6!)


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## skylarose (Jan 13, 2015)

lymorelynn said:


> Many kittens will continue to suckle, sometimes not even their mum but other cats or their siblings too. Can you see if Molly is actually still producing milk? She may not be and it may just a comfort thing on Rupert's part. My Gracie, who is 10 months old will suckle if she gets the chance but usually just gets her ears bitten for her trouble
> One of my former queens would nurse other kittens whether she had milk or not. It didn't seem to do any harm and the adult cats will walk away if they don't like it.


Yeah when I put them back together she had produced milk - but it had been over a week, so I don't understand?
Haha well I thought Molly would be telling him where to go by now, but she's not showing any signs of annoyance - even with his sharp teeth. x


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## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

How much is he drinking? Just a comfort/snack thing or really drinking?


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## chloe1975 (Mar 17, 2013)

I wouldn't be too worried about it. I have had our keepers carry on feeding from their mums on occasion for 10 or 11 months, basically until mum is ready to have another litter. The mother will soon push kittens off when she has had enough but sometimes it is comfort for both. With my two most experienced girls they have a very different attitude to mothering. Chilli is efficient and raises and feeds her kittens to about 6 or 7 weeks and then cuts the feeding off although she continues to wash them until they are ready to leave. On the other side Tully would feed kittens indefinitely, she loves it and will happy let other kittens other than her own suckle once hers leave. It is mainly a comfort thing as they get bigger and you may find she lets him feed without producing milk. I have one girl who was unable to have her own kittens but will let kittens 'suckle' on her.


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

I had a girl who would come into milk spontaneously to feed any kittens so separating mother and son for a few days isn't necessarily the simple solution your vet assumes. There's no harm being done so I'd leave be and let nature take its course.


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## skylarose (Jan 13, 2015)

pipje said:


> How much is he drinking? Just a comfort/snack thing or really drinking?


I'm not too sure cause he quickly stopped when I saw them as he was distracted. He's drinking lots of water and eating solids regularly so I would hope it wasn't lots.



chloe1975 said:


> I wouldn't be too worried about it. I have had our keepers carry on feeding from their mums on occasion for 10 or 11 months, basically until mum is ready to have another litter. The mother will soon push kittens off when she has had enough but sometimes it is comfort for both. With my two most experienced girls they have a very different attitude to mothering. Chilli is efficient and raises and feeds her kittens to about 6 or 7 weeks and then cuts the feeding off although she continues to wash them until they are ready to leave. On the other side Tully would feed kittens indefinitely, she loves it and will happy let other kittens other than her own suckle once hers leave. It is mainly a comfort thing as they get bigger and you may find she lets him feed without producing milk. I have one girl who was unable to have her own kittens but will let kittens 'suckle' on her.


Molly wont be having another litter as we had her spayed during her C-sec, which I thought may have stopped her lactating quite early on? I think you are right - its comfort for both, Molly seems to really enjoy when he feeds. Thank you for reassuring me. x



havoc said:


> I had a girl who would come into milk spontaneously to feed any kittens so separating mother and son for a few days isn't necessarily the simple solution your vet assumes. There's no harm being done so I'd leave be and let nature take its course.


Ahh Thank you for your reassurance, I will do that for the time being. x

Thank you all for your help, I'll put them back together for the time being, see how it goes. So to clarify it is normal for her to carry on however old and just choose when to stop - it will happen? I only ask cause the vet seemed pretty adamant that splitting them up for a few days was the only way xx


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

I've had kittens still comfort suckling at a year old - my male neuter used to let them. I've had one year olds join in with a 10 week old litter to suckle. I've had people ring me in a panic because a one year old is suckling on a pregnant girl. Never have I known any of it cause a problem. Did your vet say why it was so important to stop it?


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

skylarose said:


> So to clarify it is normal for her to carry on however old and just choose when to stop - it will happen? I only ask cause the vet seemed pretty adamant that splitting them up for a few days was the only way xx


As others have said, it's very normal. I have neuter boys who let kittens suckle, cats suckling on mums feeding after the kittens have fallen asleep, young girls suckling on maidens in waiting....every which way if a kitten wants to suckle they'll find a willing cat somewhere in this house.

Also wondering why your vet wants this to stop.


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## skylarose (Jan 13, 2015)

spotty cats said:


> As others have said, it's very normal. I have neuter boys who let kittens suckle, cats suckling on mums feeding after the kittens have fallen asleep, young girls suckling on maidens in waiting....every which way if a kitten wants to suckle they'll find a willing cat somewhere in this house.
> 
> Also wondering why your vet wants this to stop.


Ah just checking we're on the right page, by suckling I mean still feeding off Molly (as well as his regular solid meals etc) - for comfort I think, but she is still producing, it's not the suckling he wanted to stop, it was the feeding. So this is still ok?


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

skylarose said:


> Ah just checking we're on the right page, by suckling I mean still feeding off Molly (as well as his regular solid meals etc) - for comfort I think, but she is still producing, it's not the suckling he wanted to stop, it was the feeding. So this is still ok?


Yes, it's fine for my cats to continue. My girls tend to be full of milk so I leave them to it, they'll stop it when they're ready.


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

_Ah just checking we're on the right page, by suckling I mean still feeding off Molly (as well as his regular solid meals etc) - for comfort I think, but she is still producing, it's not the suckling he wanted to stop, it was the feeding. So this is still ok?
_
It's fine. Still can't work out the objection. If we were talking about a kitten refusing solid food I'd understand but there's no issue with the odd comfort suckle.


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## sharonbee (Aug 3, 2011)

Our Queens still comfort feed their kittens right up to them leaving home at 13 weeks old, we have bought new kittens which have suckled from our other cats for comfort, they grow out of it in their own time but no need to worry


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

sharonbee said:


> Our Queens still comfort feed their kittens right up to them leaving home at 13 weeks old, we have bought new kittens which have suckled from our other cats for comfort, they grow out of it in their own time but no need to worry


Eadlin who is nearer 2 than one dived under Benny the other night for a quick suckle!


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## ByrdX Cats (May 19, 2015)

it will continue to drink milk


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