# Suckling ragdoll!!



## MelleMoo (Jun 11, 2014)

Hi!
So I got my baby 4 weeks ago. He was 9 weeks old when I brought him home.
He's settled in fine, great infacf. He's the sweetest little thing. Very confident, playful and affectionate. He follows me everywhere. For about 2 weeks now he hints for cuddles, which obviously I gladly oblige!! 
But he starts hunting for any skin I have on show and he starts kneading and suckling. At first I thought it was just cute (I still do)
But the problem is that it really hurts. I gently pick him up and move him, but hes SO persistent! He licks me raw and his teeth really hurt. I would never shout or shove him, but it needs to stop. I love him to pieces and honestly I think it's so sweet and cute. But it just hurts so bad, entry tips or advice?


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

MelleMoo said:


> Hi!
> So I got my baby 4 weeks ago. He was 9 weeks old when I brought him home.
> He's settled in fine, great infacf. He's the sweetest little thing. Very confident, playful and affectionate. He follows me everywhere. For about 2 weeks now he hints for cuddles, which obviously I gladly oblige!!
> But he starts hunting for any skin I have on show and he starts kneading and suckling. At first I thought it was just cute (I still do)
> But the problem is that it really hurts. I gently pick him up and move him, but hes SO persistent! He licks me raw and his teeth really hurt. I would never shout or shove him, but it needs to stop. I love him to pieces and honestly I think it's so sweet and cute. But it just hurts so bad, entry tips or advice?


Hi and welcome to the forum.
I had the same thing with my Ragdoll,he like yours, left his mum far too early,I should have realised this and didn't 
He is now 4 years old and still does it very occasionally when he is stressed.
It is a comfort thing and he will,most likely grow out of it.Some will suckle on soft toys/blankets which is much easier to deal with,yours like mine prefers skin making it much more difficult as no matter how gentley you move him off he will think you are denying him the comfort he wants.You could try giving something like a teddy to suckle on but it may not work as he has more of a desire for the feel of skin.
I found it easier just letting Meeko carry on but then I was also having real behaviour problems with him too and didn't want to stress him even more.


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## jaycee05 (Sep 24, 2012)

I think apart from anything else its a Ragdoll thing, one of my kittens that i kept, insisted on sucking my neck, even while her mother was still feeding her if she wanted it, always while i was on the internet, for some strange reason, 
Also people who have had one of my kittens have told me that their kittens suck on their ears


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

jaycee05 said:


> I think apart from anything else its a Ragdoll thing, one of my kittens that i kept, insisted on sucking my neck, even while her mother was still feeding her if she wanted it, always while i was on the internet, for some strange reason,
> Also people who have had one of my kittens have told me that their kittens suck on their ears


That's interesting no one has ever suggested that may have been why Meeko did it.
He always seemed to get such comfort doing it,dribbling into the bargain I just didn't have the heart to stop him


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## MelleMoo (Jun 11, 2014)

buffie said:


> Hi and welcome to the forum.
> I had the same thing with my Ragdoll,he like yours, left his mum far too early,I should have realised this and didn't
> He is now 4 years old and still does it very occasionally when he is stressed.
> It is a comfort thing and he will,most likely grow out of it.Some will suckle on soft toys/blankets which is much easier to deal with,yours like mine prefers skin making it much more difficult as no matter how gentley you move him off he will think you are denying him the comfort he wants.You could try giving something like a teddy to suckle on but it may not work as he has more of a desire for the feel of skin.
> I found it easier just letting Meeko carry on but then I was also having real behaviour problems with him too and didn't want to stress him even more.


Thanks for the reply!
I bought him a new fluffy blanket today. I thought maybe if I sleep with it for a few days it will have my scent? I thought maybe this would encourage him to suckle on that. I hope it works.


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## MelleMoo (Jun 11, 2014)

jaycee05 said:


> I think apart from anything else its a Ragdoll thing, one of my kittens that i kept, insisted on sucking my neck, even while her mother was still feeding her if she wanted it, always while i was on the internet, for some strange reason,
> Also people who have had one of my kittens have told me that their kittens suck on their ears


Yeah, after a little research online I saw A LOT of people mentioning ragdolls suckling for a while. He seems to go for my neck and my tummy!


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## jaycee05 (Sep 24, 2012)

I didnt stop her, she grew out of it, did it a couple of times later, but shes stopped now, its so cute


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