My cat is STILL sucking my ear!

[Dookus]

I got Rudy as a kitten two months ago. He liked to suck my ear. I was assured he'd outgrow it.

As I'm typing this, I've got a spit-soaked ear and a purrying kitty on my shoulder.

How do I wean a cat?

[Dookus]

1. whoops!

I thought I was in the lounge.... mods, move it if you can. Thanks!

[boilerbabe]

7. You are in the lounge, aren't you??

What's mods?? Am I like missing out on some FAD??

[Clovis Sangrail]

2. Is this normal cat behaviour?

I have a cat that has done this since it was a kitten.
It's now 4 years old and still does it.

[SoCalDem]

3. Sara does it too..

kneads my face with both paws and purrs so loudly, I can't even hear the tv..

My son's cat sucks on the pad of one of her toes.. She is 12 yrs old, and still does it..

As loong as Rudy "needs" the comfort, what's the harm..??

Sara only does it when she's tired.. It's like the sleepy little kid who wants his binky and his blankey:)

You are being honored.. he thinks you are his "mom"..:)

[Dookus]

4. nah,

there's no harm.... except when his claws get too sharp and draw blood while he's kneading my face.

I just thought he'd outgrow it. But it *IS* kinda cute...

[thom1102]

11. While kitty is still little, you should get him/her used to you

trimming his claws. This will help keep your furniture (and face) intact and get kitty accustomed to it. Shower him/her with snacks, so that kitty associates nail trimming with goodies. Plus, if you learn to do it, then it will save you lots of money, since you won't have to pay for a groomer or vet to do it.

[Dookus]

23. Hi Thom...

I've already trimmed his nails three times.

I got him at 8 weeks and I've REALLY conditioned him to being held, handled, squeezed, etc. I've done that with the last two kittens I've gotten and it works well. Handle 'em constantly. Hold 'em upside down, hug 'em, clip their nails, even bathe 'em. Then give 'em lotsa loving.

[JohnyCanuck]

5. Aloe juice

Get some aloe (the cactus like plant) break off a piece and rub the broken stub on your ear.

I am pretty sure it will stop your kitty cat ear sucking habits toot suite. When I was a little kid and wouldn't stop sucking my thumb, my Dad rubbed aloe juice on it and boy did that ever break me of that habbit in a hurry. It has an awful bitter taste but is not otherwise harmful. In fact it is supposed to be good for you externally and internally and is reputed to have healing powers. However once you've had a taste of raw aloe you do not want to experience it again.

You can't use the aloe juice you get in health food stores as that has all the bitter stuff removed. You need to get some juice directly from the plant. Where I grew up we had aloe plants in the back yard, but many people in North America have small aloes as house plants.

My Dad said when he was a kid the family had a pet dog who would always chase after balls and when they were playing cricket it would interfere in their cricket games by chasing after the ball. They rubbed aloe juice on the ball and the dog left it alone after that.

[MountainLaurel]

14. Maybe, maybe not

My cat loves to munch on my aloe plant, which is why it died an unfortunate death over the winter months. It may just turn her on even more.

[havocmom]

15. I had an aloe muncher too

She also loved brussle sprouts, shamrocks, and lived to the ripe old age of 21.

My ear sucker did finally give up his funny habit but always remanied a 'nuzzler'. The current cat of the house has a peculiar fondness for resting his chin on elbows. Havocpup's cat nibbles toes. Go figure.

Cats are just independent thinkers and have their little quirks. Your kitty loves you.

[boilerbabe]

6. You can't wean an earsucking kitty

From what I've seen (had a kitten that used to suck my ear every time I fell asleep to the point where I had a sore there...) When you are awake, pull the kitty away from your ear, the other idea would be, put something on your ear that cats don't like (maybe like Vicks Vapo-Rub)Do not put Tunafish on your face!!! It is a nursing thing that they are after...I do remember that sound....it's probably because you got your kitten when it was too young. Just pay a lot of attention to your kitty and put a lot of crazy toys out, eventually they do get over the ear thing, but it takes time...
Good luck!!!
XXXOOO

[SoCalDem]

8. Sara and her 3 siblings were bottle fed by ME, and she was the first

one to reject the bottle.. It's a riot..She's absolutely Pavlovian...she crawls up on my desktop or on my lap and starts trembling and drooling, and then she's on my shoulder.. She actually mesmerizes herself sometimes, and falls off my shoulder..

I don;t mind it when I am awake, but when she wakes me up doing it. I could bean her:)

Pulling the covers over my head does not even deter her.. she is driven...

[Dookus]

9. hehehe...

that sounds like Rudy.

I know when he's about to do it cuz he approaches me while purring and making weird mouth sounds. then when he's up there, he's in a total trance. He'll do it for hours if I let him. And if I try to stop him, he will come back 100 times.

[NJCher]

10. hordes of ear-sucking kitties out there

For every one who speaks up, we must assume there are 15 more!


Cher

[primavera]

12. Mine eats hair

For almost ten years now, I've been feuding with my cat who insists upon eating hair - my own and anyone else's which happens to come within range. Despite the absolutely consistent negative responses he gets to this sort of behavior, it never makes the slightest difference. Give up, you can't teach cats anything.

[sam sarrha]

13. whoever told you that it would grow out of it has a dick sense of humor

It wont grow out of it. you will probably be ear stalked for the rest of its life.. do what you can now to prevent it while the cat is young. they have nail biting bitters at the drug store. I have one of those cats, if you can condition it before it gets older you might have a chance at a peaceful nights sleep in the next 14 years.

[maha]

16. Learn to like it.

I used to have a cat who sucked on my neck until she was about ten years old.

I believe it's a sign they were weaned from their mothers a little soon, but I could be wrong.

[alphafemale]

17. Calling all Pets

There is a weekly show on Public Radio that addresses problems like these. Here is a link to the site, and there is a number at the bottom where you can leave a message 24/7.

http://www.wpr.org/pets/

[Cthulu_2004]

18. Suck it up....

it ain't gonna happen. In the Cat's mind, your ear is Momma's belly now. Get used to it, and hope it doesn't interruptus your coitus.

:)

[Dookus]

22. heheh...

well I *DO* put the cats out when my bf are "doing it". The cats are just too damned interested in what's going on, and I just can't handle it.

And actually, I don't let the cats sleep with me - despite having 3 cats, I'm slightly allergic. I've learned that if I don't sleep with them, I'll be OK. Plus, one of the cats, Punk, just LOVES to get up in the middle of the night and start playing table hockey with the contents of my dresser. AND... he knows how to turn on the light by the bed. So the bedroom door is CLOSED!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. A dash of Tabasco oughtta do it...

Unless it's a cajun kitty.

[stlsaxman]

24. Scrubby did this when he was a kitten and i wet my earlobe and ...

sprinkled a couple granuals of cayanne pepper on it, made sure he had lots of water
in his bowl and then laid down, feighning sleep.

Sure 'nuff- here he came up onto my shoulder to suckle, all purring 'n shit...
suddenly the purring stopped and whooosh off he lept to the water bowl
where i heard him lapping like crazy while i chuckled myself off to sleep.

he never did it again!



i miss that dude after hearing of your kitty...

[Dookus]

25. aww...

what a beauty. Reminds me of my first cat ,Scooter, a siamese mix with orange point markings.

[alfredo]

26. Ceyenne works well for keeping squirrels out of your

bird feeders.

My cat loved my beard. I put alcohol on it and she stopped messing with my beard.

[jcc]

20. One of my kittens used to nurse my spiked collar

I used to foster kittens and often received ones that had been taken away from mom too early, so they suckled. Most grow out of it by 4 months old, so you should probably work on this now before it’s too late. Sucking offers them comfort, so find another way to actively offer comfort. When you are at the computer or any other time she normally does this, cradle her in your arms instead of allowing her to find your ear. If she does start to suckle, take her off, put her down and ignore her. Wear earmuffs to bed or a cap that covers your ears. Bitters work too for a variety of bad behaviors. Just keep her way from your ears for about a month and you should be good, because kittens like kids forget obsessions if they are not exposed to them. Good luck.

[newsguyatl]

21. rudy is the

BEST name for a cat! :-)

that's what i named mine too a few months ago, tho i had to give him away :-( (altho i prefer the spelling "rudi") hehe