Self-nursing behavior in adult cats

We have three DSH sisters that we adopted from the animal shelter as kittens
back in 1996. We were told that the trio had been found in a utility shed;
no report on the whereabouts of their mother. They were just a few weeks old
when we got them, and had just been copy protected. They're wonderful little
girls, and we love them dearly, and they're pretty tolerant of us most of
the time.

Recently, they've all adopted a strange behavior, one after the other. A
couple times of day, and minimum, one of them will lie down somewhere comfy
and start trying to nurse on herself. Not off a teat, but usually on a
foreleg, or often a shoulder. They each have always enjoyed being scritched
along the spine, just above the tail; now doing this triggers very energetic
efforts of this sort.

The first one that started doing it, Purpy, will do the same thing to my
hand if I put it in the way of her forelegs. Pinky, the most aggressive of
the three girls, has actually worn away little bald spots on each foreleg,
and is rapidly thinning out a spot on each shoulder.

Has anybody seemed behavior like this from their cat companions? I will be
finitely grateful for any advice or suggestions.
--
/Bruce/ [aka Slasher]

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the
rest." -Mark Twain

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"Bruce" don't send me spam.net or anything else you
know perfectly well I don't want to see wrote in message
...
We have three DSH sisters that we adopted from the animal shelter as
kittens
back in 1996.

Recently, they've all adopted a strange behavior, one after the other. A
couple times of day, and minimum, one of them will lie down somewhere
comfy
and start trying to nurse on herself.

Pinky, the most aggressive of
the three girls, has actually worn away little bald spots on each foreleg,
and is rapidly thinning out a spot on each shoulder.

--
/Bruce/ [aka Slasher]


It sounds like nervousness to me. Cats will often groom themselves with
rather quick little movements, but this type of compuslive behavior sounds
like they are becoming agitated. However, the first thing to do is to check
with a vet to rule out any medical conditions (including the possibility of
parasites, dermatitis, behavioral problems, etc.). I would also suggest
that you try Feliway plug-in diffusers. Feliway is used for behavior
modification and can be very useful in reducing stress.

Here are a some links that may interest you:
http://www.amcpets.com/neuro7.html
http://www.provet.co.uk/Petfacts/hea...excesscats.htm
http://www.metrokc.gov/lars/animal/E...y/Cat/cat9.htm

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

"Bruce" don't send me spam.net or anything else you
know perfectly well I don't want to see wrote in message
...
We have three DSH sisters that we adopted from the animal shelter as
kittens
back in 1996.

Recently, they've all adopted a strange behavior, one after the other. A
couple times of day, and minimum, one of them will lie down somewhere
comfy
and start trying to nurse on herself.

Pinky, the most aggressive of
the three girls, has actually worn away little bald spots on each foreleg,
and is rapidly thinning out a spot on each shoulder.

--
/Bruce/ [aka Slasher]


It sounds like nervousness to me. Cats will often groom themselves with
rather quick little movements, but this type of compuslive behavior sounds
like they are becoming agitated. However, the first thing to do is to check
with a vet to rule out any medical conditions (including the possibility of
parasites, dermatitis, behavioral problems, etc.). I would also suggest
that you try Feliway plug-in diffusers. Feliway is used for behavior
modification and can be very useful in reducing stress.

Here are a some links that may interest you:
http://www.amcpets.com/neuro7.html
http://www.provet.co.uk/Petfacts/hea...excesscats.htm
http://www.metrokc.gov/lars/animal/E...y/Cat/cat9.htm

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

They were just a few weeks old when we got them, and had just been copy
protected.

I'm afraid I don't know what would have prompted them to all begin to exhibit
this behavior at once...but I did want to say that I never heard "copy
protected" used in this way before, very cute, tho.


Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

They were just a few weeks old when we got them, and had just been copy
protected.

I'm afraid I don't know what would have prompted them to all begin to exhibit
this behavior at once...but I did want to say that I never heard "copy
protected" used in this way before, very cute, tho.


Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)