My 10-week-old kitten suckles my dog's nipples. Should I stop it?

Question

We have just got 2 10week old kittens, one male and one female. They have both taken a liking to my unspayed three year old cavalier king Charles spaniel. However, the male kitten has started suckling on my dogs teats. The dog seems happy to allow this and lays licking the kitten. I have been stopping it when I see it and offer food and kitten milk instead but sometimes he does it when he has just eaten so it's not a hunger thing. Is it ok to allow it or should I carry on stopping it?

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

This is usually not a hunger-driven activity in a 10 week old kitten. It can indicate that the kitten was weaned or taken away from its mother too early. I would definitely continue to prevent this behavior, as it can continue into adulthood and could cause problems like an infection in the mammary gland of your dog. You may have your dog wear a shirt to cover the nipples, or keep them separated unless you can monitor them. Since it can be brought on by stress, you can try supplements for stress such as Zylkene or Feliway/Comfort Zone Feline Pheromones. Here is some more information: https://www.petplace.com/article/cats/pet-behavior-training/wool-sucking/

My 10-week-old kitten suckles my dog's nipples. Should I stop it?

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