Woolsucking kitten

[purrrow-purrrow]

I gave my sister a beautiful tuxedo manx kitten a few weeks ago. She called tonight to tell me that Priscilla (the kitten) has been woolsucking nonstop for the past week. It has gotten to the point that she and her husband cannot sleep at night for the kitten sucking on them. They don't know what to do and I have no clue. Any ideas?

P.S. this kitten is approximately 12 weeks old and is changing color from black to white.

[Miss Z]

I've heard quite a lot about wool sucking. Some cats are prone to it, and it's now thought that it can be inherited from the cat's parents. Some cats do it because they're bored, and seeing as the cat in question is a kitten, this could be the case. Play with the kitten as often as possible, and when you're not there, leave plenty of toys around, or maybe even a radio on (some cats love to listen to things!)

I've heard of people scolding cats who wool suck, but that never quite works for me. Maybe raising your voice would help, but distraction is better.

I won't beat around the bush, wool-sucking is a serious condition. If a cat ingests large amounts of material, it can become compacted in the digestive system and lead to blockages, sores and bloated stomachs. Definitely consult a vet, (s)he can probably give you more info than i can.

[purrrow-purrrow]

Thanks for the info! I'll forward it to Pricsilla's new mommy.