schmidt@alice.UucP (Carolyn Schmidt) (09/18/85)
I was the person who posted the article "training a kitten" to
request suggestions on how to break my kitten's sucking habit.
I'd like to thank everyone for their responses and reassurances
that he'll probably outgrow it (most agreed that their cats
stopped the habit at about one year). One seuggestion I received
which seems to be working is to sacrifice an old article of clothing
preferably unwashed) to the cause and to try to divert his attention
to it. I've been able to bunch up an old nightgown at night and form
a friendly barricade between his claws and mouth and me, thus allowing
me to stay dry, I can even turn him around now and get him sucking
away from me, which makes it quieter (he's a very loud and enduring
purrer). When he's in my lap and tries to suck, I've tried to scratch
under his chin and aroucnd the sides of his face. My hands are then
in the way (he seems only to like to suck cloth), and yet he's
getting love and attention. Hopefully this will all pass and he'll
learn to just purr!
Carolyn Schmidt