Need some advice here. I have an odd "problem" with my pets. My puppy (1.5 yrs old) adopted our kitten whole heartedly, loves the little guy. Our kitten is now nearing cat size and age and thinks he's a dog!

The "problem"?? Trot, the male dog, allows Nixon to nurse on him!!! I thought it was kinda cute when it first happened, little tiny kitty nursing on the hyper puppy who amazingly lay there and let him. Now however, it's a little disturbing. It can't feel good to Trot I'd imagine, though he doesn't push him away until his teat is wicked red.

Can that damage my puppy? Should I discourage it or allow it? I figure it's a comfort thing, obviously the cat knows by now nothing's coming out! I don't want to destroy the "bond" they share. Is this twisted or what?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Kristy

Well, thats a new one. If you want to stop it, just use a spray bottle and water and spray them when it happens. As for if you should stop it, talk to a vet.

ahhhhhhhhhhh let him do it!!! I had a dog who would let my kitten do the same thing but he didnt get the tata but the other thing????

Uhhhhhhhhhh ok so your dog is maternal...........let him me that way sheeeeeeeeeeesh most dogs and cats dont get along so hey its a plus for you!!

I have a cat, who fully grown, still does that to one of my dogs. It's no big deal, and is no problem.

Thank you, that's what I needed to hear!! I'm glad they're so close, get along fabulously. Worried at first Trot would eat him!! Just didn't want it to be damaging either of them. You set my mind at ease. Much appreciated.

no, it's not damaging to either of them so don't worry. I have 6 dogs and 7 cats, and the cat that does this have one certain dog who she does this to, and they grew up together as well. It's one of the bonding things that happened.

That's what I thought. Trot was still a puppy, only a year old and first interaction with an 8 wk old kitten that was freshly weaned from mom. Happened to come across one of his teats and latched on. Just shocked me, didn't even know male dog had teats!! What's up with that???

it is kinda weird though huh? We already had one cat who was almost a year, whenwe got her half sister who was quite young, and they did the same thing, eventually the older cat decided that enough was enough and would gently bat her away, or would get up and walk away herself....I personally thought it was all the in-breeding hehe!

It's very weird!!

Trot does eventually gently nudge him away, or he gets up and walks off. Just so odd because they're both males!! And opposite species.

misswright, I dont mean to be sarcastic, but after reading your question, I cant help but wonder if you know what sex your dog is, you say it is a male dog, but then you say the cat sucks on its teat until the dogs teat is red. A male dog does not have teats. Not knowing if when the cat first started doing that, that the cat was getting milk?, if so, then you definayely have a female dog. In that case, there is nothing wrong with the bonding between the cat and dog, but if it is a male dog, then you have a problem. I have a male dog and he definately does not have teats.

Well, I had the boy fixed and my vet probably would have told me if he was female!! Plus not to be gross, but he's got a little "red rocket" going on occasionally if ya get my drift so I'm positive Trot's male.

As far as whether they are called "teats" I don't know. They are little protuberances off his abdomen, six of them. Don't know what they are called or why they're there but do know Nixon was definitely not getting anything out of it except comfort.

Sounds like the kitten was probably removed from it's mother too soon, Trot became the surrogate. If Trot didn't like it he wouldn't allow it to continue.

Thanks shutter. Nixon was 8 wks old, maybe too young, but you're right on. Trot definitely took over the mothering role.

I have a grown male cat who would let my new kitten suckle. I thought it strange at the time but they stopped when the kitten got older.

I saw something similiar on the Animal Channel. It was a squirrel or something which thought the dog was it's mother.

That's too funny. Dog must have been on valium or something to let a "wild" animal near it.

It is nature for the kitten (cat) to suckle from what she considers momma..she will stop on her own. Or the dog will let him know when its enough . It might not hurt to check doggy out or even rub some vaseline down there so he don't end up with chapped or scracthed skin that could get infected. Either way you could ask your ( or any )vet .

I myself thought it was strange when you said it was a male. HMM is your dog a hermaphrodite?? I just think that sounds so strange

I've let wild animals near me (some men) and should have been on valium.

LLH5

I wondered that too Unsure!! Don't ya think the vet would have said something when he got fixed?! He's a black lab by the way. Not sure if that makes a difference.

If anyone out there has a male black lab, could ya flip him over and see if he has "teats"