Kittens sucking on each other...

[bagendhens]

if its causing redness and such a tiny dab of bitter apple or ACV should help deter the suckling and give them something they can suckle safely on (my 7 mth olf kitten is a suckler, even now, she wasnt force weaned, or bottle fed, or taken from mommy too early...shes just a suckler) and eh has a stuffed lion thats her "blankie" a little bitter apple to keep them form suckling on eachothers tender parts and a surrogate they can snuggle into and kneed and such should do the trick.

its comfort, just like a baby and its pacifier or a toddler and their blankie and under normal circumstances best left be, but it sounds like in this case theres some irritation going on from the behaviour and it can lead to health issues (ie chaffing and infection)

 

[sourland]

Both Bitter Apple and ACV will increase the irritation of the kittens' genitals. Such a sucking reflex is normal and the most effective way of avoiding this act is to keep the kittens separated.

 

[bagendhens]

ive never heard of bitter apple agrivating wounds/sored, EVER, its regularly used by vets to keep dogs and cats from chewing on existing sores and hot spots.... a tiny bit on the tip of the genitals will NOT cause additional agrivation or injury...it doesnt sting (ive gotten it on open wounds myself).

seperating kittens of this age would be incredibly detrimental to thier mental development, they dont have mommy, they NEED eachother right now.

 

[sourland]

Ever sprayed bitter apple on an open cut? Oops, sorry reread your post. I must be far less pain tolerant than you. Separation done intelligently has absoutely no impact upon "mental dvelopment." I have bottle raised several litters of pups, and all had normal if not accelerated mental development. Pups are simply not allowed continuous non supervised interaction.

 

[Chinchilla2]

In my family, we call this sucking for comfort behavior in kittens and puppies the "nummies" and if they grab hold of another's "sensitive" spot, they can cause swelling in the area. Get a piece of material, something that isn't nubby like a towel, and rub it all over the kittens to transfer their smell to it. Wad up a small section and when you see a kitten doing the nummies routine on another, slide that small wad into their mouth. Makes a sort of pacifier or "sugar teat" and many times they will start to sucking on that cloth instead of on the other kittens. If you can get one to start sucking on the cloth, the rest will usually follow suit. Then leave the cloth in there with them.