I have noticed that my 6 month old kitten has been 'nursing' from my 2 year old dog (who has never had a litter). I didn't pay it much heed until today when I spotted that two of the dogs teats are swollen and full of milk.

Curious, I started searching on the net, and apparantly this is not uncommon. I am astounded! Has anybody ever seen this happen 'for real', and is it likely to go on for long? One site suggested that the kitten could continue this behaviour all it's life (poor dog!!!).

I have our annual Veterinary visit coming up in a couple of months and had intended leaving them sort through this issue between themselves until then. Maybe that's not such a good idea?

Any opinions welcome.

If a kitten is taken from its mother before it's weaned, it will 'suckle' from fingers, earlobes, you name it! If the dog has had pups, I believe that the 'sucking' action will bring down the milk. All the kittens I have known to do this have (more or less) grown out of it. HTH

Oops, didn't read long enough. Sorry. I'm sure someone more knowledgable will be along any minute

How very curious - you see it every now and then on the news but I always figured it was from an animal that had an existing litter. Nature is a very cool thing.

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One site suggested that the kitten could continue this behaviour all it's life (poor dog!!!).

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ha!

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I'm sure someone more knowledgable will be along any minute

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We'll give it a couple more minutes ...

A friend of mine had a spayed female cat who had never had a litter produce milk for a kitten who took to nursing from her. He grew out of the habit but she always treated him like her own kitten, grooming him and carrying him around till he was too big to pick up.

This can happen with people too, apparently. Adoptive mothers, if they try hard enough and long enough, can sometimes produce milk. I remember reading about this back when I had babies of my own and was reading everything I could find. Sort of the far fringes of the breastfeeding world - I can't imagine many people would try it.

it's not as far fetched as you'd think. An adoptive mother might want this bond with the child and therefore induce lactation while wearing a little device that holds formula/baby milk and has a tiny tube...the infant sucks and gets nourishment but also induces the lactation hormones in the mother even if she hasn't borne a child. Gradually the milk comes in and you taper off with the supply from the little bottle. It does not always work, but sometimes does.

Wet nurses could keep up their milk supply for years too. As I studied this in depth a few years back though, it was often to the detriment of their own children.

There is a Viking saga where a father was somewhere isolated & his wife died , he cut his chest & fed their child on his blood until he started to lactate. I can not remember which one it is.

I have heard of some rare cases where a father manages to nurse his infant when the mother has died in childbirth (usually in primitive tribes), and I've certainly heard and read of many instances where a mother has been able to successfully nurse a child not her own having never been pregnant herself.

I guess nature is just a wonderful thing!

However, I'm in a bit of a quandry about how to proceed for my poor dog.

I don't want to get rid of the kitten, but I don't see how I can keep her away from the dog otherwise. I'm at work all day and they are usually together while I'm out. They also sleep together. I have an open plan house, so I can't keep one in the kitchen and the other in the lounge.

I guess I could leave them to it and hope the kitten grows out of the need before the dog is totally exhausted, and hope she doesn't pick up any infection/mastitis or other problem in the meantime. I think I'll give the Vet a call in any case.

When I had a cat who gave birth she only permitted them to suckle for a while then when it was time for them to be weaned she batted them off when they tried to suckle. You dog needs to stop being a softy and give the kitten a clip round the ear.

If I were you I would discuss it with the vet, it might not be harmful to your dog.

I've just wagged my finger at Cookie and read her your instructions, Sue (I'm not so sure she got the gist of it, mind you ...)

Does the dog seem bothered by it? If not, I'd probably just let nature run its course and she'll tell the kitten when she's had enough.

My cat Gopa was the foster mother of two orphaned kittens...long after she gave birth and weaned her own kittens. When my vet asked me if Gopa was still lactating, I had to inform him that she weaned her babies and her milk had dried up. He told me that the more an animal suckles, the more milk she makes. He said that it even happens in animals who've never had babies.

I brought the two orphaned kittens to Gopa and, sure enough, a few hours later she was nursing. She didn't have the abundance of milk that she had when she gave birth, but she still had enough milk to suckle them and form a bond with them. I helped out by providing a bottle twice a day.

As long as the dog isn't bothered by the kitten nursing from her, then I would leave well enough alone. The dog will let the kitten know when enough is enough and will "wean" the kitten from her.

Here's another thought...having the kitten nurse from her might be a pleasurable feeling for you dog.

I have to agree with Mink and Dakota. The dog is allowing this. She would put an end to it if she was being made uncomfortable by it, just as she would if she had had her own pups. Sounds to me that she is just being a good, and tolerant "mommy".
Seeing as that I am posting (as usual) a bit after the fact, I am wondering if they are still at it, or if kitty has been weaned yet?