Cat sucking her tail

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Hi everyone,

I have a female cat who regularly sucks her tail.

A bit of background: she lost her mum and brother very early on; when I adopted her about a year ago she was 8 months old, and today she's just over a year and a half.

She sucks her tail about three times a day—in the morning, during the day, and in the evening. She only ever does it after having a big cuddle and snuggling up against me.

How should I interpret this, given that she's not a kitten anymore?

Thanks.

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    I was worried at first too, but then I put a post up on here and people kindly explained that it’s nothing to worry about ^^

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    I
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    Yeah, I'm not going to stop her if it comforts her. She hasn't hurt herself so far, so it’s alright. I feel much better now because I’d been worrying about it quite a bit, wondering why she was still doing that at her age and how I should be handling it.
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    Mine does the same with her tummy!! I keep an eye on it from time to time though, just to make sure she hasn't grazed herself or that it's not getting infected. You can always try to stop them, but good luck with that ^^ especially as there's not really much point telling her no if it comforts her ^^
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    +1 with Angéline, this is down to her being weaned too early. It’s not a major issue as long as she doesn't hurt herself.

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    It doesn’t matter if she’s a year old or not, she likes doing it because it’s comforting for her ^^ so she might well do it for the rest of her life. No, just let her carry on, as long as there's no harm done :-) My boyfriend’s mum’s cat suckles on our arms when she sleeps with us ^^ and she’s always done it. Don’t worry.
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    Yeah, I’d heard that kittens who lose their mums too early tend to suck their tails (or other things), but I thought it was a bit strange now she’s over eighteen months old.

    So, should I just let her get on with it? If it’s a comfort thing, I wouldn’t want to stop her.

    It’s the only real behavioural quirk she has, along with being a bit of a clean freak.

    Thanks for the reply.

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    It’s simply because she wasn’t with her mum for long enough; she does it because it comforts her and makes her feel safe (mine does it too, but on her tummy).

    You don’t need to worry as it’s not dangerous at all, but just keep an eye on her to make sure she isn’t making herself sore.

    Translated from French

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