My kitten is trying to nurse on my dog. Why is my dog avoiding her?

It's very common for kittens to continue to try to nurse on other animals in the house. This behavior usually lessens as the kittens mature, so I would not worry about it unless she is causing sores on the other animals or if they are snapping at her when she nurses. If not, then I would just let her grow out of the behavior. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This is usually not a hunger-driven activity in a 10 week old kitten. It can indicate that the kitten was weaned or taken away from its mother too early. I would definitely continue to prevent this behavior, as it can continue into adulthood and could cause problems like an infection in the mammary gland of your dog. You may have your dog wear a shirt to cover the nipples, or keep them separated unless you can monitor them. Since it can be brought on by stress, you can try supplements for stress such as Zylkene or Feliway/Comfort Zone Feline Pheromones. Here is some more information: https://www.petplace.com/article/cats/pet-behavior-training/wool-sucking/

Good on you for introducing them slowly! I would use a DAP diffuser. This releases pheromones that help with anxiety in dogs. You can pain this with a Sentry calming collar for the dogs. When in contact with their skin, it also releases pheromones. This may help with their anxiety around the kittens. If this method doesn't help, I would take them into the vet to discuss using anti-anxiety drugs. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

16 week old kittens should be weaned and not nursing, and it is unlikely your female dog is actually lactating. Kittens can knead and look as if they are nursing as a sort of comfort behavior, so that may be what you are seeing instead. If neither is bothered by this, I wouldn't be worried, but if there is discharge coming from your dog it is best to seek veterinary care to make sure there isn't an infection or something else going on. Making sure both your dog and kitten are on a balanced diet (kitten formula) is best to ensure they're getting proper nutrition.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is in fact most likely normal. Nursing from a young kitten is expected to some extent and that will likely go away on its own. Rosie humping Callie is likely a display of dominant behavior which is somewhat typical when having two animals in the same place. This will all most likely get better with time. Good luck and have a great day!

I'm sorry to hear that Nala is having a hard time with the introduction of a new kitten. It certainly sounds like she is experiencing some anxiety as a result of having a new kitten added to her household. Since it sounds like you have done a good job of introducing Simba gradually and Nala is still not tolerating him, you might need to find some ways to decrease her stress. One option for decreasing stress is to add a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com ) to your house. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month and may be beneficial for both cats. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water. You could also consider calming music specifically for cats ( http://throughadogsear.com/tace/through-a-cats-ear-1-music-for-calming/ ). If Nala continues to hide in your bedroom, it may be time to take her to your veterinarian for a physical exam and discussion about possible anti-anxiety medication short-term. Hopefully if you can get her more comfortable around Simba, they can have a good relationship, but it commonly takes some time. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

From your description, I wonder if Nala is a feral kitten. A feral kitten is a kitten that is born to a cat who lives outside and is essential wild without very much human contact. The general rule is that if feral kittens are taken away from their mom by the age of 10 weeks that they can get used to humans and become well socialized. If they do not have human contact until after 10 weeks of age, then that can be much more difficult. I would ask your friend where Nala came from and get more information on her situation. In the meantime, I would not push Nala to have any more contact than she is comfortable with. Let her hide and come out when she is ready to. I would also consider adding a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected ) to your house to decrease stress. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water. I would try to find toys that she can play with herself that do not involve you if that stresses her out. You may find some good ideas on this website. https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.