my spayed cat

Question
I have a 1 year old cat who is spayed and never had a litter. We have recently acquired a new kitten. He is trying to nurse off her and she is not only letting him, she is encouraging it. Is this harmful to her and how can I stop this behavior if it is. I have tried separating them but it is hard to constantly keep them apart. the second one gets out they seek each other out and the nursing commences.

Answer
Heidi,

How old is the new kitten?  This is not uncommon, and the kitten should outgrow the habit. Even spayed female cats have mothering instincts, so it should not be harmful. I know of no compound you can put on a mama's teat to discourage nursing. You can try Bitter Apple, but I have heard very mixed reviews on this.

One approach that has been taken by some to discourage nursing is to cut the ends off an old sock and use that to bind up the female's middle, so no teats are exposed. I have no idea how long she would have to wear her "sports bra" to finally discourage the kitten.

Please let me know how it goes.

Best regards... Norm.