1 year old cat sucking on blanket

Question
I have a cat that is estimated to be a year old now. He is NOT a pedigree, and truthfully a mutt. He was rescued by a teacher who found him and his two sisters hanging by their necks on an elementary school fence and the mother cat (or whom was suspected to be the mother cat) was found decapitated near the school fence as well. The teacher took the kittens home and saved them and when I adopted Dante he was estimated to be 5 weeks old. Now at a year he still shows a behavior that doesn't truthfully bother me, but I am wondering if it is normal. At night (only at night) when I go to bed he will "make muffins" and suck on my minx blanket but it is always up close to me, for example the blanket has to be over my arm, stomach of chest, etc. It happens every night and he will not do it to anything else or at any other time. Again my question is that I'm wondering if this is normal and the possible causes for this. Thank You!

Answer
Marlene,

It has been known for a very long time that when kittens are removed from their mothers and relocated to a new home too young, they will engage in this behavior.  This is a relatively mild case.

The source of the behavior is that, when kittens nurse, they knead each side of the teat they are on with their little paws (this enhances milk flow and augments their sucking). At the same time mama purrs and the entire thing is very soothing toi the kittens and mama alike.

I hope this satisfactorily answers your question.

Best regards... Norm.