adult cat playing mom.....

Question
I am curious how or if it is possible for a 7 year old un-spayed female to nurse the new 5 week old kitten we have brought into the house. It apears that she is and her nipples are swollen and the kitten seems to be actually getting milk. Whats going on?

Answer
Hi Karen, well it is certainly possible! I have had neutered males allow young kittens to nurse off them ! This is wonderful for the kitten as she is too young to be separated from her mom and maternal nursing so if she can fulfill that need with your older cat that would be great and it would allow her to be a more secure adult. HOWEVER, I am sure that your older cat is not producing enough milk to nourish this kitten properly. She may fill the role of nurturing and cleaning the kitten, but the kitten will still need high quality kitten food for nourishment and growth. There may also be something going on with your older cat if she is actually producing a lot of milk. Why is your 7 yr old not spayed? Unspayed cats that are not being bred are prone to a lot of serious health problems such as pyometra,uterine growths etc. There may be some hormonal problems with her and I would recommend you have her checked by a vet just to be sure she is ok.
Teresa