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By Liz O'Connell
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Under the impression that an older cat was his new mother, a family's newest kitty addition quickly learned that he overstepped boundaries, as seen in a viral TikTok video.
The owner, known as @jerizzl, thought he was capturing a special moment between his two cats in the June 28 clip. The older feline wrapped his paws around the new kitten, grooming him. It looked like a cuddle session between the two, but then the little one took it a step further.
The kitten tried to get nursed by the older cat because he thought it was his mother. Startled by what was happening, the older one immediately put an end to that by sticking a paw in the kitty's face and keeping it there, driving home that this was a big no-no.
Read More on Pets
A paw in the face sent a loud and clear message: no nursing. Not then, not tomorrow, not ever. One reason was not being the kitten's mother. But the main point the cat likely wanted to drive home was that he is male.
The caption reads: "Gotta teach him somehow."
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Asked if the kitten tries to do this often, the owner told Newsweek: "No, to be honest, I feel as though he tried it a few times and my older can't establish his boundaries very clearly."
But luckily there are no hard feelings when the older cat pushes away the little one when it wants to be nursed.
"Now, they cuddle, sleep and play together all day," the owner said. "They're true brothers now."
TikTokers' Reactions
The clip has over 2.1 million views, 394,600 likes and 1,060 comments, and users couldn't get over the male cat's hilarious reaction.
Many commented on what they thought was running through the older cat's mind: "He said, 'Absolutely NOT.'"
Another wrote: "He said, 'We don't do that around here.'"
A third person chimed in: "Love that he corrected that behavior."
Others said it's happened with their cats before: "Same thing happened with my boy cats but my younger one successfully convinced my adult one to allow nursing FOR A YEAR."
Can Male Cats Nurse Kittens?
It may surprise many people, but male cats can nurse kittens, although it is not common.
A ZooNerdy article by veterinarian Chyrle Bonk said there have been rare cases of male cats exhibiting lactation and nursing kittens. The mammary glands are responsible for producing milk. These glands are undeveloped in male cats, but sometimes they develop because of hormonal imbalances or other health conditions.
Since it's possible for male cats to produce milk, they can technically nurse kittens. Their ability to provide sufficient milk might be limited, the article said. The limited quantity or quality of milk could also lead to malnourishment and developmental problems in kittens.
An owner who notices a male cat's lactation should go to a vet to find the underlying cause, as treatment may be necessary. And if kittens are being nursed by a male, one might want to supplement the milk with formula to ensure they receive the proper nutrition needed to grow.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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