A survey-based assessment of risk factors for cross-sucking behaviors in neonatal kittens, .

Cross-sucking, or non-nutritive sucking on the bodies of littermates, is commonly observed in early-weaned animals. This behavior has been well-documented in production animals, which are often separated from their mothers before weaning. The behavior is less well-understood in other domestic species, such as cats (), that can be orphaned due to neglect, maternal death, or accidental separation.