Why do my kittens knead and lick blankets for hours? Is it normal?

Kittens, particularly those as young as Freddy, continue to emulate behaviors they performed on their mother's when they nursed. The kneading is the physical movement kittens must make on the teats of the queen in order to get the milk. The suckling on the blanket is the same in that they are emulating nursing behaviors. It is also possible there is something on the blanket that tastes good! There is nothing to worry about in my opinion so long as Freddy is a healthy, happy kitten otherwise.

Suckling/biting and kneading a blanket can be a stress-relief response or natural soothing response in some cats. It often looks like and mimics suckling behavior seen by kittens nursing their mothers. It is possible that Kittu is feeling a bit stressed out by something (new pets, new people, new things in the home, etc), or is just doing it because it is enjoyable. If you are worried about the blanket being ruined, you can try to divert her attention with a comforting petting or brushing session, or even have some fun with a toy as a distraction instead. If Kittu seems stressed out, pheromone diffusers/collars can also help reduce stress and tension.

Sometimes this can be a sign that the kitten was weaned to early or that it is feeling stress. Kneading and sucking on fabric is a way to soothe themselves. The kneading shouldn't pose a health hazard, but the sucking can certainly lead to ingestion of too much foreign material which can lead to an intestinal obstruction. If you find that Ollie prefers one blanket or type of material, try to keep that away from him. You may want to also give him some extra one-on-one time or extra exercise in the form of play to keep him occupied. Here is a good article with a few more tips: http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/wool-sucking/

Many times cats that exhibit this behavior were taken from their mothers too early and were not properly weaned. It is generally a comforting behavior for Nova. There’s not much you can do to stop the behavior beyond removing the blankets. You may try a pheromone diffuser such as Feliway as it can also cause the pet to feel comfortable. Most cats seem to outgrow this behavior. I hope this helps!

I see that Kiki is still a young kitten. This behavior is thought to be a carryover from nursing, especially if the kitten is taken from him mother too soon. Many cats tend to outgrow the behavior by the time they are a year old. It's not bad for his health, and he should hopefully outgrow it.

This is quite normal behavior for a young kitten - it will improve as she matures and becomes more used to being handled. Use a towel when picking her up and try to handle her after mealtimes and after play when she is more likely to be calm and placid

This behavior can be a self soothing mechanism and isn't too uncommon. Cats often attach themselves to certain fabrics or pillows so the best way to stop the behavior is to not allow Teddy access to the quilt or similar blankets.