Learn English – what’s the term of feeding milk to a young one by its mother animal

word-request

We say breast feeding when a woman feeds her own human milk to her baby directly. Then,what will we say in case of four footed animals ?

Furthermore,

I want to know that as we use the name of the part of body i.e. breast (from which milk is coming out) in case of human beings, can we use the name of the part of body (from which milk is coming out i.e. abdomen) for many four footed animals in case of animals? Or will the meaning be very odd (vulgar) if we say a new term -'abdomen feeding' (for animals).

Best Answer

Suckling.

Both the feeding and the eating are called suckling. It's a weird word in that it can be used as a noun (refering to the animal who is drinking the milk) or as a verb (referring to either the act of feeding or the act of eating).