The invention relates to a method for automatically placing teat cups (7) onto teats of a milk-producing animal, in particular a cow, comprising the following steps: producing a two-dimensional image of teats of the animal, wherein distance information is present for at least a plurality of pixels of the two-dimensional image evaluating the two-dimensional image and the distance information and establishing at least one position of at least one of the teats in a predetermined coordinate system determining a further position of further one of the teats on the basis of the at least one previously ascertained position using the stored relative position information relating to a relative position of the teats of the animal in relation to one another and applying one of the teat cups (7) to the further teat using the further position. The invention further relates to a device for automatically placing teat cups (7) onto teats of a milk-producing animal, in particular a cow, comprising a present process controller configured to carry out such a method, said process controller evaluating the information from the sensor and actuating the placement device.
