A cat’s penis is unique in that it has small spines on the end. These are keratinous projections that are testosterone sensitive. They appear at about 9 – 13 weeks and are fully developed by 8 months, but disappear after castration.
These spines help to prevent the female cat from escaping during mating. It is also thought that they cause her to ovulate.
It’s a dot of hair
A male cat penis looks like a dot of hair when it’s not erect. The glans (the tip of the penis) has an opening about a centimeter below the anus and is covered by a thin layer of skin called the prepuce. The scrotal sac below it is usually filled with two little bumps, known as the testicles. These look like a pair of small circles and are located under the foreskin.
The glans is also covered with penile spines, which are testosterone-sensitive and are present in mature tomcats. They begin to develop at 12 weeks of age, become fully developed at puberty and disappear after castration.
These spines are not useless, as they serve several purposes in feline reproduction. The first is to help stimulate ovulation in the female cat during mating. This is because female cats do not ovulate on a regular basis and must be stimulated in order to ovulate before intercourse. The second purpose is to prevent the cat from running away during sex, as this can be painful for her. Cats are loners at heart and prefer to run from pain, so the spines on a male’s penis can help to prevent them from fleeing before the mating process is complete.
Interestingly, the same rough texture that makes up the spines on a cat’s penis is present in the papillae of its tongue. This is why a cat’s tongue feels rough when it bites food.
It’s protruding
Many pet owners wonder why their cats have penises that protrude. While this might be a bit awkward, the cat’s genital anatomy is actually useful and serves a few different purposes. For starters, the penis is a sexual organ. It’s also used to ingest food. In addition, the penis is a sensory organ for mating. The small keratinized spines that resemble spikes on the male cat’s penis are used to stimulate ovulation in female cats during mating. These spines disappear into the prepuce (skin surrounding the glans) once cat mating is over. These spines are not present at birth, but develop as the cat reaches puberty and sexual maturity. They are also absent in neutered males.
Mating is painful for female cats. The barbs on the male cat’s penis help to ease this pain by stimulating the vulva of the female. These stimuli are what cause the screaming noises that are heard during mating. These spines are also why male cats are so rough during sex.
A cat’s inability to retract its penis back into the sheath can be a medical problem known as paraphimosis or phimosis. It can affect the cat’s ability to mate and to urinate. This problem is usually caused by a tightening of the sheath or constriction in the preputial opening. This condition can also be caused by a tumor, injury, or infection. Surgical correction is typically required.
It has spines
Male cat penises are covered with thorn-like keratinized spines that appear when they are ready to mate. These spines, which resemble tiny spikes, are an important part of the mating process and serve a unique function. They stimulate a female cat’s vulva, which then triggers ovulation. This ovulation is essential for cat reproduction because females do not ovulate each month like humans. The spines on the penis also help to promote the secretion of eggs, which is necessary for successful sperm production and fertilization.
While the spines on a cat’s penis might seem scary, they are not dangerous or painful for a female cat. However, the barbs can be painful for her during mating, and this is a big reason why she makes loud yowling noises during this time.
The spines on a cat’s penis are also useful for preventing her from mating with another male after the initial sexual intercourse. It is also a way to deter sex with other cats, as the barbs will prevent her from getting her paws on them.
While it might seem cruel to have barbs on a cat’s penis, these are an evolutionary adaptation that helps with cat reproduction. In fact, these spines are found on the genitals of many other mammals, including some predators. It is important for pet owners to get their male cats spayed or neutered before they reach puberty, as this will prevent them from developing the spines.
It’s rough
A cat’s penis is covered in a rough coat of small keratinized spines that resemble spikes. These spines are designed to prevent a female cat from fleeing during mating, and they are especially effective when the male is biting down hard on her back. This is one of the reasons why many female cats scream during sexual activity.
While this is a bizarre evolutionary trait, it has genuine functionality. The barbed spines on a male cat’s penis stimulate ovulation in the female, and they also prevent her from fleeing before mating is complete. Cat lovers often compare this feature to the papillae on a cat’s tongue, which are also rough and serve the same purpose.
Male cat genital anatomy is surprisingly similar to that of dogs. The genital tract of a male cat consists of the anus, scrotum and penis. The anus is covered in a thick sheath of fur and looks like a vertical slit, while the scrotal sac contains two little bumps called testicles. In newborn kittens, these testicles are tiny and hard to see, but they grow bigger as the cat gets older.
If you want to determine a male cat’s sex, you can massage the sheath covering his penis (known as the Prepuce) until it extends about an inch. Then, look for the sheath to disappear under the cat’s tail.