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What’s With Cat Humping?

by Albert John September 22, 2017

What’s With Cat Humping?

Cats Humping

Humping will naturally occur in cats. There are several reasons why it may occur and one of the most important causes is hormones. 

Why?

Male cats will hump a female cat to perform a sexual act. Male cats may also hump other male cats to show dominance. Not all humping is considered sexual behavior for cats. Some reasons that cats may hump could include 

  • Having a cat fixed at an older age. 
  • Cats enjoy the sexual pleasure they receive from humping even if they are fixed. 
  • Some cats may hump because they are in need of affection or are insecure. 
  • Cats may hump due to trauma or even surgery. 
  • If your cat feels confined, frustrated, or bored they may begin humping. 
  • If there is a change in your household it could cause a cat to hump. This could mean new family members or pets.

They might also hump other male cats at home, which is perceived by the majority of the experts as a form of a dominance behavior. If you have more than one cat, try giving them some cat toys to keep them busy.

What Do You Do About Cat Humping?

The first thing you should NEVER do is throw things at or hit your cat. This is pointless because your cat will not understand why you are doing this to them. Cats do not see humping as bad behavior. Plus, if you do this to your cat you could damage the bond you two have created. 

The number one thing that you can do is distract your cat. When you catch them doing it distract them. If you see signs of them about to start humping, distract them. Signs include 

  • When a cat is getting ready to hump their pupils will dilate. If your cat is on your lap or on you, you should put him on the floor if you see the eyes dilate. Do not interact with him, simply place him on the floor and ignore him. 
  • If your cat is becoming overly affectionate, he may be getting turned on. This could mean rubbing on you or acting differently. 
  • A cat who is meowing or purring excessively while kneading aggressively may be ready to hump. 

When your cat begins humping, pick them up and tell him or her NO in a firm voice. You may be able to prevent this behavior by occupying your cat. Playing with your cat is one way to help eliminate humping. Your cat could just be bored. When you play with your cat you are providing them therapy. When your cat begins his activities, stop him and distract him with his favorite toys. Your cat will drain some of that wound-up energy and will no longer be interested in humping. 

Another way to provide attention to your cat is grooming. When you groom your cat you are providing them the attention they crave. Plus, you are both bonding. It is not only a good time to bond, but it is also good for the health of the cat. 

If you see them scratching your furniture, they might enjoy a tree scratching post to keep them busy and save your merchandise!

Other Tips To Stop Cat Humping

Another way to help your cat is to be positive. You should always be positive when dealing with this behavior. When your cat engages in humping, remove them from the situation. When you do this, pick them up and show them affection. If your cat comes back to repeat the activity, try telling him NO in a firm voice. 

The last thing you can do is reward your cat when he stops the behavior. You can tell your cat Good Boy and give him a treat. Just be careful not to go overboard with the treats as you do not want your cat to become overweight. 

It is important to remember that you must be patient. Not all the above suggestions will work. However, you may use them all or just use one method. Using them all at different times may help you find more solutions to your problem. If after a while your cat is still humping after repeated attempts to stop it you may want to talk to your vet. There are a few medical issues or issues that can cause a cat to hump. If they are not seeing any results with their actions, your cat may be described antidepressants. With patience and repetition, your cat will be back to normal in about a month. 

The greatest way to handle cat humping is to distract him the moment you see the signs that he is about to start doing it. You will notice body language like purring, dilated pupils, and kneading very excitedly.

The moment your cat is humping on your lap, just pick him up, provide a kind yet firm “NO”, and place him on the floor. Maybe your cat may just need to relieve themselves, and if so a new litter box may help.

There is hope for your cat. All you need to do is be patient and work with him. If you need to, contact your vet to see if there are any other options. Just remember, this is normal cat behavior and if you can deal with it and it isn’t hurting anyone, let it be. 

Albert John
Albert John


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