Why Do Cats Make Noise When They Mate?

Written and verified by the lawyer Francisco María García

Last update: 22 December, 2022

Many find the fact that cats make noise when they mate puzzling. There are many myths about this. The idea that intercourse is painful for cats, which is why they make so much noise, has become really popular.

Certainly, the sounds these small felines make when they mate can be really annoying, and they’re not pleasant sounds to the human ear. Although they usually cause irritation, a lot of people laugh when they hear the noises.

Cats have great personalities. They’re untamed felines who deeply value their independence. They’re also very stubborn. Cats are solitary hunters that don’t need anyone’s permission to wander about.

Despite their size and nice appearance, cats aren’t submissive animals by nature. Part of that strong personality manifests itself in their reproductive behavior.

Cats make noise when they mate because it’s in their nature. They’re fierce in their everyday life, as well as when it comes to survival and ensuring the continuity of their species.

Sexual maturation of female cats

Cats reach sexual maturity really early. Female kittens reach sexual awakening when they’re five to nine months old, although males take a little longer.

Female cats enter heat for five to seven days, once a month. However, this isn’t a fixed standard. Factors such as breed, climate, and light, among others, influence cat behavior.

In countries with very distinct seasons, females cats only go into heat in early spring, autumn, and winter. It’s also known that domestic cats go into heat more than wild cats.

It’s normal for cats to get very anxious when they’re in heat. Usually, they eat less, move frequently, and require caresses. These symptoms intensify by the third day of heat. If a female cat doesn’t mate with a male for a long period of time, it can suffer from hormonal problems and false pregnancies.

Male cats

Male cats are in constant heat. They reach sexual maturity between nine and 12 months and start looking for mates from that time. Male cats manifest various symptoms of sexual desire. One of the most striking is urine spraying. The urine has a strong, unpleasant odor.

The other obvious symptoms are loud meows. Female cats also produce such sounds, but they’re more moderate. Instead, male cats meow and shriek really loudly, looking for a female cat to respond to them.

They’re capable of anything to find a mate. They may suddenly jump out any window if there’s a close female cat in heat. Male cats become very aggressive, even picking fights with other males in those circumstances.

Cats make noise when they mate

Cats mate really loudly because it’s part of their courtship ritual. It’s the way male and female cats declare they’re available for mating.

If the female is in heat, she’ll allow the male cat to mount it. She’ll put herself into the “lordosis position”, which consists of slightly elevating her rear end and touching the floor with her belly. Thus, the male cat manages to penetrate the female cat through copulatory movements, which the female cat corresponds to with pelvic movements.

Copulation usually takes about 19 minutes. However, it’s considered normal for it to take between 11 and 95 minutes. More experienced males have up to 10 coitus in an hour. Female cats, for their part, are able to mate up to 50 times during each period of heat.

Female cats may be fertilized by different male cats. When a female cat copulates with a male cat, it can fertilize an egg. The same happens if the female cat copulates with another male cat. Thus, a female cat can possibly have litters from different fathers.

The final stages of copulation

The final stages of copulation are quite dramatic for female cats. When male cats withdraw their penis, female cats’ pupils dilate significantly. Up to 50% of females emit a frightening high-pitched cry. Then, they aggressively attack the male, roll on the floor, and lick their genitals.

A popular myth states that that final cry is due to the pain that the male cat’s penis causes them. This is false. Yes, it’s true that cats’ genitals are covered with keratinized spines. However, the spines don’t harm the female cat or cause bleeding.