Do Male Cats Have Nipples? Vet-Reviewed Feline Anatomy Facts

If you’ve never owned a male cat, this may be a question that you’ve asked yourself. Female cats need nipples to feed their babies if they ever have a litter of kittens. But do male cats have nipples as well? As a short answer, yes, male cats have nipples. Let’s find out more about male cat anatomy!

Male Cats Do Have Nipples

It’s true that all male cats have nipples. While they might not need them to feed their offspring, male cats are no different from most mammals in that both sexes have nipples.

What Do a Male Cat’s Nipples Look Like?

Male cat’s nipples are small round protuberances. They are the same color as your cat’s skin in that area. You may not even notice them unless you’re looking closely. Some owners mistake them for a tick the first time they spot them, as they can feel just raised enough to warrant further investigation if you feel them as you stroke your cat.

The nipples of male cats look precisely the same as those on a non-pregnant female cat or one that’s never had a litter of kittens. When a female cat is pregnant, her nipples will become much larger as her body prepares to produce milk for her babies. Even after she’s weaned her kittens, her nipples may stay larger than they were before.

How Many Nipples Do Male Cats Have?

All cats, both male and female, have six to 10 nipples. These can be found on their chests in two rows. There isn’t an exact number that is normal, so you may find that one of your cats has more or fewer nipples than another.

Most cats will have an even number of nipples, but that isn’t always the case! On a longhaired cat, you may never notice them because they’ll be well hidden under all that fluff. But on shorthaired cats, they can be easier to see.

Why Do Male Cats Have Nipples?

That’s a good question, and there is a scientific explanation. As the embryo of a cat is developing inside their mother's uterus, male and female embryos look almost the same. They both develop with nipples, and all male mammals have nipples, even though they serve no future purpose.

The scientific term for this is a “vestigial structure.” Nipples are created before the sex of the embryo is determined. In female kittens, the nipple will be connected to the mammary gland, while in male kittens, the presence of testosterone means that while they also have small mammary glands, they will never produce milk.

Evolutionary biologists explain that this is because the genetic “default” for mammals is for them to have nipples. Since there’s no real disadvantage to male mammals, including cats, of having nipples, natural selection has never gotten around to removing nipples from males.

Can Male Cats Get Mammary Tumors?

Yes, they can. Even though their mammary glands are small and serve no purpose, they can still develop a tumor. This is rare but not unheard of. If you feel a lump on one or more of your male cat’s nipples, we recommend booking them for an examination with your vet.

Wrapping It Up

Well, now you know a lot more about male cat nipples, primarily that they do indeed have them. While the number may vary, they are always found on their tummies. Male cats can still suffer from mammary tumors, so it’s worth checking your cat’s tummy now and again to check that he's free from any strange swellings around one or more of his nipples.

Were you surprised to find that male cats have nipples? Did you already know that the number can vary between cats? If so, let us know in the comments!

• Related Read: Can Two Male Cats Get Along? Interesting Facts & FAQ

Featured Image Credit: Sonsedska Yuliia, Shutterstock