Basic reproduction of the cat
Table of Contents
Text and Images from Slide
Anatomy of the male cat
Anatomy of the Male Cat, by Heather Ault, adapted from a diagram in The Cat: Its Behavior, Nutrition and Health
Anatomy of the male cat
Anatomy of the Male Cat, by Heather Ault, adapted from a diagram in The Cat: Its Behavior, Nutrition and Health
Starting with the male - take a moment and orient yourself, starting at the left side of this diagram, locating the cat's kidneys and bladder, which are important parts of the cat's urinary tract.
As for the reproductive tract then, if you start at the bladder and move your way back toward the cat's tail, you will see the prostate and the bulbourethral glands; these are what we call accessory sex glands, and their primary function is to produce some of the fluids that make up semen.
Next, locate the penis and its tip, or glans penis. Note that the cat's penis is positioned so that it is deflected slightly downward and caudally (or towards the rear of the animal) when it is erect. The penis in most other domestic species deflects cranially (or toward the head).
Finally, locate the scrotum, inside which you will find the paired testes; the testes or testicles are the site of sperm formation and much of the cat's testosterone production.