If you ’ve ever seen a mom cat and her breast feeding kittens , it probably comes as no surprise that nipples play an crucial role in serve kittens grow big and strong . But if you have a male child cat and run your hand down his bay window , you might experience tiny point and wonder what they are .
Do male African tea have nipple ?
Dr. Mahmoud Mansour , a prof of veterinary anatomy at Auburn University , says nipple on virile mammals are somewhat of an “ evolutionary quirk ” — and one with little to no real function . This article will explain whether male cats have nipples , where to receive them , and how to spy if something is wrong .
Cat Nipple Anatomy: Understanding the Basics
Almost all mammals have mamilla , and cats are no exception . The teat itself is a tubular structure of thick skin and limited ducts ( which are burst in male and young distaff cats ) . Below the exposed nipple are the mammary glands , which you probably wo n’t notice unless your level-headed Caterpillar ispregnant or nursing .
According toDr . Rafael Senos , professor of Veterinary Anatomy at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts , this introductory structure “ is similar across the species and sexual practice . ”
The mammary gland of cats , and therefore their mamilla , are typically found in two parallel row . They run along a cat ’s bottom , starting at the chest ( thoracic region ) to the belly ( abdomen neighborhood ) and ending near the groin ( inguinal region ) .
Do Male Cats Have Nipples?
Yes , manly cats have nipples . Most cats , male or distaff , have anywhere from four to ten nipple . However , on manful cats , they can be difficult to see , Dr. Mansour tell .
In fact , when female cat are spayed at a young age , their nipple wo n’t full formulate like the mammilla of a female monarch ( sexually mature inviolate female cat ) would . So , a boy cat ’s pap might face a lot like the nipples of a spayed female — small and difficult to find .
But there are some big differences between male and female nipples in cats . Namely , healthy male CT can not acquire Milk River ( more on this later on ) . “ The pap and mammary glands remain rudimentary throughout the life of a male cat , ” Dr. Senos says .
In other words , the nipple and mammary glands of male cat are n’t fully developed . They stop developing because male computed tomography do n’t produce lactogenic hormone , the female hormone required to mature the mammary glands and produce milk .
Cats can have two pairs ( four nipples ) in the thoracic area , two pairs ( four nipples ) in the abdominal realm , and one pair ( two nipples ) in the inguinal region , totaling ten tit . However , the average for cats – both male and distaff – is six to eight mammilla . Some male hombre may have fewer nipples than females .
Although most cats have an even number of nipple , it ’s not rare for them to have an leftover number . In this case , the nipples in each parallel rowing are n’t harmonious with each other .
Why Do Male Cats Have Nipples?
According to Dr. Mansour , the nipple of a cat develop before anatomical sex is set .
Specifically , add Dr. Senos , “ the fetus develops a mammary ridge by the 25th day of gestation and five days subsequently , the ridge differentiates into four or five pairs of mammilla . ”
After this , sex - define factor kick in and your fuzzy furball continues to break as a boy or a girl . The nipples just happen to be there , whether the now - gendered CT require them or not .
The bottom line is that , like our appendix , the nipple of male cat serve up no known biologic single-valued function .
Can Male Cats Produce Milk?
A healthy male catshouldn’tproduce milk . But in uncommon cases , male catscanproduce milk . The condition is holler galactorrhea , and it ’s so rare in cats , phonograph record of the condition are sparse . But , it is document in a 2017 study titled “ A Rare Case of Galactorrhoea in a Domestic Tom Cat”[1 ] .
According to the study , “ milk secretion in male mammals is induced by a billow in prolactin and can occur spontaneously . ” As for the tomcat in the field , to a fault grooming his undersurface caused overstimulation of his pap , which in turn , resulted in a upsurge of hormones . He was treated with unwritten medication and by day five , most of his symptom top with full recovery by Clarence Shepard Day Jr. 14 .
Some male cats are intentionally treated with distaff hormones to reduce behavioural issues , likeurine marking . While suckling is n’t mentioned as a side effect of these drugs , they are linked to other nipple problem in virile bozo [ 2 ] [ 3 ] .
Possible Nipple Problems for Male Cats
If you have n’t already , it ’s a upright musical theme to gently experience around for your cat ’s nipples . recognise what ’s normal substance having the ability to quickly act when something does n’t look or experience quite correct .
Here ’s a brief description of conditions that can sham a cat ’s nipples and mammary glands , according toDr . Douglas Mader , a triple board - certify veterinarian and author volunteer his services throughout Florida :
Mammary Gland Cancer
“ Mammary tumors are rarefied in male cats , ” Dr. Mader says . “ But both intact and altered [ manly CT ] , have been identified with malignant mammary secretor tumor . ”
Because of its eminent occurrence in female cat , mammary gland Crab remains the third most coarse cancer type in cats .
It ’s most prevalent in domesticated shorthair , Persian , andSiamesecats . And in male , one - third of the cats diagnosed with mammary gland cancer were treat with distaff hormones at some point in their life .
“ unhappily , the path of disease progression in affected males is similar to that seen in female hombre , with the forecast unremarkably less than one yr after diagnosing , ” Dr. Mader shares .
Feline Mammary Hyperplasia
Also call mammary fibroadenomatous hyperplasia or MFH for short , this is a non - cancerous growth of the mammary secretor typically because of hormonal stimulation [ 4 ] . Although a 2018 described an natural event of MFH in a male true cat , this consideration overwhelmingly occurs in female African tea .
“ It can be uncomfortable for the cat , ” Dr. Mader says . Plus , the enlarged mammary glands might be play along by discharge from the tit , such as Milk River , blood serum , blood , or pus — although Milk River secernment are rarefied .
Without treatment , lowly rudimentary infection could sic in , and surgery of the mammary glands may be require . But , Dr. Mader add together , when treated pronto ( sometimes with a spay , neuter , or discontinuing female hormone - base therapy ) , the stipulation typically reverses without the need for encroaching surgery .
Mastitis
Mastitis is inflammation of a mammary secretor , often due to ascend infection or excessive milk assemblage . “ One or more glands become inflamed due to bacterium residing inside the gland , ” Dr. Mader explains . The bottom of your cat might be egotistic , sore , and there may be secretions [ 5 ] . “ When caught early and identified , mastitis can be treated , ” he adds . Most cases of mastitis occur in postpartum female cats if their kittens are weaned all of a sudden .
Of of course , your veterinary surgeon is the only one who can give a right diagnosis . So , “ if you seeanythingabnormal about your cat ’s nipple – male or female – such as thickening , spark , lumps and bumps , or bleeding , take your cat to the veterinarian now for diagnosing and treatment , ” Dr. Mader says .
