Do cats have nipples? How many nipples do cats have? Why are cat nipples hard to find? How many nipples do male cats have? A bunch of funny questions. We know these questions sound a bit weird, but the fact is veterinarians get these questions a lot.
We are here to answer every one of them.
What Are Nipples?
All mammals have mammary glands, and all mammary glands have raised areas on them. These raised areas are the nipples. The nipple is the point from which the infants suckle the milk from their mothers’ mammary glands.
Do Cats Have Nipples?
Yes, cats have nipples on their mammary glands. Cats are mammals, so like all other mammalian species, they develop mammary glands as well. Kittens develop nipples in their mother’s womb during the gestation period.
Are you unable to locate nipples on your cat’s belly? Well, fret not, your cat indeed has nipples, but they are just hidden beneath her fur. Just give your cat a belly rub, and you will notice small bumps like pimples on her stomach. These pimple-like structures are your cat’s nipples.
Do Male Cats Have Nipples?
Yes, male cats have nipples, as well. All cats—both male and female—have nipples on their bellies. However, where female cats use their nipples to feed milk to their young ones, male nipples have no function at all. Read more about male cat nipples, their purpose, and how to locate them below.
How Many Nipples Do Cats Have?
Most cats have 6 or 8 nipples, but it is uncommon for cats to have more or less of them. Cat nipples are perfectly aligned on their stomachs into two lines. So, most cats have 3 or 4 nipples on either side of their belly.
However, sometimes cats have an odd number of nipples—more or fewer than the usual 6 or 8 nipples. Once in a while, kittens from the same litter can have different numbers of nipples. So it is certain that the cat breed has nothing to do with the varying number of cat nipples.
When not to worry!
There is nothing to worry about if your cat has an odd set of nipples. No doubt, it is unusual for cats to have an odd set of nipples, but it is not a health issue. As long as your furry friend is healthy, you do not have to worry about her having an odd set of nipples.
When to worry!
If you feel a bump, nipple-like structure on your cat other than her belly, you should not only get concerned but also make a vet appointment and get your cat examined.
How Many Nipples Do Male Cats Have?
Male cats have 6 or 8 nipples on their belly, just like their female counterparts. Actually, a kitten’s gender has nothing to do with the total number of nipples they will have on their belly. So just like female cats can have an odd set of nipples, tomcats can also have an odd set of numbers.
Can You Tell Kitten Gender Based on Nipples?
No, you cannot tell a kitten’s gender based on their nipples. To begin with, both male and female cats have nipples. Secondly, gender does not affect how many nipples do cats have. Although male cats’ nipples do not serve a specific purpose, unlike their female counterparts, who use their nipples to feed their young ones, at an early age, the nipples of both male and female kittens look the same.
What Do Normal Cat Nipples Look Like?
Normal cat nipples should not be prominent as cat nipples are small, like a bug bite or a pimple, and are hidden beneath their fur. However, if you rub your cat’s hair to a side and look carefully at her nipples, they would be small—like a pimple and pink in color.
What Do Pregnant Cat Nipples Look Like?
While normal cat nipples are not prominent, pregnant cat nipples will be swollen, puffier, and quite prominent. Pregnant cat nipples will also be a bit darker in color.
| Larger Nipples: Good or Bad? While larger nipples can mean that your cat is expecting, they can also mean that your cat has a nipple infection. |
What Should a Nursing Cats Nipples Look Like?
Nursing cat nipples would become even more pronounced than that of a pregnant cat. Nursing cat nipples would be pink in color and moist almost all the time. Actually, young kittens have to nurse every 1 to 2 hours to satiate their hunger. This continuous nursing leaves little to no time for cat nipples to recover. This is the reason that a nursing cat’s nipples become extra sensitive.
Mastitis in Cats: Inflammation of Cat Nipples
Nursing cat nipples are prone to developing a condition named mastitis in which their nipples are swollen. This inflammation is often caused by a bacterium that enters cat’s teat canal and causes infection after traveling deep into the mammary glands. According to VCA hospital, cats living in unsanitary conditions are more prone to developing mastitis as they are more exposed to bacteria and other irritants.
The incidence of trauma to cat nipples also increases the risk of infestation. Similarly, the accumulation of milk in the teats can also lead to the inflammation of cat mammary glands. This usually never happens if cat litter is around, but when the mother cat is separated from her litter or when young kittens die, there is no removal of milk from mammary glands—leading to accumulation of milk and, thus, inflammation.
Now that you have learned how many nipples do cats have, maybe you want to take a look at “do cats have belly buttons?”