Why Do Cats Scream When Mating – and What Can You Do About it?

Anyone who’s heard it would agree that the sound of a cat’s scream whenever the feline is mating is rather annoying, to say the least. The sound is unmistakable, haunting, and loud enough to wake you up in the middle of the night! And the worst part is, the screams are relentless and it seems as if they never end. Those who hear this troubling sound for the first time may feel concerned about the well-being of the cat – and rightly so.

The cat, especially the female feline, is not just simply in heat because the scream is also a cry of agony for the most part. Since the female cat experiences excruciating pain while mating, it only makes sense why it makes a haunting noise that echoes through the neighborhood.

For cat owners who want to stop experiencing this inconvenience, especially at night, there’s actually something that you can do to put an end to these relentless screams. But first, let’s understand the reason behind the screams that cats make when mating.

Why do cats scream when mating?

The female cat or the queen screams when mating because of the excruciating pain brought by the encounter

Most of us might think that cats scream when mating because of pleasure. However, this is not always the case because, for the most part, the female part experiences excruciating pain during the encounter. In fact, most of the screams that you hear come from the female cat that has to endure the pain of the tomcat’s genital organ as it penetrates the queen’s reproductive organ.

This is simply because the tomcat’s genital organ features penile spines which are very similar to small spikes and the reason why the female cat or the queen experiences agony for the whole duration of the encounter. Because of the agonizing pain, it is typical for the female cat to try and escape which is why you will see the tomcat biting the female’s neck to prevent it from running away. Indeed, the copulation between these felines can be anything but romantic.

The male cat or the tomcat screams when mating in response to the queen or female cat

As if the female cat’s scream isn’t antagonizing enough, the tomcat’s scream also follows right away then it goes on and on. Unlike female cats, tomcats are not as vocal but they do still scream in response to the more vocal female cat. However, the screams of a tomcat can be attributed solely to pleasure as it is the queen that is in agony.

As the temperature around you gets warmer and the days get longer, expect the screams of these felines to occur more often than usual as the warmer days signal the peak of the cats’ mating season.

The female cat or the queen screams when she is ready to reproduce

Although there is no established mating season for cats as these felines continue to mate all year long, the warmer seasons are when they mate more often than usual. If you’re living in areas where the climate is colder, expect these felines to mate more often starting in early spring and all throughout the summer. However, if you’re living in an area where the climate is warmer, then expect your cat to mate all throughout the year only except when it’s carrying a child.

As your female cat is ready to reproduce, it will then scream or begin catcalling to inform the tomcats around the area that it’s ready to copulate. Since female cats rarely get pregnant from first encounters, they would then cat call multiple times in one day during their ovulation to invite a tomcat until it finally gets pregnant.

What can I do to stop my cat from screaming?

When it’s time for your female cat to breed, then it would be a difficult challenge to stop the pet from screaming. These queens will scream even before they copulate as they also use their screams to signal their availability to their potential mates. If you want to stop your cat from screaming for this reason, then the best thing to do is to have your cat spayed.

Spaying refers to the removal of a female cat’s ovaries and uterus through a surgical operation. If your cat is male, then you may have the pet undergo a neutering procedure and allow your tomcat’s testicles to be removed. The procedure will eliminate your pet’s heat cycle as well as its ability to reproduce. With this procedure, you can stop the cat’s screaming due to the mating and heat cycle.

Can spaying or neutering harm my cat?

Spaying and neutering are typical operations among cats, which normally don’t come with any complications. Only licensed veterinarians are allowed to perform these procedures and the reason why the risk of it developing complications for your pet is extremely minimal. Although there are pet owners who are not in favor of spaying or neutering, these procedures do come with many benefits to the animal not only for the pet owners.

Professionals are generally in favor of spaying or neutering cats as it is an effective way of preventing several types of infections or diseases. So, when it comes to spaying and neutering, it is highly unlikely that the procedure can cause harm to your cat for as long as it is done by professionals.

Will cat behavior change about spaying or neutering?

Some cat owners are doubtful about spaying or neutering as they fear that it may change their pet’s behavior. However, this is all just a myth because the felines’ behavior will remain generally the same right after they heal from the procedure. It is only normal for the pet to act differently after the operation as this is part of the pet’s recovery but in general, the behavior of your pet will still remain unchanged.

If there would be any changes in their behavior, then it would be mostly positive since they will no longer feel the urge to mate. If you own a female cat, then the procedure will work in your cat’s favor as it will no longer feel the agonizing pain of copulation. For male cat owners, you can expect your cat’s wandering to lessen as there will no longer be a need for the animal to search for a mate.