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Why Is My Male Cat Licking My Male Kitten? (Read 1st)

If your male cat is licking our kitten you may be wondering why this is happening…

Why is my male cat licking my male kitten?

It’s not unusual to find a male cat licking a male kitten. They do this as a way to show affection to one another. As the male cat continues to bond with the new male kitten he may start licking him to let the little one know he’s safe. Male cats can be just as maternal as mother cats when they care for a kitten.

So, now you know. But, do male cats clean kittens? Would it hurt a kitten? What is the best way to introduce them? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…

How do you know if your kitten is ok?

If the male cat and kitten are purring while this is going on, it’s their signal to one another that they are calm and comfortable. When this licking occurs it means that they are forming a good relationship with one another.

Do male cats clean kittens?

Male cats have been known to clean kittens. They can become dominant and start to take care of the other kittens in the household. Along with grooming them, you may also catch him trying to share his food with the kittens.

These maternal instincts aren’t just for female cats, males want to make sure the young kittens are well cared for too.

Do male cats know their kittens?

Male cats can know their kittens. Some male cats have been able to find the female they impregnated and keep an eye on the kittens.

While this doesn’t happen with every impregnated cat, there have even been cases where the male cat has found the house where the female lives and has waited around the property to see the kittens.

If the male cat who found the property gets the opportunity to meet the kittens they may already have a maternal instinct for them. However, if you try to shoo them off of your yard they’ll likely stand their ground. They may run off if you scare them, but they’ll likely return.

Will a male cat hurt a male kitten?

A male cat can hurt a male kitten. Like most species, when it comes to cats there are nice males and ones that aren’t so nice. Male house cats will depend on their personality, some are likely to be more aggressive while others are nurturing.

The same can be said for female house cats as well. However, there is a lot of concern about male cats hurting (or even eating) male kittens.

This happens more with wild cats than house cats. In the wild, it’s very common for any male member of the cat family to hurt a kitten of a female they want to mate with. They do this so the female cat will go in heat again, giving them a chance to mate and impregnate her with their offspring.

Do male cats get along with male kittens?

Male cats can get along with male kittens very well. Older male cats are very likely to accept those playful male kittens as one of their own. It’s not rare for them to become best buddies either.

They often form a maternal bond with male kittens and help them out in any way they can. This is why a male cat usually grooms the kitten before himself.

You’ll know their bond is real when you catch them snuggled up and napping together. Give them the opportunity and they will become the best of friends, spending hours of each day side by side.

Can 2 male cats live together?

A lot of people believe that two male cats can’t live together, but that’s not always the case. Most of the time two male cats under the same roof end up becoming inseparable. Whether your male cat is suitable to live with another cat or not all depends on their personality.

In most situations, male cats that have previously lived with other cats are more open to meeting a new cat. Even if they seem frightened or upset at first, they are likely to warm up to them quickly.

Feral cats on the other hand are a much different store. They are used to fending for themselves so they may be more aggressive or temperamental with other cats.

Male cats are usually more accepting of a kitten, and people usually don’t have as much trouble introducing one into their home. However, some cats don’t like other cats at all and are better off as the only pet in the house. The biggest factor in if your male cat can live with another cat is their attitude.

How should you introduce a new male cat to a male kitten?

The best way to introduce a male cat to a kitten is by doing it gradually. Both the cat and the kitten are likely to be scared at first sight of one another, so this will take patience. Once they do get the chance to bond it will be worth it, but it will likely take a couple of weeks.

Start by keeping them separated and letting them get to know each other when you’re around. A lot of people have success by keeping the kitten in a separate room when they are asleep or away. If you do this you can monitor the kitten and cat together until they are more comfortable with one another.

Why is my male cat mounting my male kitten?

No matter how much we know about cats, they still do some bizarre things that humans can’t quite figure out. If your male cat is neutered and mounting the male kitten it could be a dominant thing. He is most likely letting that male kitten know that he is the top cat in the house.

If the male cat was recently neutered then he still has some testosterone in his body and may still get the urge to hump.

Will a male cat groom a female kitten?

Your male cat may groom a female kitten as well. This is likely because they have dominant behavior and also like to care for the other cats in the house. They are likely to groom and lick a female kitten just as well as a male.

This does cause some concern for cat owners, as they worry this may be a sign of sexual behavior.

The male cat does recognize that the kitten is a female, especially if they are close to coming into heat. This may not mean anything to your male cat if he is neutered though. You most likely don’t need to be concerned about a desexed male cat grooming a female kitten for sexual reasons.

How do adult male cats usually treat new kittens?

How an adult male cat will treat new kittens will mostly depend on their personality. Some cats, especially older ones, are more territorial and this can make introducing kittens a bit harder.

Most male cats are rather accepting of new kittens though. It’s easier to introduce an adult male cat to a kitten than to another cat.

Kittens have a lot more energy and want to play more often. While most cats are okay with this some older cats may not like this, so if fighting occurs try to keep them separated. If you allow the male cat and new kittens time to get used to each other they are likely to become best buddies.

Do Indoor & outdoor male cats groom kittens?

Yes. Regardless of whether the male cat is indoor, or outdoor, it is still capable of grooming a kitten. However, because an indoor male cat is spending more time close to the kitten, then it’s likely to do it more.

So, it’s not because an outdoor cat is less interested, it just means they have other activities to fill their day than attending to a kitten.

Do unspayed male cats still groom kittens?

Yes. unspayed male cats are still known to groom kittens. However, they are likely to be more aggressive than spayed ones.

This aggression could make it act less caring than a spayed cat. And, there is also a chance that an unspayed male cat has a sexual interest which could affect how it reacts to the kitten.

Do male cats groom kittens because they are dominant?

Yes. Male cats are usually keen to show who is boss and the more dominant cat is likely to be grooming other cats in general, or another kitten.

Although grooming is one behavior of a dominant cat you may also see less favorable behavior. For example, the cat may steal the kitten’s food, push it around, or have even been known to kill.

Is a kitten more likely to be groomed by an aggressive cat?

Yes. Kittens are vulnerable therefore whoever claims to be in charge will assume this role. In their early days, this will be their mother.

But, some kittens, that have weened and moved home, maybe licked and groomed by the resident cat. Or, if there are multiple cats in that home, whoever deems to be the dominant cat.

What causes cats to alogroom?

Observations have found that the more cats there are, in particular, pairs of cats, will increase the chances of allogrooming. This may just be the law of numbers, meaning, more cats, more chances.

Or, it could just be because they instinctively feel inclined to do so. However, there have also been observations that suggest if there is a lot of aggression in the group, it can reduce the chances.

Does your male cat lick the kitten because of hygiene?

Yes, but not just because of this. And, it’s unlikely to be the main reason. It’s more likely a combination of a show of dominance or pure instinct.

There will be some hygiene benefits, of course, but in a cat’s head, they won’t make that their first concern.

Do some cats lick each other for maternal reasons?

Yes. Cats will lick each other for maternal reasons. For example, a mother cat (Queen) will lick her newborn kittens to keep them clean and stop their newborn scent from being picked up by predators, this is a maternal instinct.

For a mother cat, this will be done on pure auto-pilot because she is built and programmed to deal with this. And, has a maternal bond with them even before they were born.

Is it normal for cats to play-fight after grooming?

Yes. This tends to happen out of frustration or because they are over-stimulated. In some cases, it can start as a playfight but then escalate into a bigger deal.

You can tell when it gets out of hand by obvious signs such as hissing or growling sounds.