Spaying and neutering can fix some of the biggest behavioral problems that intact cats have, including the tendency for male cats to hump females. If your cats are still showing signs of this behavior even after one or both of them have been spayed or neutered, there's potentially a simple reason for this behavior. Here's what you should know.

Female Hormones

When female cats are spayed, their bodies don't immediately switch off all their hormones. The body takes time to adjust, and although the ovaries are usually removed during a spaying procedure, it takes time for the hormones that are already circulating through the body to diminish.

This means that until some time has passed, your cat may still smell to male cats as though she's in heat. It's unfortunate, but all you can do in this situation is wait it out. You should start to see improvement in time.

Male Level of Testosterone

Male cats are the same way as females. Their testicles are removed during a neutering procedure, but that doesn't mean that testosterone — the male sex hormone — drops immediately after this happens. Instead, it will drop off steadily over time. Unfortunately, until that's completed, your cat may still show aggressive behaviors and may attempt to mate with other cats. Rest assured, however, that your male cat can't impregnate female cats once they've been neutered, so you don't have to worry about getting unexpected kittens.

Domination Habit

Unfortunately, not all cats will give up the urge to dominate others. This behavior can often be mistaken for humping, as they look very similar.

When a cat wants to dominate another one, they tend to bite the back of the other cat's neck, where the scruff is located. This is also done when a male cat wants to procreate, as it holds the female still and in-place. So if your male cat is doing this behavior to other males, or even to a female, it may not necessarily mean that they're still giving in to the urge to procreate. Instead, they may simply be attempting to establish their dominance as the toughest cat in your home.

If your cats continue to exhibit odd behaviors, take them to a veterinarian for assistance. However, in most cases, you can expect to see your kitties become more docile and easy-going around each other very soon. If in doubt, contact a veterinarian over the phone to ask any questions you might have.

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