The Reproductive System of the Cat : Male and Female

The reproductive system of the cat is an arrangement of several organs related to reproduction. This organ is called the cat’s reproductive organ. As a veterinarian, knowledge of the male cat’s reproductive system and the female cat’s reproductive system is very important.

Moreover, most patients with surgery in veterinary clinics are related to the reproductive system and its closely related to the anatomy of the cat’s reproductive organs. Talking about cats, you must be very familiar with this one animal. Very cute and adorable animals. During college I also had a lot of cat friends.

Cat friend? Yes, of course cat friends. Because cats are gentle animals and have a very cool feeling. Then what are the reproductive system of the cats : male and female cats ? Let’s discuss one by one and look at the pictures carefully…

A. Female Cat Reproductive System

Basically female cats have primary and secondary reproductive organs. The primary reproductive organs in female cats are the ovaries. While the secondary reproductive organs consist of the fallopian tubes (oviducts), cornua uteri, corpus uteri, cervix, vagina, and vulva. Look at the anatomy of the female cat’s reproductive organs below :

Here is an explanation of the image above :

1. Ovaries
   The ovaries are organs that function to produce eggs and female cat reproductive hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. The ovaries are suspended by the mesovarium.
2. Fallopian tube
   The fallopian tube is a small canal consisting of the infundibulum and fimbrae infundibulum, ampulla and isthmus. The fallopian tube is suspended by the mesosalphinx. Do not turn it upside down. Often comes out in the question hehe …
3. Uterus
   The uterus is a canal consisting of the cornua uteri, body uteri, and cervix. The uterus functions as a pathway or channel for sperm to enter the fallopian tube, where the placenta is formed, and where the fetus develops. The uterine type in cats is Bipartite. Let’s also read articles about the various types of uterus in animals.
4. Vagina
   The vagina is a cat’s reproductive organ that functions as a means of copulation (copulatory) and the way out of the fetus and placenta during parturition (birth).
5. Vulva
   The vulva is the cat’s outermost genitalia. In addition to the vulva, there is also a vestibule.

Also read the article about Case Study Rectal Prolapse in Cats

B. Male Cat Reproductive System

The male cat’s reproductive organs are divided into four subsections. The first subsection consists of the testes, epididymis, ductus deferens, corda spermatica, and tunica. The second subsection consists of accessory glands, the third subsection is the penis, and the fourth subsection is the urethra (Junaidi, 2006 and Constantinescu, 2007 in Mughniati, 2015). Look at the picture of the male cat’s reproductive system below :

Here is an explanation of the image above :

1. Testicles
   The cat’s testicles hang down onto the scrotum and are round in shape. In the tunica albuginea there are arteries. So that the castration procedure for the incision process must be carried out carefully so that bleeding does not occur.
2. Epididymis
   The epididymis consists of the head of the epididymis, the corpus epididymis, and the cauda epididymis. In the cat, the epididymis is attached to the dorsolateral border of the testis.
3. Ductus Deferens
   The ductus deferens is the tube that connects the testes to the sperm sac. The ductus deferens is also a temporary place for sperm before being expelled through the penis.
4. Tunica Dartos
   The tunica dartos is a smooth muscle fiber that makes up the scrotum. The tunica dartos divides the scrotum into two parts and attaches to the tunica vaginalis.
5. Accessory Glands
   There are two accessory glands in cats, namely the prostate gland (prostate gland) and bulbourethral. The bulbourethral glands are attached to the dorsolateral wall of the urethra. Both function to produce accessory fluid as a carrier for sperm.
6. Scrotum
   The scrotum is the outermost layer of the testes that functions to protect and support the testes and to regulate the temperature of the testes and the epididymis remain stable (Widayati et al., 2008 in Mugniati, 2015).
7. Urethra
   The urethra is the channel for urine from the urinary bladder to the penis to be expelled. In this section, cats usually experience a disorder that we know as urinary stones or veterinary terms mention FLUTD in cats. Let’s find out more about FLUTD in cats.
8. Penis
   Well, this is what’s special about the reproductive organs in cats. The cat’s penis has a conical shape and is surrounded by spines called penile spines.

So that’s it, veterinary friend, the reproductive system of the cats. Thank you for reading this article. If there is something you want to discuss, write it down in the comments column, okay… Viva veterinary, hopefully we can all become good and professional veterinarians, amen.

Bibliography :

• Cahyani, A. 2021. Identification of Proteus sp. In the Case of Cat Pyometra at the Educational Animal Clinic, Hasanuddin University (Doctoral dissertation, UNIVERSITAS HASANUDDIN).
• Mughniati, Sitti. 2015. Thesis : Effect of Kapok Seed Extract (Ceiba pentandra Gaertn) as a Contraceptive Drug in Local Cats (Felis domestica) in terms of Sperm Quality and Male Reproductive Organs. Hasanuddin University. Makassar.