If you ever noticed a cat peeing, it can be a bit of a confusing experience, as both male and female cats squat down and pee from behind. But when you really dig into the system, it’s not that different from a human’s.
Humans and cats are both mammals, and our internal systems don’t vary by as much as you might think, since we both have a urethra where the pee goes out of the body. Here, we broke down everything that you need to know about cat urination and cleared up any confusion about why it looks like it’s coming from their butt when it isn’t!
Where Do Cats Pee From?
To be clear, cats do not pee from their butt. Both male and female cats have a urethra, which dispels the urine from their body. Both have their reproductive organs and urethras near the rear of their body, which is why it can look like a cat is peeing from their butt when they’re actually not. It’s easy to see where the confusion comes from!
While neither male nor female cats pee from their butt, there are a few differences between the two systems.
How Does a Male Cat’s Urinary System Work?
A male cat has two kidneys that filter their blood and remove waste from the system. This waste, also known as urine, then passes through the ureter and enters the urinary bladder.
From there, it enters through the urethra when your cat wants to pee, and during this process, it passes through the prostate.
The prostate doesn’t do anything to the urine or the tubes passing it through, but prostate problems can press up against the tubes and lead to problems with urination.
From the prostate, the urine continues through the urethra to the penis, where it exits.
How Does a Female Cat’s Urinary System Work?
A female cat’s urinary system is similar to the male’s, except it’s a bit simpler and has fewer components. The kidneys filter their blood and send the urine through the ureter to the bladder.
Once your cat is ready to pee, it goes through the urethra and exits their body from a hole directly below their tail. This is where a female cat pees from.
Final Thoughts
The truth is that a cat’s urinary system isn’t much different from ours. We’re both mammals, and our body systems are strikingly similar! So, if you know how a human urinary system works, then you already have a good understanding of what’s going on inside your cat!
Related Reads:
Featured Image Credit: Elisa Putti, Shutterstock
