It can be embarrassing to catch your dog mounting and humping your cat. However, remember, it is only embarrassing for you! Dogs and cats don’t get embarrassed by the act. For animals, this is a normal occurrence. Experiencing this can be frustrating, especially when you don’t know what you should do.
A dog mounting and humping a cat is usually caused by external events such as overstimulation, anxiety, and excitement. To mitigate this unwanted behavior, identify the dog’s triggers, make sure the cat has space alone, redirect the behavior, and reinforce positive interactions.
The good news is it’s not dangerous. Read on for some reasons why it happens and what to do.
Why is my dog mounting and humping my cat?
It is not easy to understand the inner workings of a dog’s mind, but there are some simple answers for why your dog exhibits this inappropriate behavior toward your cat.
Overstimulation
Several situations can cause a dog to become overstimulated. If you notice your dog acting out of sorts, it could be due to anything from noisy environments, overwhelming smells, or activity overload. This can overstimulate your dog, causing it to act erratically. Being overstimulated can cause the dog to be hyperactive, making it jump on furniture, hide, jump on people, and even mount or hump your cat.
You cannot always protect your dog from overstimulation, but later in this article, we will discuss ways to keep your dog from climbing on top of your cat when it’s not wanted.
Anxiety
Like humans, dogs can get anxious, too! Dogs get anxious when their surroundings are unfamiliar. You may have a house full of people over to celebrate, or you may be introducing a new pet into your home; both situations are out of the norm for a dog.
If your dog seems anxious, the dog may present with excessive drooling, overall restlessness, or compulsive behavior, like mounting and humping your cat. Anxiety is often a way your dog exhibits fear–something to be aware of if it seems to be acting erratically.
Over-excitement
A dog can get over-excited. An overly excited dog may bark at people or other animals. They may nip at people’s hands and other extremities. You may notice your dog’s whole body shaking when they are excited. Another thing your dog may do when excited is mount and hump your cat.
You can look for these signs to try and be prepared to protect your cat from any unwanted advances.
Should I be concerned that my dog is humping my cat?
As a parent of an animal, there are so many things we need to watch out for, but your dog mounting or humping your cat should not be a concern for you. Watching it happen might cause alarm or make you laugh, but it is not a concern.
Mounting is a natural occurrence
It is an entirely natural occurrence when your dog mounts or humps your cat. This behavior happens when your dog is overstimulated, overexcited, or anxious. It is a natural way to unload some of that excess energy.
Animals cannot comprehend social situations in the way humans do, so they cannot understand when an action may seem uncouth. This behavior may surprise or annoy the cat (and you!), and there are some ways to work on stopping it from happening.
Mounting can cause agitation
It is easy to understand a cat’s agitation when it is subject to unwanted mounting by a dog. You may be easily annoyed as well. The cat will hiss or bite at the dog. It may even bat the dog away with claws out, causing some short-lived pain for the dog. The cat won’t hurt the dog but rest assured, your cat will let your dog know that the mounting and humping are unwanted!
Mounting can be embarrassing
Has your dog humped or mounted your cat in front of people? Has your dog tried to do it while you’re in the middle of a dinner party? It can be embarrassing when your dog acts this way in a room full of people.
Because having people around can cause your dog to be over-excited, this might instigate some inappropriate conduct, like climbing on top of your cat in a seemingly sexual manner. Your dog could be anxious from all the activity and stimulation, something to pay attention to when the dog is in an unknown situation.
Can a dog make my cat pregnant?
A dog cannot get a cat pregnant for a few reasons. Dogs come from the species Canidae, while cats come from Felidae. Animals from different species cannot impregnate each other, no matter how hard they try! Dogs also have a different number of chromosomes than cats, providing another barrier to getting either animal pregnant.
While a dog may try to mate with a cat by mounting and humping it, there is no way for a dog’s sperm to fertilize a cat’s egg and vice versa. It is scientifically impossible for a cat and a dog to mate.
How do I discourage my dog from mounting and humping my cat?
There are some ways to stop your dog from bothering your cat and make for a more pleasant atmosphere. While it isn’t dangerous for a dog to mount and hump your cat, it can be frustrating to deal with, especially for the agitation it will likely cause your cat.
Separate when unsupervised
One of the best ways to keep your dog from unwanted advances on your cat is to separate them when they cannot be supervised. Putting the cat in its own space or keeping them in separate rooms is a great way to keep the behavior from happening.
There are many reasons it may not make sense to separate your pets. It may be difficult in your home, the two pets may be good buddies, or you may have other issues. In this case, another way to separate them is to give the cat an escape route. A cat tower with hiding spaces or a shelf sitting high on the wall are great options for allowing the cat some alone time.
Train against the behavior
Dogs can be trained with a bit of effort. If you don’t want your dog to mount or hump your cat, you can be proactive; immediately remove the dog from the situation and distract it.
If you catch your dog in the act, use the ‘leave it’ or ‘no’ command to encourage your dog to leave the cat alone. If a command doesn’t seem to work, you can use a spray bottle to discourage the action. It is necessary to understand any stress or anxiety your dog may be experiencing to know what else you may need to offer besides training.
Use redirection tactics
One of the main things you can do to help keep your dog from bothering your cat is to use redirection tactics when there is an issue. Interactive toys that keep the dog mentally active are beneficial for their stimulation and even better for redirection. If you don’t have access to toys, you can set up a scavenger hunt for the dog to find treats. A game like that will keep them thinking.
Besides having interactive toys for the dog, you also want to ensure they have enough stimulation and exercise. Both are great ways to keep your dog happy and help it have healthy habits.
Use positive reinforcement
One of the best ways to help your dog with healthy habits is to use positive reinforcement. If the cat is in the room and the dog leaves it alone, provide positive affirmations and love to the dog.
Dogs are typically motivated by food, so offer treats when your dog is exhibiting good behavior. Another way to use positive reinforcement is to introduce a new toy when your dog has stayed away from the cat. The toy will be a good distraction for your dog, too!
Final Thoughts
While it can be awkward to have a dog that humps and mounts your cat, it is not something to be alarmed by. Their actions are something that can be corrected with a little time and effort. Try not to get angry at your dog, as humping and mounting your cat is a natural occurrence.
Luckily, there are no serious problems that can occur when your dog does this, and minor agitation notwithstanding, your cat will be okay. Watch your dog when for any signs it is getting ready to hump or mount your cat so you can quickly redirect it. Ensure your cat has several exit strategies and keep an ample supply of positive reinforcements on hand. Your dog will break this embarrassing habit in no time.