Figure 1: Feral domesticated cats living together in a garbage area

           Most species of felidae, the cat family, are solitary animals and live far apart from one another. Therefore, mating competition and aggression is relatively low, as males rarely come in contact with one another. Social structures are very simple. However, feral domesticated cats do not follow this trend and are often seen in social groups around food sources, such as a garbage areas. This complicates mating procedures, as demonstrated in two case studies, one on Ainoshima Island off the coast of Japan (Yamane et al, 1996), and another in central Rome (Natoli and De Vito, 1991).

                 Whether or not male domesticated cats compete for mates is a widely debated issue. Upon observing cat mating behavior and tracking and weighing individual cats on Ainoshima Island, Yamane et al found that male cats become much more aggressive during the estrous season, the time that female cats become fertile. Male cats also expand their range to increase their likelihood of finding females. Documented fights between males increase during the estrous season.  The winners of these fights are often males with bigger bodies. Yamane et al found that male body size is directly related to mating success. Instances were documented in which large males would mate with females while smaller males watched and did not attempt to fight. Such behavior suggests a social hierarchy in which large males have the greatest access to females, within an age limit of up to four years, a relatively old age for feral cats (Yamane et al, 1996). However, other scientists argue that domesticated cats do not exercise a social hierarchy in mating.

Figure 2 : Feral female cat with kittens

            In a case study observing mating behavior of cats in central Rome, scientists Natoli and De Vito state that female cats want to optimize the number of males they mate with.  Females advertise the fact that they are fertile to males through vocalizations, rubbing the chin, head, and neck on objects, rolling on the ground, crouching, and not resisting male efforts in mating, as they otherwise would. Females gather as much sperm as they can, and the sperm that is most fit fertilizes her eggs. Often, single litters of kittens have more than one father. Mating with multiple males reduces the risk of infanticide, as males are less likely to kill the offspring of females with whom they have mated.

            Natoli and De Vito predicted that because feral domesticated cats live in social groups, they would practice a social hierarchy in mating, as females are a limited resource and males want to pass down as much of their genetic information to as many offspring as possible. Such has been observed in many social species. However, this does not appear to be the case. While some large males attempt to guard females and will fight with other male cats for access to females, most do not.  Most commonly, male cats surround a female and take turns mating with her without fighting one another. 

Figure 3 : Male cat waiting his turn to mate with a female 

Natoli and De Vito hypothesize this behavior occurs because domesticated cats are still practicing the mating habits of their most common ancestors, solitary wildcats (Natoli and De Vito, 1991).  While this behavior is the most common amongst the observed cats, the more aggressive cats willing to guard females have higher reproductive success, suggesting that cats may eventually shift to a mating system based on social hierarchy, as observed by Yamane et al.

Works Cited:

Natoli, E, and De Vito, E, 1991, ‘Agonistic Behavior, Dominance Rank and Copulatory Success in a Large Multi-Male Feral Cat, Felis catus, Colony in Central Rome, Animal Behavior, Vol. 42, 2, pp. 227-241.

Yamane, A, Doi, T, and Ono, Y, 1996, ‘Mating Behaviors, Courtship Rank, and Mating Success of Male Feral Cat (Felis catus), Journal of Ethology, Vol. 14, 1, pp. 35-44.

Images: 

Figure 1: Available from: http://www.julieoneill.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/cats-in-garbage.jpg

Figure 2: Available from: http://www.playfulkitty.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Feral-Mom-and-her-kittens-Martin-Lopatka.jpg

Figure 3: Available from: http://cdn.photolabels.co/images/desktop.freewallpaper4.me/view/original/5908/mating-cats.jpg