4 Facts About Cat Butts You Probably Don’t Want To Know

How much do you know about cat butts? How much do you want to know? We've got four fabulous facts for you, from the medically interesting ones to the truly bizarre. Tap the picture to find out more as we give you five facts about cat butts you probably don't want to know.
If you've ever wondered why cats scoot their butts, sniff each other's butts, or which cat has the biggest butt, you might want to check out this blog post. We give you four facts about cat butts (that you probably didn't want to know, but now you do). Make the best of it.

People seriously “aww” over cat butts, but how much do we really know about them? Here are 4 facts about cat butts that will keep you up at night.


That’s right. We went there.

Cat butts are mysterious and adorable things. What’s more, they’re not usually the subject of blog posts on cats, which I find frustrating. After all, shouldn’t they be included in Cat Anatomy 101? I set about fixing this problem by finding unusual facts about cats’ posteriors.

#1 – Cats Identify Each Other By Sniffing Butts

Oh, you thought that was only dogs? Nope. Cats have anal glands as well that have a unique scent. It’s how they tell each other apart. When my cat Misha got back from the hospital, her scent had changed, causing Tippy (cat #2) to hiss and throw a fit. Tippy constantly sniffed at Misha’s butt to try and identify her.

Sure, cats have scent all over their body, but their anal glands are a cat’s primary target when sniffing. If something isn’t right with their anal glands, they’re treated as a stranger. So, the next time you see your cats sniffing each other’s bottoms, just know that they’re greeting one another like old friends.

#2 – Cats Have Butt Cheeks

It’s a sad state of affairs when you have to use your PetCoach app to answer this question, but I did it. Cats, despite opinions to the contrary, DO have butt cheeks. Those shapely tufts of fur on a cat’s backside are hiding their gluteus maximus and medius muscles, the same muscles that define human butt cheeks.

Megan Malone, DVM, sent this reply to me when I posed the question to her:

“They do have ‘butt cheeks’! They have a gluteus maximus and medius muscle on each side just like humans.”

Lauren Jones, VMD, was a bit more skeptical, but she didn’t deny it:

“Cats do have gluteal muscles… which are similar to the gluteal muscles in humans that comprise the butt cheeks. Due to the cat’s anatomy, these muscles are further away from the anus than in humans, so I don’t know that I would necessarily refer to them as butt cheeks.”

Cats have butt cheeks. Just let that sink in.

#3 – Butt Wiggles Are Part Of Hunting

You’ve seen your cat rev his engine up, shimmying like Shakira in her “Hips Don’t Lie” music video. What is cute and endearing to you is actually a predatory muscle reflex taking over.

The reasons for the cat ‘butt wiggle’ before pouncing are pondered by veterinarians and animal experts worldwide. No one knows for sure, but many speculate that cats are finding their footing by testing the ground, moving their back legs one at a time. Others think it helps them balance before they strike.

Either way, it looks adorable!

#4 – Your Cat’s Butt Is A Good Indicator Of Their Health

Well, it is where the thermometer goes. Cats have it rough when it comes to telling their temperature, but many other species (like dogs) get it up the butt as well. That’s because your cat’s poop chute says a lot about their health.

In her article “Your Cat’s Butt Is His Health Barometer“, Caroline Golon explains just how tell-tale a cat’s butt can be. From “dingleberries” to butt scoots, cats will often display signs of illness with their backsides. Diarrhea and worms cause discomfort in the anus and rectum, and your cat may show you by scooting across the floor, leaving a skid mark or two.

#5 (BONUS) – There’s A Cat Version Of Kim Kardashian

This cat may just have the biggest butt in the feline kingdom. The aptly-named “Kit Kardashian” is an internet star. She’s a 9-year-old tabby from Surrey. An article in the Daily Mail lists her as having a 10-inch wide bottom – crazy! Her poses mimic Instagram favorite Kim Kardashian perfectly; she even does the ‘shoulder glance’ like Kim.

Unfortunately, having such a big behind means that Kit is overweight. The Blue Cross, who were caring for her as of 2015 after her owner died, said that “she tries to run around, but struggles”. Kit was put on a strict diet, and hopefully by now she has found a good home.


Do you have any fun facts about cat butts that you’d like to add? Give us a shout in the comments!

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15 Thoughts to “4 Facts About Cat Butts You Probably Don’t Want To Know”

  1. Very interesting. I never gave much thought to cat butts 🙂

    1. Well, now you know a bit more about them. 🙂 Thanks for reading! <3

      1. Brandya

        Hmmph! All of a sudden I smell kitty poop. I haven’t gotten anything for it yet. It, I refer to it as such because idk if it’s a boy or girl yet, let itself in through a cracked dining room window today. Wish me luck!

  2. HAH! That was funny. I have a cute little butt. TW doesn’t like the butt wiggle cos it usually means she’s gonna get it.

    1. Haha. TW just has to get used to the inevitable. At least the butt wiggle is a warning sign!

  3. Kitties do have cute butts! My Dexter is always sniffing Manna’s butt. It is so funny to see her look at him like he is being so rude! I had never really thought about whether or not cats have butt cheeks. That is interesting!

    1. My brain is always pondering weird things, and cat butt cheeks just happened to be one of them. lol

  4. Lexy does the butt wiggle. Especially when she’s going to pounce on me!

    1. Hehe. Cat butt wiggles are the cutest! I mean, fierce… 😛

  5. Kimma

    I could barely get through this article without laughing hysterically. Not to mentioned Igot here by literally Googling to see if I was the only one who thought cat butts were so cute. I don’t ask other people, haha.

    1. Aw, thank you! It makes me happy that I could make you laugh. My more serious blog posts don’t get nearly as much attention on Google. XD

  6. Tony

    We have 2 cats, a Bengal and an Abyssinian. Amachai (bengal) constantly wants to sniff and lick Rama’s butt. Like constantly hunting and after him. Not a casual hello thing, but an obsessed action. Any suggestions or clues? They both have the same diet, are both indoor cats.

    1. Are they both spayed/neutered? If they haven’t been together long, it may be that Amachai doesn’t recognize Rama. Cats’ sense of smell is what allows them to identify another cat, so if Amachai is obsessively sniffing, it may be an attempt to identify Rama. The best thing for you to do would be to download the PetCoach app and ask a veterinarian. They usually get back to you in 24 hours, and it’s free!

  7. Jean Bush

    Yeah, but……..

  8. Pfhahahaha, thx for e laugh. I do hope Kit Kardashian is better tho

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