Cat humping my arm - possibly TMI.

[crazycatguy]

I foster and we have a neutered 9 month old tom at the moment. This past week he has taken to humping my arm. It is somewhat apparent that he's enjoyed it. Is this normal?

[cozietoesie]

I've never had a 'humper' but many posters have I think.

[crazycatguy]

This is my first humper. I know castration does not remove sexual desire but didn't know this was how they acted it out!

[cozietoesie]

I suppose it's like other experiences - if they discover something is enjoyable they'll do it again. And again. And again...........

Have you tried removing your arm from the fray? I wouldn't want his chances of a new home to be hindered any by trying to hump a prospective adopter on first meeting. (Some people are a little funny about such things.)

[SnuffleGruntSnorter]

I want to say YABU for having such a sexy arm, but am scared I'll get told off for victim blaming.

[6cats3gingerkittens]

One of my girls does this, which is even more worrying.

[crazycatguy]

Oh I do remove my arm from the fray and then he runs off and tries to deal with his issue via alternative means.

My gran had a dog that humped everything pretty much, I've just never seen it in cats and this has just started the past few days (had him 7 weeks as he arrived in very bad condition). He is 9 months old, which is like being a 14/15yo human so I'm hoping it just passes.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Often it is not a 'sexual behaviour', but a calming one particularly if he grabs your arm with his mouth and then pads with his paws whilst humping.

[cozietoesie]

Maybe try distracting him with a (hands-off) game of some sort?

[crazycatguy]

Thanks lonecat. He is erm, excited, when I pick him up off me. Surely there's something sexual in it?

He plays the clawing and biting game which I don't mind as he doesn't actually bite, he just 'pretends' I'm prey. All in all a lovely cat, just some very different behaviour the past few days.

[cozietoesie]

I'd perhaps try a 'rod and thing' toy to dangle and see if he'll go for that. It keeps flesh distant from him and I seem to recall - particularly as you foster - that for something like a Flying Frenzy, you can buy loads of cheapish new heads for them, including many different types.

[crazycatguy]

Thanks for the advice coezie! As a stray, he didn't understand toys initially and now he has two soft toy mice he sometimes plays with but only ever in his room!

[cozietoesie]

My own Seniorboy regards Flying Frenzy toys as boring I think - he certainly gives me a very old- fashioned look if I bring one out to play - but then he's most elderly. I had the (considerably younger) Lodger staying with me last week and he went near berserk for it.

[RubbishMantra]

Both mine are humpers

They have a "shag bag" (sold to me as a sock type of cat bed). The youngest is particularly rampant. He likes an audience, and will drag it into any room I'm in when he gets his "urges". Sometimes I'm woken up in the middle of the night by what I think is snoring. No - it's his loud and ecstatic purring.

[cozietoesie]

He likes an audience.......... Hmm.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

When I was growing up our cat used to steal my toy scotty dog and enthusiastically hump it all the bloody time. I stopped retrieving poor Jock around the time I realised that he had no fur left.

[StopLaughingDrRoss]

My boy is a bedtime humper. . Just before he settles at the end of the bed, he gets jiggy on my chest. He'll paw whilst he humps, finish with a good lick of himself (ick and possibly TMI) and then sleeps like a log!

It used to bother me but not anymore - it's part of his quirkiness, I think 😻