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The lion and lioness in the photo above are showing courtship behavior. The lioness is inviting the male to mate with her. Do the two lions look the same? One is male; the other, female. The male lion has a mane that can vary in color from tan to black. The mane makes him look larger and more recognizable at a distance, discouraging the intrusion of strange males seeking females or of scavengers looking for food. The mane may make it more difficult for male lions to sneak up on prey, but adult males rarely hunt. Instead, they feed on prey caught by the lionesses or steal the kills of other predators.
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Mating behavior is very similar in all cats. Lions court for several days, during which the female and male stay close to each other. When she is ready, the female adopts the mating position, her belly pressed to the ground and tail to one side. The male mounts her, gripping the skin on the back of her neck with his teeth.
After they mate, the female often hits and hisses at the male, perhaps ensuring that his neck bite remains only a love bite. The couple may mate hundreds of times over several days, but afterward, when they return to the pride, they show no special interest in each other.
When a male cat opens his mouth and wrinkles his nose, it may mean he smells a receptive female. By smelling through a special organ in the roof of its mouth, a male cat senses when a female is ready to mate. This behavior is called flehmen.
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The special organ (the Jacobson's organ) is located just behind the front teeth and above the roof of the mouth. Two tiny openings in the palate allow the scented air to reach it. Nerves then carry the news to the olfactory part of the brain, where the scent is recognized. Domestic cats often demonstrate the same behavior when sniffing a territorial scent mark -- or sometimes when smelling catnip! |
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Produced by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. © Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation This page was made possible by a grant from Friskies PetCare Company and the National Science Foundation. All photographic images contained within these Web pages ARE COPYRIGHTED and may not be reproduced or utilized in any manner without the express written consent of the owner. Photograph of lion diorama by Jim Angus © Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation. Photograph of lions mating courtesy Exotic Feline Virtual Sanctuary Drawing of Jacobson's organ courtesy Steve Melendrez © Steve Melendrez. Page design by Jim Angus |