Boy Cats and Chubby Cheeks

We've all seen a fluffy kitty with chubby cheeks and said "Aw, how cute!"  But did you know, if that really cute cat is a male, that those chubby cheeks actually have a purpose?

It's true.  Stray or feral male cats frequently have the big jowly faces.  They are called tomcat or stud jowls, stud cheeks or shields.  Male cats who have not been neutered - like Sargent and Uncle Fester when they first arrived at BCR - get these extra fleshy cheeks because they have excessive amounts of testosterone in their bodies.  For these male cats, having big jowls sends a message to other male cats that they are formidable and shouldn't be messed with.  They are also practical because, if male cats should fight, the one with chubby jowls will have some protection for his face and neck, which is why they're also called shields. 

When a male cat is neutered, his production of testosterone decreases and his cheek size may do the same.  This isn't true for all male cats and there are plenty of neutered house cats with chubby cheeks.  Male cats who are neutered when they're young and haven't reached sexual maturity may never develop stud jowls. 

Neutered male cats with decreased testosterone levels also lose some of their bad behaviors.  Fighting, roaming and spraying have been shown to decrease by 90%.  They are also unable to impregnate female cats, which may be the most important thing about getting a boy cat neutered.  Their personalities will stay the same, but you may see less of these aggressive traits. 

Neutering male cats is critical to controlling the number of unwanted cats and kittens that end up being euthanized in animal control facilities.   It's also the humane thing to do for the male cats because it reduces their roaming and fighting, which could give them fight-borne diseases that will shorten their lives.

CLICK HERE for a detailed report on tomcat jowls.

CLICK HERE for additional information from catworld.com.