Can an animal be a homosexual?

Question

My mother refused to let our neutered male cat out of the house because she thought he would get involved with a gang of homosexual cats who would lead him astray. I"m not making this up. Can an animal be a homosexul?

Answer 1

only humans, monkeys and dolphins are actually sexually attracted to the same sex
but other animals can make mistakes (or are just really...)

Answer 2

There are documented cases of homosexual behavior being exhibited in animals. Dogs are a prime example [I've seen plenty of male dogs engaging in homosexual behavior]. As do many primates [humans included].

However, such acts will not lead a cat "astray". Such things are foolish to say, even to other humans. Animals do not have a sense of religion, or a heavily followed moral code and thus the human aspect of "Homosexuality is a sin" or "homosexuals are being led astray" will not apply to said animal. Your mother, to put it as lightly as possible, is obsessed with outdated religious beliefs and thinks every living creature should follow such religious beliefs. It's idiotic.

But, your mother is right to keep the cat inside. It is safer inside than it ever would be outside. An outdoor cat is exposed to many dangers, including enemies, cars, parasites and illnesses. Also, outdoor cats can wreak havoc on the local wildlife.

Answer 3

The wierdest part is your mom is worried about the sexual morality of your house pet.... Anyhow.... I've heard about geese basically being homosexual because they where to dumb to tell the difference. Basically, before you can answer the question you have to define homosexuality as an animal would see it. Dog's hump each other all the time but it's a dominance thing. The rest of it deals with mating behaviors, would they be gay if they only went rubbing around on each other once since the species doesn't mate for life anyhow?

Answer 4

Animals don't think like that so no they aren't homosexual. However, if there is only one sex, all males or all females, in your home, they will entertain and nurture each other and be a sort of mate for each other since the opposite sex isn't available. However, even if they are not fixed, they won't act in a sexual manner towards each other. In fact, they will do just the opposite. If they are all males and not neutered, they will fight a lot. If they are females, they can be mean to each other too. But they don't become lovers if they are same sex.

Answer 5

Many many animals are bi-sexual.
It's no big deal in the non-human animal world.

By the way, bonobos, or a type of Chimpanzee whose DNA is more than 95 percent the same as humans, are the most peaceful and egalitarian apes on the planet because they are bi-sexual.

Everyone has sex with everyone else all the time. It's a way of making sure there are no hard feelings, settling disputes, and keeping competition to a manageable level. If a tree full of fruit is discovered, everyone has sex with everyone else before going up the tree so that the bonobos don't feel in the mood to fight over the fruit.

The bonobos can carry things in their arms while walking on two feet. Males and females have equal status. They're an all around peace loving group.

Answer 6

Yes it does happen but I think your mother is taking it to a whole new level of paranoia.

A few years ago some American schools banned a book from the New York Zoo about a pair of penguins who really did live there, a pair of males, who had been a "couple" for quite some time.

And yes, of course it happens among all animals but it is quite a rarity.

Answer 7

Amazing again how many people don't know about animal behavior who still feel they have something to contribute. For the record, both from a long study of zoology and animal husbandry, to my personal experience with domestic and ranch animals, as well as some knowledge of dolphins and horses, YES, animals can engage in homosexual behavior without it being dominant behavior.
I've personally seen it in many mammals.

Answer 8

Cats, I highly doubt. Frogs, and many amphibians and other lower order animals. Cats respond to the hormones in their body. You fix the cat, you stop the hormones. Cats will become less masculine by getting them fixed though, and therefore will act more feminine by default.

Besides being homosexual is a human thing, not a feline thing.

Answer 9

I once knew a rat terrier that tried with this male cat all the time. He never tried with the female dog. Who knows.!?!

Dogs will however hump any gender to display dominance.

Answer 10

no... there's no such thing as homosexuals in the animal kingdom, they can't (or are smart enough not to) comprehend that amount of complication.

while some animal behaviourist claim to have documented homosexual behaviour in animals... as far as i'm concerned, it doesn't means anything, animals simply don't have the same social constructs us humans.

i'd like to think "they don't think in that way". while your mum is right in some ways, your neutered cat can get hurt in tomcat fights, i don't think there are "homosexual cat gangs" around to "lead him astray".

animals simply aren't annoyingly complicated like us humans.

Answer 11

I'm pretty sure that they can't. But i did notice that when my dog was a puppy he would go after my other dog and be dominant with him. [They were both boy dogs]
so i think if they go after eachother its just instinct but No i dont think an animal can "actually" be a homosexual