Some animals have great PR departments. We love to love them. They’re soft, and round, and cuddly. They have sweet little waddle walks and cute, smiley faces. We read about them in children’s stories. Unlike most of the rest of the animal world, they don’t want to eat, sting, poison or crush us. They’re our little friends who can’t answer back.
Don’t be fooled. Off the public stage, some of the cutest animals you know have habits worse than your college roommate.
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Goats, Sex and Urine
People have been known to use some strange ingredients in perfumes and colognes, but goat urine isn’t one of them. Mr. Billy Goat Gruff, however, begs to differ on the subject of how sexy his pee smells.
In C. Dwyer’s hints on Sheep and Goat Behavior, published by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International, you can learn how they will spray themselves lavishly over their faces, stomachs and forelegs prior to mating.
He speculates that, “Male goats urinate on to their bellies, legs and beards where the scent may serve to advertise their dominance status.” Or maybe they just like the smell? So if you see a goat doing this, don’t think it’s crazy. It’s just getting in the mood.
In fact, male goats are just urine mad. They love the smell and taste of nanny goat pee too. The handy Goat Handbook, written by Ulrich Jaudus and Seyedmehdi Mobini, tells us “If she is in heat she will tolerate the rather rough caresses of the male. He smells or tastes her urine…” This may be a way of telling if the female is fertile. Or male goats could just be kinky.
