Female cats are mating-induced ovulators, which means that they do not ovulate until after mating. There are two stages of oestrus. Mating occurs during the second stage of oestrus, called estrus, which lasts for four days. In mating, the female lays flat on the ground on her abdomen and raises her rear end in the air, in a position called "lordosis". This is believed to provide the greatest penetration for the male. The male lion's penis, like many carnivores, has a bone called the baculum. Specific to felines is the presence of tiny backwards facing spines covering the outside of the penis. These spines are believed to provide stimulation for ovulation. They erect when the male pulls outward, which for a female's first mating can be traumatic. The act of copulation itself lasts only a minute or two at most, and the lions mate up to 100 times a day. Oestrus lasts for a week in lions, so they may mate up to 700 times during the breeding season.
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