What is the cat position

You’ve probably heard of the orgasm gap: in heterosexual relationships, women statistically have fewer orgasms than men. Much can — and should! — be done to improve that, starting with a better understanding of what your partner needs to reliably get off. A good place to start is upgrading your go-to bedroom moves. 

Take the missionary position, for example. You and your partner may count this classic sex position as a favorite because of the intimacy it provides, but sex therapists say one small tweak can take it from “good” to much, much better.

The “coital alignment technique,” aka CAT, is a modified version of missionary sex, where the man rides a little higher, sliding his body up an inch or two so that the base of the penis rubs against the woman’s clitoris. 

Here’s a little visual aid:

The “coital alignment technique,” aka CAT.

In one study of women who were unable to orgasm from missionary sex, published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, those who learned the CAT reported a 56 percent increase in their orgasm frequency. 

CAT is a game-changer because most women need a little clitoral stimulation to get off, said Megan Fleming, a New York City-based psychologist and sex therapist. Penetration alone doesn’t always do the trick. 

“Roughly two-thirds of women don’t have an orgasm with penetration alone,” Fleming told HuffPost. “CAT offers direct pressure and rocking and grinding that gives women additional clitoral stimulation.”

So how do you assume the position, so to speak?

Start in the traditional missionary position, she said, with a small pillow under the woman’s hips, to give her some lift and support the pelvis angle.

“After you gently slide inside, shift your body up several inches, positioning yourself so your pelvis is directly on top of hers,” she said. “You should be higher up on her now, with your chest near her shoulders versus face-to-face. With this new alignment, your penis shaft is now providing pleasurable friction against her vulva and clitoris with every stroke.” 

To up the ante, put a little more work into grinding, Allison said. 

“While staying snug and pressed against her, grind and gyrate your pelvis in small circles against her vulva,” she said. “Try visualizing her clitoris as you press on it, and resist the temptation to lift off and thrust in and out. Just keep your penis snugly inside her, and find the rhythm she needs. ”

“You’ll know it’s working when you feel her holding you tighter and pulling you closer with her legs!” she added.

There’s an extra bonus for guys, too, outside of providing partners with intense pleasure, said Lori Buckley, a sex therapist and author of 21 Decisions for Great Sex and A Happy Relationship.

“An extra benefit is that this may also help men last longer since they don’t experience the same heightened arousal that fast, deep thrusting provides,” Buckley said. 

Win-win. Now go get busy.

The coital alignment technique (CAT) sex position, known colloquially as grinding the corn,[1] is used primarily as a variant of the missionary position and is designed to maximize clitoral stimulation during sexual intercourse. This is achieved by combining the "riding high" variation of the missionary position with pressure-counterpressure movements performed by each partner in rhythm with coitus.[2]

When used as a variant of the missionary position, the male lies above the female but moves upward along the woman's body, until his erection, which would otherwise point "up," is pointing "down", the dorsal side of the penis now pressing against the clitoris. As opposed to the missionary position, the male’s body moves downward (relative to the female's) during the inward stroke, and upward for the outward stroke. She may also wrap her legs around his. Sexual movement is focused in the pelvises, without leverage from the arms or legs. The rocking upward stroke (where the female leads) and downward stroke (where the male leads) of sexual movement builds arousal that partners let develop and peak naturally.[3]

The woman on top variant is known as the reverse coital alignment technique.[4]

The technique for coital alignment was first defined by American psychotherapist Edward Eichel,[3] and the original study was published by Eichel, De Simone Eichel, and Kule in 1988 in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy. Since then, the topic has been studied several times in the same journal.[citation needed]

A 1992 report by Kaplan and her sex therapist trainees described the team's cursory trial of the CAT, acknowledging that they may have resorted to old routines after only a few attempts out of fear of disappointing their partners.[citation needed] Their call for other sex therapists to give the technique more rigorous testing instigated a series of controlled studies by Hurlbert and colleagues reporting statistically significant results in the treatment of female hypoactive sexual desire.[citation needed]

1. ^ "10 Things to Know About the Coital Alignment Technique". Healthline. 10 July 2019.
2. ^ Eichel EW, Eichel JD, Kule S.; The technique of coital alignment and its relation to female orgasmic response and simultaneous orgasm. J Sex Marital Ther. Summer 1988, 14(2):129-41. PMID 3204637
3. ^ a b Nilamadhab Kar; Gopal Chandra Kar (2005). Comprehensive Textbook of Sexual Medicine. Jaypee Brothers Publishers. p. 108. ISBN 8180614050. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
4. ^ Harper, Dawn (2006). The Sex Deck Playful Positions to Spice Up Your Love Life. Chronicle Books Llc. p. 16. ISBN 0811853578.

• Eichel, Edward and Nobile, Philip. (1992) “The Perfect Fit: How to Achieve Mutual Fulfillment and Monogamous Passion Through the New Intercourse” Dutton Books.
• Hurlbert DF, Apt C. "The coital alignment technique and directed masturbation: a comparative study on female orgasm." J Sex Marital Ther. Spring 1995, 21(1):21-9. PMID 7608994
• Kaplan HS. "Does the CAT technique enhance female orgasm?" J Sex Marital Ther. Winter 1992, 18(4):285-91. PMID 1291699
• Pierce AP. "The coital alignment technique (CAT): an overview of studies." J Sex Marital Ther. Jul-Sep 2000, 26(3):257-68. PMID 10929574
• Paul Wolf on Eichel and CAT: [1]Archived 2012-09-05 at archive.today [2]Archived 2013-01-04 at archive.today

• v
• t
• e