How To Tell Sex Of A Cat

Male Cat Vs Female Stature

Aside from basing only on the facial features of our furry friends, one of the best physical indicators of their gender is their stature.

• Males tend to be of the bigger size and sometimes tower over the females in terms of their heights. They are known to be blockier and plumper and have a heavier build.
• The body composition of females is usually smaller than that of males. They have slender limbs, and their shoulders are narrower.

Distinguishing Males From Females Is Tricky

The Spruce / Ellen Lindner

Determining the gender of your kitten can prove to be challengingat first glance, even professionals find it tricky to distinguish a female kitten from a male. However, a few characteristic differences can be observed in kittens as young as five weeks old, like genital spacing, coat color, and behavior, indicating their sex.

How To Determine The Sex Of A Kitten

This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 42 testimonials and 85% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,750,116 times.

Unsure if you have a boy or girl kitten on your hands? The visible differences between young male and female genitalia can be more subtle than in adults. But when you know what to look for, sexing a kitten doesn’t have to be difficult. A vet’s opinion can help you feel more certain, though even veterinarians can occasionally mistake the sex of a kitten.

Recommended Reading: Is Grain Bad For Cats

How To Tell The Gender Of A Kitten

Whether your momma cat has just had a new litter or youve now got your very own kitten you may be wondering how to tell kittens genders. Its doesnt sound like it should be a tricky task, however, determining the sex between a male or female kitten is more difficult than you may think, especially when theyre young. Take a look at our helpful guide on how to sex a kitten and other useful things you should know.

Male Vs Female Cats: Genitalia

The main difference between male and female cats is their genitals. If youve ever brought a kitten home and wondered whether its a boy or a girl then there are a couple of things to look for, although its definitely more difficult to tell in small kittens than in adult cats.

The shape to look for in males is two dots, or a colon shape .

Read Also: At What Age Do You Spay A Kitten

How To Guess The Gender Of A Cat

Its said that cats are the canaries in the coal mine. What does this mean? Cats can tell us if there is a problem in the environment they live in. For example, if there is a large amount of ammonia, cats will have a very strong smell, and they may refuse to eat. Cats also know if there is a serious health problem in their homes. For example, if a cat has an eye injury, they may not want to be petted.

Sexing Kittens: How To Determine The Sex Of Your Kitten

Sexing kittens is an important part of caring for a new litter, determining details of how the kittens will be cared for and how theyll be rehomed.

Sometimes we kid ourselves that a small kitten may look particularly feminine, so she surely must be a girl kitten, or a larger, stronger one is certain to be a little tomcat, but the truth is that its impossible to tell the sex of a kitten by its general appearance and demeanor.

The only way to determine a kittens sex for certain is to physically examine the appearance of the area beneath the tail: the kittens genital area.

Also Check: Chewy Cat Food Promo Code

Once Youve Decided That Its The Right Time Gently Pick Up Your Kitten And Proceed To The Next Steps

• Place the kitten on its front on a soft non-slip surface like a towel.
• Lift up the kittens tail so that you can visually inspect the perineal area .

• In most older kittens, the penis is a more circular opening, while the vulva is like a small vertical slit. Some say that the appearance of a female kitten resembles an upside-down exclamation mark, while a male kitten looks more like the two dots of a colon.
• In younger kittens and in some older kittens, it can be hard to distinguish this difference, so instead, focus on the distance between the two orifices.
• It can be difficult to determine the sex of the kitten if you are only looking at one animal, so its easiest to examine all of the kittens, one after the other. In most cases, there will be around 50% of each gender, and it should be relatively easy to sort them out into two groups of similar appearances i.e. male and female.
• Once you have divided the kittens into a male group and a female group, double-check them by having a quick look again to ensure that each individual in the group has a similar appearance.

When To Check A Cats Gender

Its important to know that you mustnt attempt to tell the sex of a kitten immediately after they are born. Newborn kittens are fragile and vulnerable and you may also be treated with hostility by the mother for taking her baby right away. Its also worth noting that kittens that are handled too much from birth can even be neglected or abandoned by their mother, so make sure to proceed with caution and dont be too eager to determine the cat gender.

Don’t Miss: Royal Canin Urinary Care Wet Cat Food

What Are The Behavioural Clues To Look Out For To Determine The Cats Sex

Despite the fact that several gender stereotypes have been established around character traits in cats, reality has little or nothing to do with them. That is, a cat does not have to be more trained than a female, nor is a neutered cat more lazy than another cat that is not neutered. Most experts agree that gender has no influence on the personality of a cat. In general, we hear that males are more aggressive, and females are calmer, which has more to do with the temperament of an animal and not its sex.

The only behavioural differences that are related to gender and not individual characteristics are mating behaviours and territorial behaviour. Indeed, if for example a cat starts urinating on your furniture or the floor, chances are its a male. As for a female cat, she will tend to show signs she is in heat . Shell start showing these signs once she reaches sexual maturity .

Before examining a cat’s genitals, take a few precautions. If this is an adult cat, they may not like this invasion of its private part and they will let you know quickly! As a precaution, put on gloves before handling your cat and have someone assist you to keep it still. If you dont feel comfortable checking out its sex, dont hesitate to go see a vet.

Male Vs Female Cats: Appearance

One of the most noticeable differences between male and female cats is size. Male cats are usually larger and heavier than female cats. This is particularly obvious if the male was not neutered until after sexual maturity was reached.

Additionally, male cats tend to have large, wide cheeks and a more rounded face than females. This is because of the testosterone in the males. Large cheeks are used to signal physical fitness and strength to other cats both male and female. This can signal readiness for a fight with other males as well as to attract females. Males often retain these large cheeks even after they are neutered.

Also Check: Dr Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Cat Litter

What Is My Kitten’s Gender

Determining the sex of a cat can be difficult at times, especially if there is no other cat with which to compare the anatomy. So how can you tell if you have a Merlin or a Misty, a Rex or a Ruby? Here are a few steps to tell what your kitten’s gender is

If you’ve established a good relationship with the cat, pick him or her up and lift its tail. If the kitten isn’t responding well, you may want to solicit the assistance of a friend or family member. If the cat still isn’t lifting its tail, try scratching it where the lower back meets its tail most cats lift their tails if you do this to them.

Need some more help determining the sex of your cat or kitten? Check out the pics below.

Determining Sex Through Other Differences

Read Also: What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of A Cat

Why Is Sexing Your Kitten Or Cat Important

If you dont care what gender your kitten is, you may find its a pretty useful piece of information to have. It doesnt take a lot of expertise to figure it out either. If you didnt plan on finding out, here is a list of reasons why its a very good thing to know beforehand.

• Price of Spay or Neuter Surgery If you are on any type of budget while owning your cat, the price of spaying or neutering can be different depending on gender. Because males require less invasive surgery, neutering costs less than spaying. When a cat is spayed, they have to go inside of the cats body to tie up the uterus. Ultimately, the total cost depends on the vet clinic or facility. Many shelters have low-cost spay and neuter programs to help if you find yourself in a pickle.

• Hormonal Habits As your kitten ages, there are certain characteristics and habits that males pick up that differ from females. If you dont get your cat fixed, males and females are capable of spraying to mark their territory or attract a mate. Also, when a female goes into heat, she can let out extremely loud cries, vocalizations, and be overly affectionate for several days, occurring many times a year.

What Is Better For The First

When it comes to first-time cat owners, girl cats are actually the better option. Girl cats are typically more docile and easier to handle than boy cats, making them a good choice for those who are new to pet ownership. In addition, girl cats usually dont spray as much as boy cats, making them less likely to cause damage to your home or furniture.

Also Check: Can Cats Use The Same Litter Box

Ask Your Vet For Advice

If youve attempted to determine the gender of your kittens but arent 100% sure that youve got it right, its always a good idea to ask your vet for advice. If youre rehoming kittens, some families will want a particular gender, so its important to know for sure!

Your kittens will need vaccinating when theyre around 8 weeks old, so this is the perfect opportunity to ask your vet to help determine the gender of each kitten. You may also want to speak to your vet about when is a good time to get your kittens spayed or neutered.

Featured Image Credit: Tom Pingel, Shutterstock

Contents Overview

What To Look For To Determine The Gender Of A Kitten

The most obvious first step to find out the gender of a new cat is to look under their tail. This is easier to do with short-haired kittens, so you may have to comb away any extra fur if you are examining a long-haired kitten. Make sure the kitten is lying flat on a towel and lift the tail gently to avoid injuring the animal. Never lift a kitten up by the tail!

RELATED: Kitten Care 11: From Birth to a Year Old

Recommended Reading: Big Cat Rescue Tampa Fl

Other Ways To Determine A Cats Sex

While both male and female cats come in a wide variety of coat colors, there are exceptions to the rule: calico cats and tortoiseshell cats. Because genetic inheritance requires two Y chromosomes to produce the coloration seen in calicos and torties, they are almost always female. Similarly, almost 80% of orange tabby cats are male. Behavioral traits arent the most reliable way to determine a cats sex, but in the case of fur babies who havent been neutered or spayed, their behavior may hint at your cats sex.

Typically speaking, male cats are more likely to attempt to escape your home, spray urine to mark their territory, or display aggressive behaviors like biting and scratching. On the flip side, female cats who havent been spayed tend to be more docile and affectionate than male cats who havent been neutered. Theres a common misconception that male cats are more loving, which causes some prospective pet parents to refuse to adopt female cats. However, research indicates that your cats behavior has more to do with their home environment and how well youve bonded with your feline friend than it does with their sex.

Comparing Male Vs Female Cats

A-Z-Animals.com

2,386 People Couldn’t Ace This Quiz

Think You Can?

Although both make good pets, there are some major differences between male and female cats, and even then there is a big difference between the behavior of unneutered and neutered or spayed cats. But thats not all so check out the chart below to learn a few more of the main differences.

Don’t Miss: Cat Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment

The Genital Characteristics Of A Male Cat

Below the male cat’s tail are the , scrotum and the penis. These characteristics are normally easy to observe, even if the cat is neutered because the scrotum will still be present, but smaller.

The male cat’s genitals are still inconspicuous and covered in fur, so it can be difficult to see them, but it is possible to feel them under the skin, if the cat lets you go down there. The testicles are about the size of a cherry.

Another clue is to .

Why Is It Important To Get Your Cat Fixed

Getting your cat fixed is of utmost importance when youre a pet owner. If you already have gotten your cat from the shelter, your cat might already have this surgery. If not, you will have to make arrangements with your local shelter or veterinarian.

So, what are the perks of spaying or neutering your cat?

• Prevents running away Cats that are fixed will not be inclined to run away, as they wont be out seeking a mate. Some cats might still wander off if given the opportunity, but the likelihood of venturing away and getting lost is a lot less.

• Prevents pregnancy Once you get your kitty fixed, you dont have to worry about any unwanted pregnancies. Finding suitable homes for an entire litter of kittens can be quite challenging. Many cats wind up in shelters or on the street due to a lack of care. You wouldnt want that happening to a litter of your precious kittens. The best preventative is to avoid pregnancy entirely unless you breed for show.

• Prevents spraying and marking When cats reach sexual maturity, both genders can spray to mark their territory and attract mates. Cat urine can be tough to get out of fabrics and other surfaces. Its best to avoid the behavior entirely. Spaying and neutering isnt always a solution to spraying behavior. Its best to always get your cat fixed before they reach six months of age. Because once it starts, it can be extremely challenging to get them to quit, if they quit at all.

Read Also: Do Girl Cats Spray When In Heat