How to tell a male cat apart: Tips for determining the sex of your pet

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At first glance, the question of how to distinguish a cat from a female cat may make you smile.

Many will think that nothing is simpler, because there are obvious gender differences that make it easy to determine gender.

But what if you need to find out the gender of small or newborn kittens?

At this age, primary signs are not as pronounced as in adults.

In this case, the following tips will help determine the gender of the kitten.

The sex of a kitten can be determined by various characteristics

• 2 Determination of gender by external characteristics
• 3 Habits and character
• 4 How to find out the gender of British kittens?
• 5 Determining the sex of sphinxes

Differences by gender

Primary sexual characteristics of various breeds are the surest way to distinguish a cat from a female cat, even in small kittens.

Before carrying out the inspection you must:

• Wash your hands thoroughly using unscented products. They should be warm.
• The kitten should be petted, thereby calming it down. He must trust you.

Advice! Extend your palm, if the kitten calmly approaches and caresses, you can conduct an examination. If he behaves warily, it is better not to injure the kitten and postpone the examination.

• The baby should be placed with his stomach on the palm of his hand or a warm diaper.

To determine sex at the age of up to three months, you can use the following methods:

1. Conduct a tactile inspection. To do this, you need to carefully feel with two fingers, index and middle, the place where the testicles should be. A small cat will feel small peas, no more than 5 mm in diameter.
2. In order to determine the sex of a kitten, you need to look under its tail. In a small cat, the anus and genital organ are two points located parallel. And in a cat, the urinary canal looks like a slit, and it turns out to be a kind of exclamation mark. This difference can be seen in the photo.

If there is a “colon” ​​under the tail, it is a cat, and an “exclamation mark” is a kitty.

1. Sex can also be determined by the distance between the anus and the genital organ. In cats it is about 1 cm, in seals it is much larger. Upon reaching the age of three, this place will be taken by the testicles. In the photo this difference is clearly visible.
2. Another sexual characteristic, how to distinguish a cat from a cat, is the presence of hair between the anus and the genitals. In cats it is quite thick in this place, but in cats it is not at all.

Characteristic features of male and female genitalia in cats

In adult males, the anus, scrotum and urethra are clearly distinguishable. The penis is located between the scrotum and the anus. In a calm state, it is a fluffy tubercle. Inside the scrotum are testicles in which sperm are formed. The scrotum is visually visible when the cat's tail is raised. In furry breeds, the organ is not so clearly visible due to their long hair. To unambiguously identify a cat’s gender, he needs to wet the fur under his tail, then the testicles will be clearly visible. In females, the only external genital organs are the urethra; besides it, the anus is clearly visible under the cat’s tail, but there are no bulges.

Cat's genitals

About sterilized animals

If more than six months have passed since the cat was castrated, then his behavior and coat are almost no different from the same signs in sterilized females. After surgery, cats are left with an empty scrotum, only by feeling it can one determine the sex of the animal.

Determining gender by external characteristics

Another way to distinguish a cat from a cat is to carefully look at the face and body of the animal.

However, this method is suitable for avid cat lovers.

A person who determines the sex of a cat for the first time is unlikely to be able to do this accurately.

A cat differs from a cat in the following ways:

• You can determine the sex of a cat by its face and nose. They are quite wide;
• he has a powerful and large physique;
• paws are thick;
• A castrated cat can be distinguished from a female cat by its large head and thick skin.

External signs of a cat:

• has a more graceful body, graceful curves. This is especially noticeable in short-haired breeds like the Oriental , Savannah and Cornish Rex ;
• if you try to find out the gender by the muzzle, then you need to look at its elongation: in cats it is more elongated in length rather than in width.

This can be seen in the photograph: the muzzle is narrow and elongated.

Gracefulness is the main characteristic of a cat

Another external sign of how to distinguish a cat from a cat is color:

• If a kitten at birth has a tricolor or tortoiseshell coloration, then we can say with complete confidence that it is a cat. This is due to a genetic feature. For the appearance of black, white and red colors in the coat, two X chromosomes are needed. And only females have them. A cat can only develop this color in the case of a genetic disease, which is quite rare.
• The color Calico also belongs to cats;
• Only cats are red

You can sometimes accurately determine a cat's gender by coat color.

Characteristic features of male and female genitalia in cats

In adult males, the anus, scrotum and urethra are clearly distinguishable. The penis is located between the scrotum and the anus. In a calm state, it is a fluffy tubercle. Inside the scrotum are testicles in which sperm are formed. The scrotum is visually visible when the cat's tail is raised.

Cat's genitals

If more than six months have passed since the cat was castrated, then his behavior and coat are almost no different from the same signs in sterilized females. After surgery, cats are left with an empty scrotum, only by feeling it can one determine the sex of the animal.

There are different ways to determine the sex of a kitten, because many external signs and behavior of the animal can help us with this. But even if you were mistaken about the gender of the baby, you will still understand who is in front of you - a cat or a female cat - as soon as the animal gets a little older.

Habits and character

It is possible to distinguish a cat from a cat by its habits no earlier than seven months.

Until this time, kittens of both sexes are playful, affectionate and their characters differ little.

At puberty, the differences become more pronounced:

1. You can distinguish an adult cat from a female cat by its habits: it is lazier and calmer. He sleeps most of the day. Unlike a cat, a cat can be calmly picked up; most often it does not try to break free and run away. This does not mean that he is more affectionate.

Cats love to soak up the sun

Cats are more capricious.

It is worth remembering the famous words that “the cat walks on its own.”

Owners who decide to adopt a female animal should be prepared for the fact that it will be difficult to get along.

Despite the fact that many people think that cats are affectionate and love to cuddle, they do this willingly only during the period of heat.

The rest of the time, the cat will allow itself to be stroked or picked up only out of politeness.

1. Behavior during estrus is also a distinctive sign of gender. An adult cat meows a lot during this period, thereby attracting cats. She begins to rub against the furniture and sharpen her claws on it - so you should buy her a scratching post or trim her claws .
2. In the first method, the exception is cats that have undergone castration. A castrated cat can be distinguished from a female cat by its more aggressive behavior.
3. Cats always mark their territory. This can cause an unpleasant odor in the apartment. To get rid of it, cleaning will have to be done much more often.
4. Cats are cleaner. They can lick themselves for several hours in a row. For sleep, cats choose the cleanest and softest place in the apartment. They won't eat from a dirty bowl or drink stale water.

Cats are pickier eaters

1. If you pay attention to the look, you will notice that in an adult cat it is confident, even slightly arrogant, while in a cat it is wary.
2. determine the sex of small kittens of different ages by their eating habits. To do this, you need to put a bowl of milk. If a kitten laps milk and holds its tail up, then it is male, if down, it is female.

I drank some milk!

Newborn kitten: male or female?

Among all the possible criteria when choosing a young furry pet, the main one for many is whether the animal belongs to the fair half of the feline family, or vice versa, to the strong half. The character of a cat differs in many ways from the character traits that are characteristic of cats. Depending on whether a cat or a cat has settled in the house, the relationship between the owner and the pet is built. For some, the behavior of the animal during such a tedious period of “demanding love” is also important. Cats can bring numerous offspring and associated troubles. Not everyone wants to foster cat children. Well, cats can become good breeding producers without introducing the chaos and confusion associated with the appearance of kittens in the house. That is why the gender of the future pet becomes important for many owners.

Recommendations before determining the sex of a cat

A few tips that you must read before you start determining the gender of your cat . Find out what not to do:

• try to perform the procedure at the time of feeding;
• use brute force: pull the tail up, grab the babies by the scruff of the neck or paws;
• make animals nervous in every possible way;
• apply forceful pressure to the genitals or abdomen.

Most important: the need to calm or distract the mother cat. You can successfully choose the time when she goes off to feed, or if you trust the owner, it is enough to offer the mother of the entire brood a favorite treat or the owner’s affection.

So, access to cat babies is open:

• Carefully take one baby and place it with its tummy on a warm diaper, which is located in your palm;
• Lift the tail and inspect the area of ​​the anus and genitourinary opening. If possible, have your assistant take a photo of the area. This will simplify the task and return the baby to his mother sooner.

Keep kittens for no longer than one minute, as newborns freeze very quickly without their mother's fur.

How to find out the gender of British kittens?

Determining the sex of small British kittens is quite difficult.

Primary sexual characteristics are just being formed, and the thick fur hides subtle differences.

But you can still find out the gender by the following signs:

1. In this breed, a clear sexual difference is the shape of the anus and genitals. The presence of two dots indicates that the baby is male, and a “question mark” indicates that the baby is female.

Feeling the testicles does not always help accurately determine gender.

This is due to the fact that at birth both the British cat and the female cat may have swelling in this place.

British kittens are affectionate and peaceful

1. The presence of nipples also cannot be considered a clear difference. Kittens of both sexes can have them. In females they are more pronounced, but this can only be understood by comparison.
2. Another sign of how to distinguish a cat from a cat of a given breed is its habits.

Important! The British cat has a purposeful character, he is more active than the female, and constantly competes with his brothers.

1. The sex of adults can be determined by external characteristics. Males are much larger than females. The latter are more elegant. You can also distinguish the sex by the face: in cats it is narrower and more elongated.

What differences appear with age?

The first three to four weeks after the birth of a kitten, it is difficult to understand the gender of the animal. This requires experience and certain knowledge.

By the first month of life, male kittens grow larger than their sisters, and males are more active. This manifests itself in constant competition for food, curiosity and fearlessness.

When kittens are two months old, the animal's reproductive system begins to actively develop. Over the course of two to three weeks, the testicles increase in size and descend into the scrotum. From this time on, gender differences between females and males begin to be clearly visible even with a cursory examination.

As they grow older, cats and female cats change their external characteristics - body type, voice, look.

With the onset of old age, males begin to differ from females in their thicker skin, especially in the area of ​​the shoulder blades. And the heads of older cats are more massive than those of elderly cats.

Final table

Sex differences between male and female cats can be presented in the form of a table that combines folk methods and objective criteria:

Of course, the presence of a scrotum and a DNA test are 100% guaranteed to determine the sex of a pet.

How to tell a cat from a cat at a young age

If it is a Scottish Fold or even a mongrel pet, its gender can be determined at 2-3 months. Although it is possible to spill a boy and a girl earlier.

• Within a week, newborn kittens can have their genitals visually examined. They have not yet had time to descend, and the organ itself is clearly visible. This method of determining the sex of an animal is especially good if the newborn cat is not a long-haired breed, such as the Persian breed, for example. In this case, the baby cannon does not hide the genitals.
• At 2-4 weeks, a newborn cat is already covered with thick fur, and it can be difficult to see the genitals. But with regard to hairless, hairless breeds, such as the Sphynx, things are simpler. In their case, you can easily view the genitals, determining the sex of the animal.
• At 2-3 months, it is much easier to determine the identity, since the genital organ is formed and clearly visible, so it will be easier to determine the gender.

One or two: how many testicles to remove?

Often, with unilateral cryptorchidism, the owners insist on leaving one fully protruded testicle in the scrotum. But veterinary experts do not advise leaving “half of a man’s pride” to cryptorchid cats. The following arguments are put forward in opposition to the owners:

• cryptorchids are castrated in any case, such cats are removed from breeding clearly as carriers of the defective gene;
• cryptorchids are aggressive, what causes this is not entirely clear;
• breeders get rid of the opportunity to hear spring chants and wash away odorous marks.

It is recommended to carry out castration only in a veterinary clinic. If with simple sterilization access to the testes in the scrotum is easy, then if the testicle is in the abdominal cavity, it is impossible to visualize it without ultrasound or endoscopic methods. The course of the operation depends on where exactly the testis “hid”, how long the vas deferens, etc.

But in any case, the surgical intervention itself was worked out to the smallest detail, and no complications were observed after it. The cat continues to live the life of an ordinary castrated individual.

Important! The only condition that the veterinarians of the RosVet VC ask you to strictly observe is a timely (immediate) visit to the clinic. A testis that does not enter the scrotum becomes a source of direct danger - tumors develop against its background, often malignant with the risk of metastasis to other organs. And the cryptorchid cat, which, theoretically, can live a long life, dies from oncology due to the fault of its owners.

If you suspect that your pet’s testicles have not completely come out, do not hesitate, contact the RosVet VC for advice. You can make an appointment by phone +, 24 hours a day. If it is impossible to personally visit the clinic for an examination, you can call a veterinarian at home.