When our cat has had a litter, or when we find an abandoned kitten in the street, one of the first doubts that assails us is to know if it is male or female, right? Sometimes it is not very easy to know, but do not worry.
We are going to talk this time about how to tell if a cat is male or female, so that from now on you know how to differentiate one from the other.
How do you know if it is a cat or a cat?
The cats in the garden, the one on the left and the one in the middle are female, and the panther is male.
The first thing you have to do is take the kitten carefully, placing it face up to be able to observe the sexual organs, and the anus. So you can examine them much better than if they were on the side. You got it? So let's move on to the next step.
External appearance of the genital area
Male cat
If your cat is a male, you will see that his genitals are behind the anus, but between them there is a separation, a small bulge: the testicles. If your furry is still very young, you will not appreciate the penis, since it is very small and it is also inside the foreskin. So, When you see it, you will distinguish two little holes: the anus that is in the upper part, near the base of the tail, and that of the penis, separated as we have said by the testicles.
Female cat
Cats are distinguished from cats mainly because we won't see any bulge. The anus is near the base of the tail, and a little lower is the vulva, which looks like a stripe.
Even so, whenever you have doubts it is best to wait for it to comply around 6 weeks old. From then on we will immediately see if it is male or female, as it has more developed sexual organs, since its reproductive stage can begin very early: at 5-6 months. If you do not want to breed them, it is highly recommended to spay or neuter cats, both male and female.
Coat color
This in cats that are of a single color will not help you to know if it is male or female, because if there is a difference this is minimal, hardly negligible. But if it is brindle or tricolor, it will be useful.
Male cat
The hair color of cats (both males and females) is not fully defined until a few months pass (depending on the breed, it can be about 5-6 months or up to a year), but when you see many felines at throughout your life little by little you realize that the color of the males is darker.
Female cat
Sasha, September 16, 2016
If the cat's is dark, the cat's… it's not clear 🙂. What happens is yes has a slightly lighter hue, but not too much. It is not something that can be easily distinguished either unless you have a little brother to compare it with.
Body size and 'curves'
Male cat
The male cat tends to be bigger and heavier than the cat, with a more robust, more athletic body. This is so because in nature, or if he lived in freedom, he is the one who is most in charge of protecting the territory, the one who fights - if necessary - with other males when there is a cat in heat. For all this requires strength and a good physical constitution.
Do male cats have nipples?
Although they are not useful to them at all, yes they have. They are vestigial nipples. Evolution still wants cats to have, just like men, because they still have the genes that are responsible for making them and there is no real problem with them.
Female cat
The cat can also be very territorial, but is more in charge of taking care of the puppies. For this reason, nature and, specifically, the evolution of cats, has endowed it with a slimmer, more elegant body, which can be seen even when she is very baby when comparing her with a little brother.
Character
What I will tell you next is what the cats that I have had throughout my life and with which I live today (in total there are more than 20) have taught me, and what I have been reading in groups, forums and books on the subject. It may or may not be true for your cat in particular, but in any case, you may find it curious or of interest 🙂:
Male cat
Sasha (left) and Benji on June 11, 2017.
The cat is an animal that tends to be more independent than the cat. If he lived in freedom, we would see that he moves away from his 'social group' (let's call it a family, made up of several cats with their young, and perhaps a few more cats), but that at dusk it returns.
From experience, I affirm that they can be excellent parents or stepbrothers. Benji, who passed away on March 30, 2019, was precisely that for Sasha, who is a cat that we raise by bottle. When she was a baby, she was in some kind of improsed cradle, and Benji was almost always by her side. When he learned to walk, and above all jump, they played every day. They gave each other a lot of affection.
And it was a male cat, a hottie.
Therefore, I think it is wrong to say that males are antisocial or surly. They can be, of course, but they don't have to. There are very affectionate furry, even dependent, and there are others who are not.
Female cat
The cat It is usually more affectionate, and if it has always lived with humans, it can become very demanding of affection. In general, it is calmer than the cat, but if necessary it will protect its puppies from any enemy (be it another furry or person).
She is cunning, and very intelligent (be careful, I am not saying that the cat is not because it is, but the cat also has to be so to leave her young in a safe place while she goes hunting).
Male or female cat, which is better?
Both. Actually, apart from the genitals and some details (hair color, body size and weight, etc.) it is difficult to know what character a cat will have as an adult. Right from the beginning you have to know that puppies are all rowdy; some more than others, but until they are one year old it is impossible to know what they will be like in adulthood.
Therefore, if you want to adopt one with a defined character, do not hesitate and take home an adult or elderly cat, since that way those who take care of it will be able to tell you how it behaves, and so you can get an idea. their character (anyway, think that regardless of the past they have had, the normal thing is that when they are used to you and their new home, they gain confidence and perhaps become a little outgoing or playful).
Has it been useful to you?