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Are you expecting a new addition to your home in the form of a small feline? This is wonderful! Who would you like to see in the house more - a kitty or a cat? In order not to make a mistake when choosing, you will need to know how to determine the gender of a kitten . When these young animals are more than one and a half months old, you can already easily distinguish a female from a male by external signs: the characteristic features of the muzzle and the difference in the genitals will appear. The difference is noticeable both in the character traits and in the certain behavior of the fluffy beauties.
If the owner definitely wants a cat and has a lovely female name at the ready, then he needs to quickly determine the gender of the newborn kitten. And why wait weeks if you can use a proven method and look under the kitten’s tail?
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How to tell a boy's kitten from a girl's
It is possible to distinguish a cat from a tom even without the presence of obvious primary sexual characteristics. The sex of the kitten will be obvious from the following parameters:
- the space between the anus and genitals;
- appearance of the genitals;
- gently palpating the genitals with a finger in newborn cats;
- color;
- blood analysis.
It is easier to determine the sex of a newborn kitten than a 1-month-old baby, since the genital area is still devoid of thick hair. This rule is relevant for any breed of long-haired cat.
The space between the anus and genitals
The first simple test will help determine the gender of the kitten. The baby is placed on his stomach and his tail is carefully lifted. A girl has a smaller gap between her anus and genitals than a boy.
It will be much easier to distinguish between kittens if there are several of them in the litter - then you can compare the animals according to their external sexual characteristics.
Shape of genital organs
If it is still impossible to see the genitals with the naked eye, use a proven method that helps predict the sex of kittens based on indirect signs.
When examining babies, you can notice that some have genitals that look like a dot, while others look like a stripe. This is a direct indication of the gender of the kitten: a dot for boys, a line for girls.
You can distinguish a male cat from a female cat using this parameter at an early age. But if you try to determine the sex of a newborn kitten immediately after its birth, the mother cat may abandon the child.
Shape of testicles in male kittens at 3 months
At the age of three months, the sex of the kitten is determined by checking the genitals by palpating. To do this, carefully move your finger under the ponytail, without pressing hard on the genitals. In order to find out the gender of a kitten at 2 months or earlier, this method is not suitable.
Important! At 3 months, a cat’s testicles are already visible visually, so it is not necessary to feel them with your hands.
Tactile palpation of the genital organs of newborn kittens
It is easy to distinguish between a cat and a female cat by feeling the genitals. If small peas (2-6 mm) are felt under your finger, then it is a boy. However, it's easy to make a mistake. Due to hormonal changes, swelling under the tail is also observed in cats, so it can be mistakenly recognized as testicular buds.
Color
You can try to distinguish a cat and a female cat by color - if the fur is red, then it is most likely a boy, and if the color is tortoiseshell, it is a girl.
Blood analysis
The method of determining sex by blood test is the most reliable, but also the most expensive. It works regardless of the pet’s age – it doesn’t matter if the baby is a month old or just a week old.
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.
Indirect differences between males and females
The following methods to determine the sex of an animal rarely work, but in appearance and in character a cat is different from a female cat, which means it’s worth a try. The gender of a cat is determined by its habits, even if the baby is one or two months old.
In appearance
As a cat matures, its skeleton takes on the shape characteristic of a female or male. Cats have an elegant, light, graceful “figure” and a corresponding gait. Boy cats are not known for their grace.
In character
It is useful to observe the baby during games. If he is active, cocky, strives to win and conquer, then this is a cat. The boys behave very confidently and look at their owner the same way. Girls are most often meek and timid. Although it is possible that there may be a timid boy or an impudent girl in the apartment.
Colors
In addition to obvious signs and observation of habits, the color of the animal will also tell about the gender. Here are some nuances of the cat's palette:
- The tortoiseshell or tri-color color can only appear in girls. This is caused by genetics: to combine all three classic colors, a pair of X chromosomes is required, which is typical for girls. In cats, the black-white-red color can only appear in the event of a genetic failure or disease.
- A color called Calico (a type of tortoiseshell) also belongs to girlish “outfits”.
- Only a cat can have a completely red color, as well as a hint of cinnamon.
Regarding spotted cats, there is no exact definition based on color. Red and black pets may have white spots, regardless of gender. However, it has been noticed that the combination “red and white” is more common in boys, and “black and white” cats are more often found.
Non-standard folk methods
Folk omens are not as reliable as medical advances, but they also work. They can be used to test your own intelligence or the frequency of coincidence of observations with real facts.
In the face
It is enough to look at the baby's head to determine its gender. Girls have a thinner, more graceful, elongated muzzle. In males, the head will look more massive. However, you should not trust this method unconditionally.
By voice
It is believed that boys are “chatty” and love to squeak and meow for no reason. In both humans and cats, boys will have a low and rough voice, and girls will have a high and thin voice.
By weight
There are two ways to determine the sex of a kitten by weight: either by weighing the baby daily, or by comparing it with other kittens in the litter. Boys grow faster and gain more weight. They also eat more than girls.
Suitable age for gender identification
- It is easier to visually determine the sex of small kittens under the age of seven days. They have not yet had time to become pubescent and the organs are clearly visible. This is especially true for long-haired purebred animals with a thick undercoat. For example, the Scottish Fold.
- At the age of a week, it is easy to make a mistake with the gender. However, it is even more difficult to decide on affiliation in two to three weeks. The kitten is completely covered with hair, which will block the view of the genitals. This does not apply to hairless breeds. For example, the sphinx.
- At two or three months it is already easier to determine the sex. The genitals are fully formed and clearly visible. It is possible to accurately distinguish females from males at the age of six months, even in long-haired breeds (for example, the British). At this age, puberty begins: the reproductive organs are clearly visible, cats mark their territory, and cats begin to go into heat.
Folk signs when determining gender
Our grandmothers could tell the difference between a boy and a girl kitten using a bowl of milk. It was possible to understand what gender the baby was by the position of the tail while the kitten was eating. The boys proudly raised their tails, and the girls, on the contrary, modestly lowered them.
Important: milk can be harmful to kittens and adult animals, so the method is described as an example of determining the sex of a kitten using the folk method. If the kitten is too small, it is better not to use it.
Male kittens have more hair on their genitals. The method works if the baby is more than a week old. Girls have almost no long hair in their crotches.
The methods described in the article work for all representatives of the cat family, no matter whether a British cat lives in the apartment, a Scottish Fold, or the baby came to you from the street.
To accurately determine gender, it is better to use only reliable methods based on the baby’s obvious gender characteristics. This way, his gradual maturation will not come as a surprise to his owners.
How are cats different from cats?
While kittens are small, they are equally funny, playful and cute. But with age the difference becomes obvious. You can rely on these differences because cats are animals that are largely driven by hormones and reflexes.
As a result of many years of observations, the following most characteristic signs of behavior were identified:
Cats are more independent and restrained in showing love to their owner. They often show hunting instincts and are more playful, often “hunting” their owner, attacking from behind cover. They are curious and consider the house to be a common territory, so they must be aware of everything that happens in it.
Kitties are more affectionate and easy-going. They are clean people who tidy not only their own fur, but also the fur of other animals in the house, and can even wash their owner. More often they require attention and manifestations of love from their owners. Also, cats can bear offspring in the future.
What kind of hair do British cats have?
Special attention should be paid to British wool. Thanks to the harsh living conditions of the past, these animals have acquired an excellent coat with a very dense and thick undercoat.
Despite the fact that the structure of the wool itself is thin, it feels quite elastic and soft to the touch. Therefore, representatives of this breed are often called plush. In addition, the coat of British cats is distinguished by beautiful, shiny colors. British cat care and maintenance >>
At the moment, there are about 60 colors that the British have. It can be any solid color, smoky, tortoiseshell, tabby, chinchilla, bicolor or colorpoint. The most common among them are solid blue, as well as two-color tabby and chinchilla.
A healthy British cat never develops tufts of fur, so he can easily take care of his coat on his own.
