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How can you identify a cat from a cat? We examine the cat or cat. At what age is the sex of a kitten determined?

Those who care for their kittens or choose a pet in the store are certainly interested in how to determine the gender of a kitten. The easiest way is to see your veterinarian.

But this option is not always available and convenient, and in this article we will tell you how to distinguish a “boy” kitten from a “girl” without resorting to anyone's help.

Best position for sex determination

It is better to determine whether a cat or a cat is in front of you as soon as possible after their birth. So it will be easier to do, how to determine the sex of a kitten when he is 1 month old.

This is due to the fact that the baby's coat is not yet thick enough to cover the genitals. It is especially difficult on the later lines to determine the sex of furry species of pets.

Did you know? Cats spend an average of 2/3 days sleeping. That is, a nine-year-old cat during its life is in an active state for only 3 years.

How to properly pick up a kitten

Before determining whether a cat or a cat is in front of you, you need to wash your hands thoroughly. The soap should be fragrance-free.
You need to pay attention to the shape of the animal's genitals and the distance between them and the anus.

  1. First, you need to give the mother-cat some kind of treat or calm her down with affection. After all, she may be against someone touching her offspring.
  2. A small animal must be handled as carefully as possible. Keep your hands dry and warm. You should put the baby on a heated film or your palm with your stomach down.
  3. Now you can slightly lift the tail and examine the genitals and anus.

Examination restrictions

On examination, in no case should you:

  1. Hold the animal casually.
  2. Raise the baby high by the tail.
  3. Hold it in your hands for a long time. If the kitten is up to 3 months old, then there is a risk that if the baby smells of a stranger, the mother cat may refuse it.
  4. Separate small pet from feeding.
  5. Trying to put pressure on the urethra.

Did you know? In ancient Egypt, smuggling cats to other countries was punishable by death.

Cat or cat?

Having learned how to properly take a little pet in your hands, you can figure out how to distinguish a cat from a cat.

Distance between anus and genitals

When examining a pet's genitals, pay attention to the distance between the urethra and the anus. In "girls" it is practically absent, but in "boys" there are several millimeters where the testicles will be located.

The appearance and shape of the genitals

The surest way to find out the sex of a kitten is to examine the shape of the genitals. In small cats, the urethra is completely round, while in cats the penis is vertical. If we carry out the associations, then in "girls" the genitals look like an inverted letter "i", and in "boys" they have the shape of a colon.

Feeling the "floor"

Determining the sex of the feline offspring can also be done by palpation. In this case, you need to be as careful and accurate as possible so as not to harm the kittens.
The kitten needs to be picked up and felt with your fingers the place that is located between the urethra and the anus. Cats will feel small size swelling - testicles will appear there by 2 months. In cats, the place will be completely smooth.

Important! This method does not give a 100% guarantee, since the testes may be located in the abdominal cavity and not be felt at an early stage, while in small cats, on the contrary, slight swelling may be present due to the peculiarities of the structure of the body.

Can you tell the floor by color?

You can also determine the sex of small pets by the color of the coat. But it is worth noting that this method is rather dubious and it will not be possible to obtain accurate information.

According to observations, if a kitten in coat color has a mixture of 3 colors, then it is most likely a "girl". "Boys" usually do not have such a number of shades. It is also believed that there are much more red cats than cats. Determining the sex of a kitten is quite simple, it does not require specialized knowledge. In any case, you should love your pets, regardless of what gender they are.

It's amazing how often inexperienced owners can't figure out who lives with them: a cat or a cat. There are hundreds of cases when, by the age of one year, Murok was renamed Murchikov. Let's figure out how to accurately determine the sex of a pet.

There are cases when the owners make mistakes in determining the sex even in adult cats, what can we say about kittens. The visible differences between male and female genitalia in kittens are less pronounced, especially if the baby is barely one month old.

Note that there is nothing difficult in determining gender, if you know exactly what differences to look for. If you still have doubts, it is better to contact a veterinarian who has rich experience and will be able to distinguish the sex of the kittens without error.

Determining the sex of a newborn kitten

Before examining, make sure the kitten is in a warm and safe environment. It may not be obvious, but babies are very vulnerable to cold and stress. When a kitten is cold, all of its muscles and blood vessels become toned, which can complicate the sex identification process. If you are trying to determine the sex of a newborn kitten, you need to proceed carefully and gradually.

Babies should not be roughly taken away from their mother or weaned from the nest for more than 10 minutes.

Checking a kitten's genitals is the most reliable and correct way to determine sex. For obvious reasons, the mother of the kittens, and the babies themselves, can resist manipulation by the owner. Be careful when lifting the baby's tail, as fragile joints can be damaged even with a weak but inaccurate jerk.

Note! Under the tail of the kitten, in relatively close proximity there are two holes - the anus and directly the genitals: the scrotum or vagina.

Your actions in stages:

  • To avoid unnecessary things, take the kitten in your arms and warm it up for a few minutes.
  • Hold the kitten gently until it calms down.
  • Then, place the kitten on a clean towel in a well-lit room and try to lift its tail.
  • If the baby begins to actively squeak, it is better to return it to the mother, as she will be very worried. Some kittens will instinctively raise their tails if you actively scratch or massage your baby's croup.

Quite often, accurate sex determination in newborn kittens is impossible, since the size and severity of the genitals are strictly individual. Accurate sex determination is possible only in full-term kittens, since babies (regardless of gender) who were born prematurely have genitals more like male ones.

Sex determination by month

From the first birthday to 1-2 months of age, the sex of kittens is easier to distinguish if you examine several babies at once. In cats, the genitals look like a small hole or an oblong vertical slit.

Looking at the big picture, the female's vagina and anus form the letter "i". The genitals of males of the same age look less pronounced. The scrotum is rounded. When assessing the complete picture, the anus and scrotum form a ":" symbol.

From 3-4 months of age, even with a relatively weak expression of external sexual characteristics, the sex of a kitten can be distinguished by the distance between the anus and the external genitals. The distance between the anus and the vagina of a cat is less than that between the anus and scrotum in cats.

At the age of 4-6 months in males, the testes descend completely into the scrotum. Before this change, the scrotum may appear dull and small. Naturally, when examining the external genitalia, you must be careful and delicate.

  • Gently feel the cat's scrotum, if you feel the drooping testicles are a male, there can be no doubt.
  • When palpating, it does not in any way stretch the skin, as this can lead to exposure of the penis.
  • Forced deformation of the skin is fraught with pinching of the glans penis, impaired blood circulation, severe pain and necrotic process.

Note! Normally, in four-month-old males, the scrotum looks like a small sac.

Or maybe a cryptorch kitten?

As you know, undescended or incomplete descent of the testicles into the scrotum is called cryptorchidism. With this deviation, the male genitals are more like female ones.

To make sure you have a cryptorchid kitten in front of you, you need to gently squeeze the skin between the anus and the penis. If the testicles have not descended, you will feel them in the crease.

Important! In adult cryptorchid cats, the testes may move closer to the abdominal cavity and not be felt.

How to determine the gender of an adult cat

How to determine the sex of an adult cat, without the possibility of examining the genitals?

By coat color

The first sign on which it is customary to focus is the color of the coat. Tricolor animals are most often cats. It is believed that the tortoiseshell color is not characteristic of the cat, as it is transmitted only when there are two X chromosomes.

There is a legend that tricolor cats are sterile., However, this is not the case. It is really undesirable to let tortoiseshell cats go into breeding, since their genetic formula is violated, but they can mate and have offspring.

It is interesting! Tortoiseshell males are extremely rare. It is generally accepted that such a color in a cat indicates a genetic disorder.

It is believed that pure red, red-striped and red-white animals are always cats. As you might have guessed, ginger cats are also found, but very rarely.

Immediately, we note that there are no problems with reproductive functions in ginger cats. As you can see, determining the sex of a cat by color is not a very accurate method, despite its popularity.

By signs of puberty

At the age of 4-18 months, cats enter the period of sexual heat. It is known that males and females express sexual heat in different ways.

  • Cats go into estrus, shout loudly, ride on their backs, raise their pelvis and throw their tail on their side. This behavior lasts an average of 2 to 21 days and is repeated in cycles.
  • Cats that interrupt while sexually hunting, do not ride on their backs and do not raise their tail, but they shout much louder than cats. Another distinctive feature of males entering a state of sexual heat is the desire to constantly mark their territory.

It is at this age that most owners are horrified, because a distinct ammoniacal smell of cat urine is established in the dwelling. It is possible to suppress the marks of a cat only by castration, and it is advisable to do the operation before the pet began to actively call the cat.

By the way, the intensity of urine odor is also an indicator for gender recognition. When a cat becomes sexually mature, he starts with a specific goal - everyone around him should know that a wealthy male lives here.

The older the cat, the stronger its sex drive and the more intense the smell of urine. During the entire phase of active sexual hunting, the smell of urine acquires a very sharp hue, which cannot be eliminated even strongly with "chemistry".

Note! The behavior of an adult, sexually mature animal directly depends on gender.

  • Cats usually more emotional, they defend themselves fiercely.
  • Cats look and indifferent or phlegmatic, but quickly fall into a state of aggression when trying to violate the boundaries of the marked territory.

Visual signs: muzzle, body composition, coat

Most likely, you will be able to distinguish the characteristic features of the structure of the face and body in an adult cat. Visual sex differences are not very noticeable until puberty.

By about one year of age, cats look much drier than cats, but surpass them in the coarseness of the skeleton and the severity of the muscles. Males are clearly visible on the muzzle, they have a wider forehead and bridge of the nose, the features are bright, pronounced with good angles.

Note! Gender differences in the appearance of some cat breeds are almost imperceptible. For example, an adult Briton has developed cheeks, a wide bridge of the nose and a round muzzle, regardless of gender.

In non-castrated males, the coat structure is significantly different from that of females. Due to the constant hormonal changes in the body, non-castrated males produce much more sebum, so the coat looks very shiny and feels tough to the touch.

With good care, the coat on the body looks uniform, but if you look under the tail, you will find a significant fat content of the coat in the genital area.

The physique of the female, regardless of her size, is always more refined. Sexual characteristics may be subtle until the cat has reached maturity. As practice shows, the structure of a cat has several distinctive features: larger eyes, moderately developed cheeks and flews, a high and not too wide forehead.

There are differences in physique:

  • The skeleton of a cat is usually thinner and lighter than that of a cat.
  • According to general impressions, the physique of the cat tends to a truncated rectangle, that is, it looks more knocked down and powerful.
  • The body of the cat usually looks more elongated, as the kittens need to have easy access to the nipples.
  • Due to sexual dimorphism, adult cats have thicker limbs than cats.
  • Visually, the sex of a cat can be distinguished by its thicker tail, paws and hands.

Sex determination in castrated animals

Determining the sex of fluffy, neutered cats is a difficult task. The behavior and structure of the coat do not differ if more than six months have passed since the moment of castration.

The most reliable way to determine gender in this case is to feel the genital area. When the cat is neutered, you will find an empty scrotum.

If you are sexing an unfamiliar animal, it is best to contact your veterinarian, as it is very easy to confuse a castrated cat with.

Often, when deciding to have a pet, the question arises of how to distinguish an animal by gender.

The main ways to determine the sex of a cat

There are several ways to do this:

  • DNA analysis;
  • visual inspection of the genitals;
  • the nature of the kitten;
  • exterior;
  • palpation;
  • color of wool.

The most accurate of the above methods is DNA analysis. This is an expensive laboratory test, so most owners refuse such a test, trying to independently identify the gender.

Visual inspection

Caution, a kitten under 1 month old should not be taken from the mother's cat.

When starting a visual inspection of the genitals, you should remember what absolutely should not be done. You should not pick up a kitten earlier than one month... A mother cat can experience stress, react aggressively, and refuse to feed her babies. Then taking care of the kittens, feeding will fall on the shoulders of the owner.

Do not lift a kitten by the tail, head or neck. It is impossible to delay the held event in time. Babies will experience severe hypothermia - a risk.

It is unacceptable to tear off from feeding.

Difference by gender

The difference in gender is as follows: the distance from the anus to the genitals, the shape of the genitals, the presence of hair.

The difference between a male kitten and a female - schematically

Distance from the anus to the genitals males have an order of magnitude more than in females, is approximately 10 mm. In females, this distance is approximately 3 to 5 mm. For comparison, check all available litter.

The strip between the anus and genitals in cats without hair... In cats, the entire space from the anus to the genitals is covered with hair. There are also differences in the shape of the genitals. In cats, the urinary tract forms a slit in the form of a vertical strip. In cats, it is shaped like a point.

Palpation method

The palpation method consists in probing the genitals of babies. In a newborn cat, the testicles are in the abdominal cavity for a long time and come out after a while, so it is impossible to visually observe them.

It is necessary to gently press on the genital area with closed index and middle fingers. In cats, two small seals are felt, the size of a pea. Cats will not have these seals. It must be remembered that this method does not give one hundred percent guarantee, since a newborn cat may have swelling in the genital area due to hormonal changes.

Cat color mark

Color differences between a cat and a cat in 1 month. Mainly ginger cats, tricolor cats.

The presence of more than two colors in the color of the coat almost always indicates that we are facing a cat. Males are tricolor only in exceptional cases. The red color is inherent in males. It is very rare to see this color in cats.

Conclusion

It is believed that a male kitten will be larger, strong and large paws. Females are usually smaller and fragile. By nature, faster, more assertive.

Anyone who decides to have a pet, for example, a cat, is faced with the question "how to determine the sex of a kitten?" If you make a mistake in this, you can bring an animal into the house, which will cause many problems to the owners. You need to carefully consider whether you want to take a boy or a girl. Each gender has its own advantages and disadvantages that must be considered.

You can find out the sex of a kitten already in the first month of the animal's life with the help of a visual examination. In some breeds, it is easy to see that a kitten will grow into a large cat or kitten. Each person buying a pet can independently determine its gender. This is important not only for choosing the right name, but also for taking proper care of your pet. Cats and cats are very different.

Before determining the gender of a kitten and taking it to your home, you need to understand the behavioral characteristics of cats and cats. Not only the nature of the pet, but also the rules for caring for it largely depends on them. The habits and friendliness of an animal, perhaps, do not depend on its gender. Some animals are active, like communication with the owner, while others prefer an isolated lifestyle. Aggression also does not depend on the sex of the cat. An exception is the period of life of an adult female during the care of kittens. When a mother protects her cubs from all kinds of threats, aggression caused by external stimuli can appear.

Cats

Cats perform the function of giving birth to young kittens. This largely affects her behavior, which changes periodically during estrus. Some cats need physiological needs to be met. Therefore, remember that the "overly temperamental" animal will need to look for a pair or perform a sterilization operation.

Sterilization is an intracavitary operation to remove all of the female's reproductive organs, including the uterus and ovaries.

Problems can also arise with the pathological nature of the course of childbirth after mating your pet. Usually, a qualified veterinarian can help solve them.

Cats

Cats certainly do not require a veterinarian examination during the mating process. But they, as representatives of strong males, show their character in that they mark territory much more often than cats. Such an instinct is aimed at the manifestation of strength and the struggle for living space. It is in those houses where cats are kept that you can often hear a specific cat smell.

Happy owners of males, before having a pet, must decide on his castration, that is, the removal of the testicles. After such a procedure, the smell may disappear or become less noticeable when the animal tries to mark the territory. A neutered cat no longer needs a constant search for a bride. However, if a female is also kept in the house, they can periodically perform sexual intercourse without giving birth to offspring.

Neutered and neutered animals are believed to be less active. The reason for this condition lies in a more stable hormonal background than in individuals capable of producing offspring. According to statistics, animals that underwent sterilization or castration surgery live two years longer. The question of whether to conduct it remains with the owner. Castration is best done when the animal is nine months old. During this period, he became strong enough, but the process of puberty was not completed. It is better to have time to carry out the operation before the first mating. The best age for neutering cats is 7 to 8 months.

How to determine gender when choosing a kitten?

The most reliable way to find out exactly what gender your pet is is to wait for the pet to grow up. In adults, sexual characteristics are more pronounced. So, at three months, cats have two round formations under their tail - these are the testicles. At birth, they are hidden inside and practically invisible during examination. But how to determine the gender of a newborn kitten? In fact, the genitals of even the smallest favorites differ.

You need to know that females have a vulva below the anus, located under the tail, and males have a penis. The vulva, in turn, has a more elongated, rectangular shape. The penis is a round organ. The distance between the vulva and the anus in girls is much less than the distance between the penis and anus, which should also be considered. The color of an animal can help determine its sex. If you have a tricolor kitten in front of you, you can be sure that this is a girl. Cats are never tricolor.

Cats that are 1 - 2 months old require special care for themselves. You can easily harm your kitten if you don't follow special rules. You cannot hold the baby in your hands for a long time, otherwise the kitten's fur will be saturated with a human smell. This will cause the mother to refuse to feed him.

Before determining the sex of a kitten, remember the following guidelines:

  • it is undesirable to touch kittens under three weeks;
  • the baby's tail should be lifted carefully, without exerting effort;
  • when viewed, the animal must stand on a firm horizontal surface;
  • examination can be carried out between feedings;
  • you can not take a kitten if his mother is against human actions;
  • you can not lift the baby by the tail or withers.

If you took a kitten into the house, and it turned out to be not of the gender that you initially thought of, you should not be upset. Females and males have both advantages and disadvantages. The animal will surely reciprocate its loving owner, make your life brighter, and help you cope with daily difficulties. It happens that errors occur, because it is not always, looking at a small kitten, that you can clearly see its gender. By and large, people who are ready to give their pet their care and love should not be so important, a boy in front of them or a girl.

How to determine the gender of a kitten is a fairly common dilemma for most people who want to have a pet. It is difficult to do this in tiny kittens, since there are no pronounced sexual characteristics.

The sex is determined already in the second week of the pet's life. The kittens are still poorly pubescent, which improves visibility. This is especially true for long-haired breeds.

It is more difficult to understand the gender of a baby 2-3 weeks old. The most optimal period is when the cat has reached the age of three months. Their genitals are almost formed. The final formation ends in six months.

How to determine the gender of a newborn kitten

The most accurate determination of the sex of a kitten when it is one week old is to examine the sex characteristics:

  1. In cats, the vulva is located closer to the anus. About five millimeters away. Visually, it resembles the English letter "i". You need to pay attention to this
  2. Distinguish the gender of a newborn boy from the age of 2 weeks. His sexual characteristics resemble a colon. The external genitals are located one and a half centimeters from the anus. In addition, boys have more wool than girls.
  3. You can run your finger over the tummy. The male develops a slight bulge.

What can you do

You need to be very careful when examining your one-month-old baby. What can you do with the kitten:

  • newborn kittens should be held very carefully on the entire surface of the palm, belly down;
  • you can examine a week after birth to determine the sex of a small cat by gently lifting the tail;
  • it is necessary to take the baby in your arms after birth only if the mother-cat does not show aggression towards it;
  • the whole procedure is best done as quickly as possible so as not to stress the baby.

Read also Why cats and cats love valerian

What not to do

In the first days of life, the pet is very fragile and defenseless, like any child. Therefore, in no case should you:

  • carelessly pick up and hold;
  • it is better not to touch weekly kittens, it is recommended to wait a few weeks, the baby needs to get used to the world around him;
  • the smell of the owner will pass on to the baby and an adult cat may refuse to feed him, so it is better not to touch the kitten;
  • in no case should the baby be taken away from feeding.

How to tell a boy's kitten from a girl's

Before starting to examine the animal, you should thoroughly wash your hands. You should pick up the kitten correctly. Place your pet on a warm towel or palm. To discern gender, gently lift your tail. There are several differences between young feline boys and girls.

Distance between anus and genitals

Most new owners do not know how to find out the sex of a kitten by the distance between the anus and genitals. This method of sex determination is quite simple. In girls, the distance between the anus and the genitals is less than in boys. A visual aid for gender determination can be viewed on the Internet. Or watch the video "How to determine the sex of a kitten."

Genital shape

The difference between male and female genitalia lies in their appearance. The genitalia of female cats outwardly looks like the English letter "i", if the sex of the cat is male, then as ":".

Manifestation of the shape of the testicles in kittens boys at 3 months

Of course, the kitten boy has testicles. Unlike an adult animal, they are almost invisible.

Formation takes time. The testicles become more visible at 3 months.

Tactile sensation of the genitals

You can check the sex of the kittens by probing the genitals. Even in a small cat, you can determine the sex in this way, but this should be done as carefully as possible and only with the permission of the mother-cat. Veterinarians do not recommend carrying out the procedure at 1 month of life, since it can harm the baby.