Male or Female? Determining the sex of a cat...

Meet Kiki!

This tabby showed up on our doorstep almost four years ago.  It wasn’t the first time an animal had shown up at our house.  We live in the country, and that’s where people primarily dump their unwanted animals. It’s sad, but true.

This cat was older than a kitten, but still quite small. At first we did nothing, but when it wouldn’t leave, we started to feed it little things here and there… so it wouldn’t starve.  The next thing we knew, it took up permanent residence on our deck.  That could have also been from all the love and attention it got from my kids. 

My husband then checked under the tail, and declared, “Yep, it’s a girl.” So “Here kitty kitty,” slowly turned into “Here Kiki,” and that’s how she got her name.

She stays outdoors, never chases mice, never grooms herself, and was content to just eat, drink, and be brushed.  She’s our lazy country cat.    

Just recently, she got really sick, and we had to take her to the vet.  The first thing the vet tech did was lift up Kiki’s tail and she said, “Oh! Well he was someone’s at one point because “she” is a neutered “he”.” The entire visit went by, and I was still reeling. “Holy cow!! Kiki’s a boy!”

The vet even said he looked like a boy.

What!?! I had no idea that the sex of a cat could be determined by its looks.  I knew I had research to do. 

With as many animals that come around my home, I thought it might come in handy… and what a good bit of information to pass along. 

Here’s what I found…

Different ways to determine the sex of a cat:

Genital Check:

The sure fire way is obviously to lift up the tale and look.  **Make sure they are comfortable, because they won’t like you looking.** If there are no visible testicles, look at the distance between the genitals and anus.  A male will have a greater distance between them than a female. One and a half inches (give or take) compared to a half an inch (give or take).

Coloring:

Calico or tortoiseshell colored cats are most likely females.

The color of a cat’s fur is determined by the X chromosomes.  To get the calico coloring, a cat needs 2 X chromosomes.  For a male cat to have the calico or tortoiseshell coloring, he would need to have two X chromosomes along with the Y chromosome that makes him a boy.  This would most likely make him sterile.

While calico and tortoiseshell colored cats are most likely female, more orange or ginger colored cats are male.

Face Shape:

After research upon research, this is what I found.  Determining the sex of a cat from their face is not an accurate way to find out.  Once a cat is spayed or neutered, the difference between them becomes very small, if not nonexistent.

When a male is neutered before 6-7 weeks old, it can cause them to have taller/skinnier faces. 

Unneutered males, or ones that were fixed when they were older develop jowls.  This gives the bottom of their cheeks a fuller look, and causes their faces to appear square.

 

Males also seem to have an aura about them that puts off the message, “Don’t mess with me.”

Females tend to have a shorter and more rounded face.  The tops of their cheeks, or cheekbones as I call them, are fuller and that’s what gives them the more rounded look.

Nipples:

There is a myth that only females have nipples.  That’s not true.  Male cats can have nipples too, but there is no function to them, kind of like the nipples on a man.  Females will have more though, around 6-8.

Behavior:

Males tend to have a more playful behavior.  Non neutered males tend to be more aggressive.  They like to roam, and could even be gone for a day or two.  Males like to mark their territory by spraying their surroundings with strong-smelling urine. **I have also found this to be true for neutered males as well.  If they like it, they mark it.**

Females tend to be more stand offish toward strangers than males, and are less likely to spray their surroundings.   

So now we are nursing a cat back to health and hoping he gets better.  I’m afraid that he’s stuck with the name Kiki though.  It’s been hard enough trying to remember to call him a he, a new name is out of the question. 

I hope this information helps future cat owners if they have a stray wander up to their home that becomes part of the family.  That way any Mr. Cuddles or Ms. Priss will have a correct prefix. 

Has this ever happened to any of you?

What is the strangest name for a cat that you’ve ever heard?

Until next time…

Happy DIY-ing!!!

**All photos, except for my Kiki, are cats waiting for owners at Wayside Waifs, a wonderful animal shelter that really cares for all furry friends that pass through there.**