11 Ways How To Tell If A Kitten Is Male Or Female
When you raise a female cat, maybe you will someday have a moment where your cat is pregnant and gives birth to cute and adorable kittens. Well, at this point you may be thinking and wondering whether the kitten from your cat is a male kitten or a female kitten.
Determining the sex of a kitten when the cat is a newborn or only a few weeks old can be difficult. But if you really pay close attention then determining the sex of the kitten whether it is male or female may not be too difficult.
Even without having to go to the vet, you can determine the sex of your kitten.
11 Ways To Tell If A Kitten Is Male Or Female
Knowing whether a kitten is male or female, can be said to be easy and difficult. It's difficult if we don't have the intention to learn it and easy if we know the science and are used to determining the gender of our kitten.
There are many things about kittens that can help us determine the sex of a kitten. Starting from the shape of the body, face and behavior can help us in determining whether our kitten is male or female.
For more details about this, I will tell you in detail how to tell if a kitten is male or female on this occasion. Here are the steps on how to determine the sex of a kitten according to the Angora version.
1. Wait Until The Kitten Is 3 Or 4 Weeks Old
The older the kitten, the easier it will be for us to determine whether the kitten is male or female. Because with the increasing age of the kitten, the genitals will also grow bigger and the shape will become clearer.
It is possible for us to check the sex of the kitten a few days after birth. However, the error rate of cat sex validation can be large unless sex determination is done by someone who is an expert such as a doctor, then the error will be low.
I can say that because in the past when i examined a 1 week old kitten and was sure that it was a female kitten. Who would have thought that after he was 1 month old i was very surprised that the kitten was a male cat.
Not that his gender changed magically all of a sudden but I was the one who misjudged his gender when he was only a few days old.
2. Choose A Convenient And Safe Location
Before starting to determine the sex of the kitten, it is better to first find a safe and comfortable place for the kitten. A safe and comfortable location must meet the following criteria :
The Place Or Location Is A Warm Room
We need to know that kittens are very susceptible to low temperatures. That is the reason why kittens are so dependent on the temperature of their mother. However, the place or location chosen must be warm but not too hot because this can also make the kitten experience health problems.
Has A Soft Pad For Kittens To Lay On
The soft base serves to keep the kitten comfortable and safe when it is actively moving or even when the kitten is sleeping. This will also make it easier for us to examine the kitten's genitals.
No Cats Or Other Animals
The nature of cannibalism in male cats will appear when there are male kittens that have just been born or are still under 1 month old in the vicinity. The nature of this cannibalism may not only apply to other cats but also to other animals.
When conducting a sex check of a kitten it is important for us to make sure that there are no other male cats or other animals around us during the examination. For the nature of cannibalism itself, usually only adult male cats have and their usual target is baby male cats.
But not infrequently there are also cases of male cats preying on female kittens as well. Because the cat was also preyed on by other adult male cats even though my own baby kitten was a female baby.
Does Not Have A Heat-Absorbing Surface
We recommend that you do not place the kitten on surfaces such as marble and other things that might absorb heat from the kitten's body and make the kitten's temperature hotter.
Can Be Reached By The Parent
Separating the kitten from the mother can make the kitten sick because the kitten is very dependent on heat and milk from its mother.
3. Lift The Kitten's Tail
To check whether the kitten is male or female, we first lift the kitten's tail and clean the bottom. Clean the buttocks until clean to make it easier for us to check the sex of the cat. Clean with a cotton swab or other object so as not to injure the kitten's sensitive skin.
Then lift the kitten and hold its tail and gently lift the cat's tail up. If the kitten won't lift its tail then don't force it and pull it up. You can slide the tail to the right or to the left if the kitten doesn't want the tail to be lifted up. After the tail is lifted, you can now more freely see the genitals of your kitten.
4. Check the Kitten's Gender
After the kitten's tail is lifted, you can determine your cat's genitals. Usually female kittens will have a shape like I when connected with her bottom. While the male kitten will be in the shape of an I plus a colon or a bulge between the letter I so that the shape becomes like +.
5. Check The Genital Distance With The Kitten's Anus
Usually the female kitten's genital opening will look closer to the anus compared to male kittens whose sex position looks very far away compared to female kittens. So that you are more confident in distinguishing between female and male kittens in this way.
Then you can compare the distance of the genital positions of male and female cats simultaneously.
6. Examine The Kitten's Scrotum
Look at the bottom of the kitten's anus for two small bumps or not. If you find it but are still unsure then you can gently rub the part to feel for 2 small lumps the size of a pea. This small lump scientific language is the scrotum.
The scrotum is part of the male reproductive system and this part will not be found in female cats. If your cat has a scrotum then you can be sure your kitten is a male cat. Meanwhile, if your cat don't have it then your kitten is a female cat.
7. Kitten's Fur Color
Cats that have a calico color or three-striped cats and cats that have a tortoishell color (reddish black) need two X chromosomes to appear. Two X chromosomes are usually only owned by female cats while male cats only have one X chromosome.
Well, if your kitten has 2 colors, you can be sure your kitten is a female. It is possible for male kittens to have this coloration but it only occurs in cats with a rare genetic disease. Meanwhile, if the kitten is orange with stripes, the cat tends to be a male cat.
8. Watch For Signs Of Estrus In Cats
Female cats will experience a heat cycle which is commonly called ( Estrusn ). After over 4 weeks of age, a female cat that is not sterile will develop estrus fever. This fever can occur or last for 2-19 days.
The average estrus cycle in unmarried female cats is about 8 days, but this cycle is usually shorter in mated cats because mating triggers ovulation. The cat will experience an estrus cycle if she is a female. Signs of a cat experiencing estrus are as follows:
It becomes more frequent to meow and the meowing sound is very loud, even like screaming.
Always wanted to run away from home.
Very good and very spoiled.
The female cat will stand on her front legs while stretching her body backwards, lifting the back of her body and tail.
Like to spray or pee carelessly
9. Check For The Smell Of Cat Urine
Adult male cats who are ready to mate will usually start spraying their urine carelessly. The cat will spray on the wall or in any location he wants. Spraying behavior will be experienced by all male cats without exception even if your cat is an obedient cat. The smell of male cat urine is very strong and is not liked by many people.
10. Look At The Cat's Body And Face Shape
You can also determine the sex of your kitten by looking at its body and face shape. Male cats will have stronger muscles and larger bodies than females and the lower part of their tails will secrete an oily compound known as sebum.
You can see the secretion of these compounds at the base of the tail such as oily hair, thinning hair, blackheads, rashes or skin infections and bad odors. While the female cat's face is usually smaller and more elongated than the female cat's face.
11. Ask the Experts
If you still find it difficult or can't determine the gender, then you can ask someone who is more expert. Such as going to veterinarians, pet shops, cat lover communities and other experts.
Asking the easier one will be easier and maybe more convincing for those of you who are having trouble or doubts about the gender of your kitten.
Conclusion
There are many things we can do to check the sex of a kitten. The stages of this method include :
Wait Until the Kitten Is 3 Or 4 Weeks Old
Choose A Convenient and Safe Location
Lift The Kitten's Tail
Check The Kitten's Gender
Check Sex Distance With Kitten's Anus
Examine The Kitten's Scrotum
Kitten's Fur Color
Watch For Signs Of Estrus In Cats
Check Cat Pee Smell
See the Cat's Body And Face Shape
Ask the Expert
Maybe that's all the information I can share about how to tell if a kitten is male or female. Hopefully reading this article can help you find out the sex of your kitten and be useful for you.
