Not sure if your kitten is male or female? Differences in male and female genitalia can be more difficult to see than in adult cats. But if you know what to watch out for, determining the sex of a kitten shouldn't be too difficult. A vet's opinion can make you feel more confident, although even veterinarians can sometimes misjudge a kitten's sex.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Paying Attention to Cat's Genitals
Step 1. Make sure your kitten is in a warm and safe environment
While this may sound obvious, kittens are very susceptible to cold temperatures. Until a kitten can warm itself, it relies heavily on its mother's body heat. Separating a kitten from its mother can make it sick. To avoid getting sick kittens, follow these guidelines when handling and trying to determine their gender:
- Place the kitten in a warm room.
- Do not separate the kitten from its mother for more than 5 - 10 minutes.
- Do not place the kitten on a "heat-absorbing" surface such as a marble table which will draw heat away from its body.
Step 2. Gently lift the kitten's tail
Examining a cat's genitals is a great way to determine the sex directly. Kittens may be reluctant (this is understandable) to let you lift their tail and expose their genitals. Always do it gently. Doing so in a forceful motion can make the kitten feel sick and angry to defend himself. Avoid holding the cat's tail alone, because this part is very vulnerable.
- Gently rub the kitten for a few minutes before placing it on a clean soft towel and lifting its tail. Be prepared to return the kitten to its mother if it shows signs of fighting back.
- Place the kitten in a standing position with its head away from you.
- Lift -- don't pull or tug -- the tail.
- If your kitten is reluctant to let you check under its tail, try asking someone else for help. Others can help by gently holding the kitten in their arms while you gently lift the tail.
- You can also try getting the kitten to lift its tail on its own by rubbing where the kitten's back meets its tail.
- Kittens should have two holes. The top hole is the anus, while the bottom hole is the male or female genitalia.
Step 3. Check the shape of the bottom hole
If you have more than one kitten, you can compare them side by side. It will be easier to tell male and female kittens apart by comparing them directly.
- The female cat's genital opening will look like a vertical wedge. Together with the anal canal, the female kitten's genitals will appear to resemble the letter "i".
- Male genital hole will look like a small hole. Together with the anus, the male kitten's genitals will look like a sign (:).
Step 4. Check the distance between the two holes
Female kittens are shorter than males, so you can use this distance to determine the sex of the kittens.
- A kitten's genital opening is higher and closer to the anus.
- The male kitten's genital opening is far below the anus.
Step 5. Check for testes
The testes in male kittens are not always obvious but can still be examined. Just never change the male genitals forcibly. Kitten penises are still very vulnerable -- trying to lengthen a kitten's penis (which would normally be stretched) can cause long-term damage.
- Pay close attention to the distance between the genital opening and the anus. If you see a small bulge, it is likely the scrotum, and thus the kitten is male.
- If you can't detect the scrotum visually, you can feel it in your kitten when it's at least a month or two. To do this, gently press the area between the anus and the cat's genitals. You may feel a lump or two the size of a pea. Note that in very young male kittens -- younger than a month or two -- the testicles may be pulled into the inguinal canal and may not be felt yet.
Method 2 of 2: Paying attention to parts other than the cat's genitals
Step 1. Pay special attention to the color of the fur
The color of a cat's coat can give an indication of its gender.
- Certain colors, such as calico (mostly black, white, and orange) and tortoiseshell (a pattern of black, marble, orange/brown, and sometimes white stripes) are carried by the X chromosome and require two X chromosomes to appear. Thus, since females have two X chromosomes while males have only one, male cats cannot have this coloration unless they have a rare gene disorder.
- Cats with orange striped fur are more likely to be male cats.
Step 2. Watch for signs of a heat cycle (estrus)
After about 6 - 10 weeks of age (and in certain breeds of cats at 4 weeks), most non-infertile female cats will begin to show signs of "hot" (scientifically referring to "estrus"). Female cats can be hot for 2-19 days. The average estrus cycle in an unmarried female cat is about 8 days, but this cycle is often shorter in a mated cat, because mating triggers ovulation. A hot cat will show certain signs, which indicate that the cat is female. These signs include:
- Start meowing louder, louder, and more often. His voice would get louder over time, and begin to sound like a scream.
- Shows a strong desire to go outside.
- Being very affectionate, even to inanimate objects.
- Exhibits "show-off" behavior, i.e. a female cat standing on her front paws, extending her back and pulling up on the back end of her body and tail.
- Squirt urine.
Step 3. Check for a strong urine odor
When a male cat that is not sterile matures sexually, he often gets used to spraying pungent urine.
- A male cat may start squirting urine outside his litter box, even if he is usually docile.
- This urine has a special pungent odor that most people will not like.
Step 4. Examine the shape of the cat's body and face
You probably won't be able to see a cat's physical differences until he's sexually mature. However, once a cat is old enough, there are a few areas to pay attention to.
- Male cats that are not sterile are usually more muscular, with larger bones in their skulls and jaws.
- Male cats also usually have what's called a "stud tail." A series of glands at the bottom of its tail secrete an oily compound called sebum. The secretion of this compound can be seen near the base of the tail, in the form of oily hairs; sparse, thin, or imperfect fur; comedo; rash or skin infection; and/or foul smell.
Warning
- Avoid checking cats that are less than three or four weeks old. Kittens younger than three or four weeks old can absorb too much human scent, making it difficult for their mothers to recognize them. If this happens, the mother cat may resist it, and the kitten may die from lack of heat and nutrients.
- Just as a kitten may be reluctant to let you examine it, a mother cat may also become restless and display a defensive attitude if she senses her kitten is in danger. Always make sure that the mother cat is comfortable with her kittens being examined before you pick them up. If at some point, the mother cat is angry, or depressed, stop and return the kitten to her.
