Cat Gender Information

When choosing a new cat or kitten for your home, deciding on a gender can be a difficult decision. Each gender has its pros and cons, and picking the right one for you depends upon what you want out of cat ownership. Some people want a cuddly, constant companion, while others prefer an independent housemate. While much of a cat's personality is individual, there are certain traits that are related to gender-specific behaviors.

  1. Personality

    • A study done by Purina found that "neutered male cats are overwhelmingly more affectionate and less aggressive than spayed females." Female cats can naturally be wary of strangers, because they are genetically predisposed to protect their young. This behavior can remain intact even after the cat is spayed. There are plenty of affectionate female cats, but males are simply more likely to be cuddly.

    Reproduction

    • Keep in mind that intact female cats will go through a heat cycle twice every year. This yearning for a mate will make her restless, and she may be very vocal at this time. On the other hand, an intact male cat will do anything he can to escape from the house in search of a mate, and may become aggressive toward other males. If a female does become pregnant, seeing her safely through the pregnancy, raising kittens for 8 weeks, and finding them all homes can be a lot of work.

    Behavior

    • Intact male cats are known for spraying around the house, and the odor tends to linger. Males who spend time outdoors are also notorious fighters and can acquire some serious injuries and scars. Female cats do not spray, and they generally do not fight unless their kittens are threatened, but they have been known to urinate outside the litterbox for no particular reason.

    Utility

    • Female cats are better hunters than males, since they are responsible for feeding their kittens. This is not an issue in most homes, but in certain settings like farms, where cats are expected to earn their keep, females are generally more of a threat to the mouse population than males.

    Health

    • Neutered males and spayed females are generally equal when it comes to health, and susceptible to most of the same common disorders. The difference arises when they are left intact. An intact female has a 91 percent greater chance of developing mammary cancer than one who is spayed before her first heat cycle. Mammary cancer is almost always fatal. An unspayed female is also at risk for ovarian or uterine cancer and pyometra, which is a severe uterine infection that can be fatal. Intact male cats are at risk for several types of cancer, but that risk drops severely once they are neutered. Whether a male cat is neutered or not, the long, thin formation of his urethra puts him at a greater risk of urinary obstruction and kidney stones.