How to find out the gender of a kitten

A newborn kitten brings joy, tenderness and, of course, great responsibility to the house. And also – a riddle: is it a boy or a girl?

Why define gender

Finding out the gender of a new family member does not hurt, even if you are equally happy with both the cat and the cat. First of all, this knowledge will be useful for choosing a nickname – it is undesirable to change it in adulthood, as the pet gets used to it. In addition, you can predict the physiology and behavior of a new pet and plan procedures such as castration or sterilization.

How to understand what gender a kitten is

Consult with a specialist A veterinarian or an experienced breeder can distinguish the sex of kittens already in the first days of life. And for a 100% guarantee of the result, you can conduct a DNA test – it will determine not only gender, but also a tendency to genetic diseases. This method requires significant financial costs, but is justified for those who breed thoroughbred animals. Without exact knowledge of the sex of a kitten, it will not be possible to draw up a metric and a sales contract. Explore on your own The main visual difference in kittens is the distance between the genitals and the anus. In cats, it is more pronounced and more noticeable – from 1 to 2 cm, while in cats – only 5 mm. Pay attention to the shape of the genitals: in males they resemble a colon, in females – the letter “i” or a semicolon.

In this way, it is easiest to establish the sex of kittens immediately after they are born, until the fur has dried out and closed the view. When the babies become fluffy, it will be more difficult to conduct an inspection. feel out Thus, it is possible to determine the presence (or absence) of testicles in a kitten. This sex determination method will be effective if the kitten is already two months old. Close your index and middle fingers and gently palpate the area between the urethra and anus. In cats, it will be smooth and even, and if you find small paired formations in the shape of peas, you have a cat!

Examine external features The easiest way to determine the sex of tricolor and red kittens. The former are almost certainly females, while the latter are males. Additional external signs of sex are the structural features of the body and the shape of the muzzle. As a rule, cats have more graceful outlines, and cats are angular and have a larger head.

[Finish as CUT] Any external sign is not a 100% indicator of sex. It can be influenced by hereditary factors or breed characteristics – for example, Maine Coons of both sexes have sharp muzzles.

Rate Behavior It is believed that cats from infancy are more active and aggressive than cats: they are the first to demand food and hiss when trying to take them by the scruff of the neck. Whereas female kittens are more alert, but also more clean. However, these signs are not reliable – you may have an active cat or a phlegmatic cat growing up.

Trust folk tales Namely, to watch how kittens drink milk. In the process, cats should proudly lift their tail up, and cats should shyly lower it to the floor.

There is no evidence for such a theory, but if you wish, you can conduct an experiment at home.

How to handle a kitten when determining sex

If you did not determine the sex of the animal immediately after birth, it is better to postpone the procedure for 3-4 weeks. If the kitten is already a month old, you can conduct an examination subject to the following rules:

• Do not take the kitten away from its mother for more than a few minutes.
• Do not tear him away from the feeding process.
• Before the procedure, wash your hands – without soap or with unscented soap.
• Make sure your hands are warm.
• Take the kitten in your arms carefully so as not to damage its fragile bones and organs.
• Do not pull or tug on the kitten’s tail.
• If it breaks out, postpone the procedure.
• Turn the kitten on the palm of your hand with its belly up and carefully inspect.
• In order not to worry the baby and his mother with a long wait, instead of a thorough examination of the “nature”, you can photograph the genital area.

Completed the mission to “determine the gender”? Move on to the next – “choose a nickname”!