How can I find out the sex of a cat?

It is not always easy to distinguish a male cat from a female, and it is even more difficult to distinguish the sex of a kitten or a neutered male. However, there are telltale signs and behaviors that can make determining a cat's sex easier.

Identifying the sex of a newborn cat

For those adopting a kitten, the new pet is likely only a few weeks old. Newborn and young kittens are so immature that it is almost impossible to tell their sex. However, once they are six to eight weeks old, their genitals become more visually noticeable.

The penis is not normally visible in male cats and the owner is unlikely to be able to feel or see the scrotum. Therefore, the apparent lack of a penis or testicles is not an indication that a kitten is female. As a general rule, breeders use "punctuation marks" to identify the sex of younger or neutered cats.

How to recognize sex

To do this, gently lift the animal's tail; Start by gently stroking and try scratching the cat's little back, as it may automatically lift its tail when it starts to purr.

• Female : When looking at a female cat's genital area, the space just below the tail will look like an upside-down exclamation mark, with the long slit of the vaginal area below the anus. The anus and vagina are usually only half an inch apart, in kittens the anus and vagina may look like dots and may be even closer together.
• Males : The male cat has greater separation between the anus and penis, with the testicles in the center. Both openings look more like dots, circles, or colons than slots or lines.