How to find out if a cat or a cat was born. How to identify kittens boy or girl. Little kittens: how to distinguish a boy from a girl. When can I find out the sex of a kitten

Determining the sex of a cat up to 3 months is not always possible even for experienced breeders and veterinarians. The genitals are not yet fully formed, and outwardly, cats and cats are similar at an early age. But there are several signs by which kittens can be distinguished.

How to determine the sex of a newborn kitten

A good way to find out the sex of newborn animals is to examine their genitals.

A cat or a cat will have a difference:

In girls, the vulva is located close to the anus, at a distance of about 5 mm. Outwardly, both organs resemble a beech i or a semicolon.
In newly born boys, the genitals look like a colon. At 1 - 1.5 cm from the anus is the scrotum with testicles, under it is the opening of the foreskin. Also, males have more hair between the anus and penis than cats.
Another sign is to run your index finger over your stomach. If the baby is a male, a slight bulge will be felt.

It is easier to identify kittens at a young age from the same litter, as the difference is determined by comparison.

If you need to find out the gender of one cat or kitty, it is better to first look at thematic photos or videos.

What can be done

Examine the animal carefully so as not to harm it:

the baby is taken with the whole brush, grabbing from above, fingers are closed on the chest and stomach;
a person should place the crumbs in the palm of your hand or flat space;
carefully raise the tail and examine the cat's organ.

What Not to Do

When visually determining the sex of an animal, it is prohibited:

take or pull by the tail, paws, scruff;
take a newborn from a cat in an evil state;
tear off the crumbs during feeding;
take the baby with hands with a smell - the mother may consider him "alien";
put pressure on the genitals;
damage or break off the remnants of the umbilical cord;
keep the animal longer than 1 - 2 minutes - it may freeze, since thermoregulation is not yet developed.

At what age can you determine the sex of a kitten

Outwardly, it is easier to find out the sex of animals when they are 1 week old. They have not yet completely pubescent, and visibility is better. This is especially true for breeds with long hair or thick undercoat: Persian, British and Scottish kittens.

But at this age it is easy to make a mistake. It is even more difficult to understand the sex of 2 - 3-week-old animals: their hair grows and "closes" the view.

Kittens are easiest to identify when they are 3 months old, as the genitals are already well formed. With confidence, boys can be distinguished from girls at six months, when full puberty occurs.

Sexual characteristics in kittens

The main sexual characteristics of cats include:

the shape of the genitals;
external signs;
behavioral factors.

When they appear (1 - 2 months)

The first sexual characteristics between females and males appear at 1 month. At 4-12 weeks, testicles appear in cats: they descend into the scrotum from the abdominal cavity.

In some animals, maturation occurs later. This distinguishes large, massive breeds: the British, Maine Coons, Ragdolls.

At 3 - 4 months, kittens can already be distinguished by external signs - weight, shape of the muzzle, expression of the eyes. And at 6 - 8 months, in adulthood, behavioral factors appear - cats start estrus, cats mark their territory.

How and how are they different

Newborn cats and cats are similar to each other.

The first external differences appear at 2 months:

Cats grow faster and gain weight, cats are smaller and more elegant.
Females are more playful than males.
The look and expression of the muzzle of the boys is calm, haughty. Girls are alert and searching.
In cats, the chest is powerful and deep, the paws are larger, with large pads.
Both sexes have nipples, but cats have larger nipples.

These differences can be seen both in the photo (above) and in the video.

Is it possible to determine the sex of a kitten by other signs

You can also understand what gender the baby is by external differences: muzzle, voice and color.

On the muzzle

You can tell a cat from a cat by its face. In males, it is massive, with a wide nose, forehead and large cheekbones. They also have thicker necks. The female sign is refined, miniature features.

By voice

I will color

Only a cat can be tortoiseshell or tricolor. This is due to genetic characteristics. The X chromosomes are responsible for the transmission of orange and black. If the animal has both shades - with 99% it is a female. In 1%, such a fur coat occurs in males due to genome disorders. They have 3 chromosomes - XXY - and are sterile.

With a red coat most often there are cats. It also depends on genetics. They get the red gene from their mother. But cats must immediately adopt two of these genes from both parents.

The sex of small kittens can be recognized by several features. In the first days after birth, he is recognized by the shape of the genitals, sometimes by color. And when the animal reaches 3 - 4 months - according to external signs: muzzle, voice and weight.

Often the owners doubt who they have in their hands: a boy or a girl? How to distinguish a cat from a cat? How can you tell the gender of a kitten?

How to find out the gender of a kitten

Any adult knows the difference between a cat and a cat. The main difference is the external genitalia. Males have testicles (testicles), females have a genital slit (vulva). But such differences are noticeable only in adult pets, when the testicles are already descending into the scrotum and become visible. While the males are still small, it is extremely difficult to recognize by this sign, because under the tail you will still notice 2 holes. Therefore, there are other signs that allow you to recognize who is in your hands: a boy or a girl.

The easiest way to determine the sex of a kitten is while it is still very small (when there is still no thick coat that makes it difficult to look closely). Just be very careful not to harm your baby. Take the crumbs with washed hands, wiped dry, making sure that the mother cat is not against your manipulations.

Place your baby on your palm with your tummy and very gently lift the tail. You need to evaluate the shape of natural holes and the distance between them. This will be the main difference between a cat and a cat.

So, in the male you will see 2 rounded holes, the distance between which is approximately about a centimeter. Many compare this arrangement of holes with a colon. Between these "points" testicles will appear in the near future. Sometimes, with very careful probing, you can find “peas” at this place. Just do not press hard, do not disturb the baby. If you press hard, you can injure the kitten.

In the female, the distance between the holes is very small, they are practically adjacent to each other. In addition, the lower hole will be “elongated” (after all, the genital gap). Therefore, such an arrangement is compared with an exclamation mark, only inverted.

With age, the distance between the "points" in males increases and "overgrown" with hair. In females, such “fouling” is not observed, and the distance between the holes becomes about a centimeter.

How to distinguish an adult cat from a cat

Of course, if the cat is not neutered, then distinguishing between animals is easy. The external genitalia will give out a male and a female. The task becomes more complicated if the cat is castrated and his testicles are removed. Therefore, to determine the floor, you need to estimate the distance between the holes. In males, even neutered ones, it is large (much more than a centimeter), while in cats, the anus and genital slit are located very close to each other.

There are other ways to determine the sex of a cat, but they are rather "folk", because they do not give a 100% guarantee.

Folk signs in determining gender

Avid cat lovers will tell you how a cat differs from a cat without looking under the tail. Just by looking at the muzzle and taking the pet in their arms, they will say with a probability of 99% whether they are seeing a male or a female now.

muzzle. In cats, it is wider, in cats it is elongated, narrow. The nose of males is also wider than that of a girl. But if there is no one to compare with, there is no such experience in dealing with meowing pets, then the probability of making a mistake is high.
Gait. Usually females are more graceful, moving smoothly, barely audible. But there are also individuals who move around the house with such a clatter, as if a herd of elephants ran through.
Behavior. Cats sleep more time, while cats want to explore everything around, are more curious and are less likely to be handled. Females are more clean, ready to constantly lick themselves. In addition, the girl in most cases will refuse to drink and eat from dirty bowls, while the cat is less picky.

Color. It's no secret that you can't meet tricolor cats (extremely rare, only with a genetic mutation, so cats with tricolor colors are sterile). Also, if you notice a tortoiseshell color, be sure that the female is in front of you. You can be guided by the same confidence if you see an animal with the color of calico in front of you. But if in front of you is a purr with a reddish hue (some call the color of cinnamon), then you have a real male. It's all to do with genetics. You can't argue against her.

So the long-awaited and exciting birth has passed, your pet has rewarded you with cute and very similar babies, and right there the question arises in your head: “How to determine the sex of a kitten?”.

And to do this is not as easy as it might seem. This article contains different ways to determine the sex of kittens.

Is it possible to determine the sex of newborn cubs

To start raising a kitten, it is very important to determine the sex as early as possible (preferably in infancy). This way you can apply the correct taming technique to the tray, scratching post and bathing, as well as pick up certain food, vitamins and make the necessary vaccinations.

To understand exactly whether a newborn baby is a boy or a girl, due to the structural features of the body, at first glance, is almost impossible. Do not despair and seek help from a veterinarian or a familiar felinologist!

As a rule, children of different sexes are born in a cat's litter. This feature will help you almost unequivocally identify boys and girls among babies. To determine the sex, you just need to compare the genitals of kittens.

The body of babies is still very weak, so you need to act with extreme caution:

gently take the kitten by the scruff of the neck (as a mother cat does) and place it belly down in your palm;
then carefully raise the baby to eye level, so that you can easily inspect everything;
slowly lift the tail;
start visual sex determination.

Photo: the example shows that the genitals of newborns are different, on the left is a boy, on the right is a girl

You should know that the genitals of newborn kittens are just beginning to form. Therefore, pay attention to the distance between the genitals and the anus: in girls it is much less than in boys.

When visually inspecting, be careful and try not to scare the newborn kitten and not harm him. If the baby begins to meow plaintively, his mother will become seriously worried: start calling her kids, constantly dragging them to new shelters.

You can also observe the behavior of newborns. Usually girls are more calm, sleep a lot and eat with great pleasure. Boys, on the other hand, squeak more often, looking for new adventures, climbing on their mother or crawling around the house.

Never "check" the floor too often or aggressively. Firstly, you will only get more confused in your conclusions, and secondly, such actions create a lot of stress for both the mother cat and her babies.

Try to keep the following tips in mind:

do not lift kittens by the tail;
do not take the babies away from the mother during feeding;
do not try to feel something in the pet's genital area - you can damage the fragile body;
it is better not to touch the kittens unnecessarily, as someone else's smell can scare the mother cat and make her abandon the children.

At what age can you accurately determine the sex of a kitten

You can absolutely find out who the kitten is only after two months. By this time, sexual characteristics are already developing quite strongly.

Photo: at the age of two months, cats and seals become different

Toddlers begin to lead an almost independent lifestyle, gradually moving away from their mother. The difference in behavior, look, habits and even the daily routine of boys and girls will be immediately visible.

As a rule, cats are quite soft, affectionate, very active and playful. Their gaze is distinguished by special attentiveness and kindness. Kitty girls love attention and love to be carried like princesses in their arms.

But the real pranksters grow out of the boys! They will be happy to captivate their brothers and sisters in games. Kitten boys are ready for pranks, mischievous lights immediately begin to play in their eyes.

If you do not notice their approach in time, they will bite your hand, pull your hair, jump, and try to grab other pets by the ear and tail.

You can also pay attention to the color and shape of the muzzle. This method is effective and allows you to draw a certain conclusion at an early age.

Methods for determining

Among modern felinologists, various methods of determining the sex of kittens are practiced. There are both quite simple and traditional methods, and with the use of high technology.

For the genitals

The easiest and most reliable way to find out who a pet is is a simple visual assessment of the animal's genitals. The main advantage of this method is the ability to find out the sex of the baby as early as possible.

Girls have a vertical stripe (vulva), from a distance resembling an inverted "i". Also, the genitals of cats are located almost close to the anus. If you notice a colon under the pet's tail, then you have a boy in front of you.

Photo: the area under the tail in seals and cats is very different

Also, small cats have small swelling in this area, testicles. They will form only by two or three months. But there were cases when, due to the structural features of the body, girls had similar ones, and in boys, the testicles “hid” in the abdominal cavity for up to three months.

Controversial situations often lead to a stupor of owners who have encountered this for the first time and do not know exactly how to determine the sex of a kitten. At 2 months, the characteristic differences between girls and boys are clearly outlined.

By color

Many people suggest determining the sex by the color of the animal. Do not underestimate this method or take it as a joke. In fact, by the number of colors on the fur coat and the pattern, cats can be easily distinguished from cats.

A certain set of genes and a combination of chromosomes are responsible for the appearance of wool. Biological analysis in studies has shown that only cats are tricolored.

For such a combination, two X chromosomes are required, which only females have. Very rarely, abnormal tortoiseshell (multicolor) cats were born, but they were sterile.

Photo: only cats have tortoiseshell color

Different coat pigments are directly linked to genes and sex. Statistics have shown that cats are most often completely red.

Photo: cats can boast a red coat

By behavior

It would seem that cats and cats are very similar to each other. They are excellent hunters, loyal companions and avid dormice. How to determine the sex of a kitten? At 3 months, you can notice small changes in the behavior of babies.

After watching the brood quite a bit, you will see that girls and boys have their own habits and behavior:

teenage cats try to look like adults in everything, sharpen their claws and rub their faces against various objects, marking the territory;
girls are more active than boys, they play with pleasure for a long time and sleep much less;
cats are often more sociable, love to sleep with people, hug and kiss;
girls, on the other hand, usually demonstrate their independence and rest alone;
beautiful pets are more clean: they lick themselves more often and require a neat bed and toilet;
boys behave more confidently and slightly arrogantly.

Despite the fact that the behavior of cats and seals is different, you should not rely on this method completely.

Probing

Sometimes it is difficult to determine the sex of a kitten purely visually. Palpation will help to unequivocally resolve your doubts and at the same time will not bring any inconvenience to the pet.

Another advantage of this method is the ability to determine the sex of the baby at a very early age.

Photo: palpation should be carried out as carefully as possible

Carefully take the kitten in the palm of your hand and gently feel the place under the anus opening.

If you feel slight swelling, then you have a boy. Of these, testicles will form by two months. In female cats, the area under the ponytail will be smooth without protrusions.

However, sometimes the palpation method misfires. Some cats have peculiar swellings (due to the peculiar structure of the body), which are easy to confuse with male genital organs. Also, in small cats, the testicles are often located in the abdominal cavity.

You can also determine the sex of a pet by the coat in the area under the tail. Take the kitten and gently slide your finger between the anus and the genitals. Girls in this area have practically no wool, but boys have quite thick hair.

Other

In addition to the above methods for determining sex, there are other, less used, but still effective methods.

They are very different: there are both innovative (using high technology) and quite traditional (based on the pet's physiology).

You can definitely determine the sex of a pet using a DNA test. Experienced specialists in the clinic will conduct an analysis and give an accurate conclusion within a week.

However, not all cities have equipment for a complex test, and the procedure is quite expensive. This method is not common, since it is possible to determine the sex of a kitten in a simpler way.

It is also worth paying attention to the difference in the development of girls and boys. In cats, puberty begins earlier (at six months) than in boys (at seven to twelve months). Therefore, by sign you can confirm what gender your pet is.

Also, cats, as a rule, mark their territory more often, scratch things they like more. Girls are relatively neater, they carefully treat the environment around them.

Seals have more smelly urine, which is associated with the natural need to clearly mark the boundaries of their territory.

Some people manage to determine the sex of pets by the muzzle. If you look closely at these animals, you will notice that cats have smoother and more refined features, while cats, on the contrary, are a little rougher and tougher. The size of the head also varies. Girls have significantly smaller heads than boys.

Photo: cats and cats have different shapes and sizes of muzzles

The physique of animals is also a clear indicator of their gender. Kittens have a thinner and more flexible body. It creates the impression of extraterrestrial grace. But in cats, the body is stronger, stockier, designed for the need to protect their own territory.

However, this method has a major disadvantage. Baby kittens have almost the same body type, which makes it very difficult to determine the sex visually.

Caution in handling kittens

When examining babies, you need to be as careful as possible. The body of the kittens is not yet strong, so even an accidental awkward movement or a slight use of force can injure the pet.

Photo: when examining kittens you need to be careful

It is very important to consider the age of the kitten. Newborn babies should not be separated from their mother until they reach the age of one month.

You need to carefully lift the kittens by the scruff of the neck (in no case by the tail!), Lightly holding it. Try not to hold the baby in your arms for more than two minutes, otherwise his mother will be very worried.

If you are going to palpate, then try to feel as softly as possible. An accidental wrong press can lead to a sad outcome.

Determining the sex of a kitten is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. With just a little practice, you will be able to distinguish a boy from a girl even by the outlines of the muzzle.

Video: How to determine the sex of a newborn kitten

Video: determining the sex of a kitten

Many owners of pets such as cats often find themselves in difficulty when they need to determine the sex of newborn kittens for their furry pet. The question is especially acute when the owner of the cat is not a breeder, or when a good-natured person brings a small fluffy lump from the street and cannot independently find out whether it is a boy or a girl. How to determine the sex of a kitten? How to carry out this procedure correctly and what to look for? All these questions have full and detailed answers.

When can you determine the sex of a kitten

In fact, you can even determine whether a baby is a girl or a boy in the first moments after birth. It's even easier, because the baby in the first days of life does not yet have a thick coat, which often makes it difficult to determine the sex.

A newly born kitten is still wet and almost bald, if you carefully look under his tail, you can immediately understand who it is, a cat or a cat.

How to determine gender by behavior

It is no less easy to find out the sex of a pet and at an older age, when the character of the animal begins to form, puberty sets in, and this is what says a lot. If a pet grows up in a healthy, balanced environment, eats well, and has everything for a comfortable cat life, then the owner, who does not understand the sexual characteristics of his furry friend, It's worth watching his behavior for a bit:

How to recognize gender by cleanliness

Experienced breeders have long been able to determine who is in front of them, a cat or a cat, according to the degree of cleanliness of the animal. This is not difficult at all, because cats spend a lot of time on their fur, which they carefully lick and wash. Cats, on the contrary, are not very interested in the state of their own coat, therefore, they can be found much less often behind “bath” procedures. Also, cats smell nicer than cats.

How to distinguish a cat from a cat by color

If the fluffy lump is still too small to recognize its gender in the usual way, or its sexual characteristics confuse the owner, then you can find out all the information by the color of his coat. There are two absolutely accurate hypotheses:

the pet's coat has three colors - it's definitely a cat. Nature arranged it so that only females can have a tricolor color (white in combination with red and sulfur). Males are extremely rarely born with such colored hair, and if they are born, then, as a rule, they do not bring offspring;
red color - most often it is the prerogative of cats, not cats.

In other variants (black, white and black-and-white), cats and cats are found equally.

How to carry out the gender recognition procedure: photos, videos, step-by-step instructions and precautions

Important precautions should be remembered, because the kitten is still very small and fragile, besides, the cat itself can show increased aggression if a person does something against the rules. . And the rules are:

The photo shows in detail the method for determining the sex of the animal. Here you can see the sexual characteristics of both a boy kitten and a girl kitten.

Approximately by the same principle, you can distinguish a cat from a cat by palpation, or probing the tummy. You can only do this with a pet that is already one month old:

first you need to carefully put the pet on its back;
smoothly draw with two fingers from the bottom of the cat's tummy to the anus;
if the testicles are palpable in that area, then this is a small cat.

It is important to remember that when tactilely determining the sex of a cat, in no case should you press hard on the pet's tummy! It might hurt him!

How to determine the gender of a British kitten

Determining the sex of British kittens is sometimes more difficult than it can be done with ordinary felines. The fact is that babies are born fluffy This is what makes the process difficult. However, this procedure is done according to the standard scheme:

You can carry out the procedure for determining the sex of a kitten at any age of the baby, the main thing is to do it as carefully as possible so as not to harm the animal.

The question "how to determine the sex of a kitten" will not arise if you purchase it in a cattery. Another thing is if you picked up a kitten on the street or your cat was born for the first time, and you can't wait to find out the gender composition of her litter.

Why determine the sex of a kitten

Let's say you found a very small kitten in the yard and you would quite reasonably want to know who became the new member of your family - a boy or a girl.

Benefits of Information

Cats and cats differ in habits: the former are independent, less compliant and phlegmatic, the latter are more affectionate, mobile and inquisitive. Of course, this is a very approximate division, since the character is given from birth, and then slightly adjusted by the future owner.
The periods of sexual hunting, as well as maturation, take place in different ways. Cats are taken to mark the territory, and cats - to demonstrate readiness for mating (bending, rolling on the floor and meowing invitingly). A cat will never breed in a hem, but a free-roaming cat is easy.
It is necessary to determine the gender of the kitten for the correct choice of a nickname - female or male. You can, of course, cheat and call your pet a bisexual name, for example, Michelle or Mango.

The sex of newly born kittens will be accurately determined by an experienced breeder or veterinarian. If you are neither one nor the other, learn to do it yourself or wait until the sexual characteristics of the animal become evident (this will happen at about 2-3 months of age).

Preparation for the procedure

Rules to consider if you intend to recognize the gender of your pet without outside help:

wash your hands thoroughly (preferably without soap or with soap without perfume fragrance);
make sure that the mother of the kitten is sympathetic;
carry out the manipulation quickly so as not to irritate the animals (adult and small);
the kitten's body is not strong enough, so take it gently so as not to harm the internal organs.

Important! Ideally, the sex determination procedure should take place no earlier than the animal is one month old. At this age, the signs are more pronounced, and the health of the kitten is at less risk.

External signs of a cat-boy

It is more convenient to perform the procedure on a flat surface (on a cabinet or table), after covering it with a warm soft towel. Lay the kitten on its tummy and lift its tail to examine the area between the genitals and the anus.

The following details will tell you that you have a male in front of you:

a pronounced gap between the anus and the external reproductive organs, reaching 1–2 cm;
the shape of the genitals, resembling a large dot;
the genital point and the anus point form the ":" sign, known as the colon;
hair growing between the genital and anus.

An integral part of the genital organs in all males are the testicles, located near the penis.. They are almost invisible in a newborn kitten, but gradually increase and are already felt by palpation when he is 10-12 weeks old. Probing the reproductive organs is considered an effective method for determining sex, which has been used (with caution!) Almost from the first days of the appearance of the litter.

It is interesting! For gender identification, you need to connect two fingers (middle and index) and hold them in the area between the anus and genitals, closer to the penis. With good tactile sensitivity, you will feel a pair of subcutaneous peas 3-5 mm in diameter.

This method is absolutely not suitable for people with rough palms. In addition, palpation gives an accurate result if the testicles have already descended into the scrotum, and in front of you is a healthy animal without symptoms of cryptorchidism, when one or both testicles are outside the scrotum.

External signs of a cat-girl

A list of nuances that will tell you that there is a cat in front of you:

the distance between the anus and the genitals is less than in the male - in a cat, these openings are practically adjacent to each other;
the vulva, unlike the dot-shaped penis, resembles a vertical line, forming an inverted "i" with the anus;
in females, the hair between the anus and the vagina does not grow.

In fact, dealing with the sex of kittens, especially in the first weeks of their life, is not very simple. It’s better to watch thematic videos or photos anyway, so as not to get confused in the comparative degrees of “more” or “less” (often used in sex determination instructions).

Differences in color and size

You can determine the sex of a kitten by its color only in the only case - if you have acquired a tricolor pet, whose color is called tortoiseshell-and-white (tortoiseshell with white) or simply tricolour. In addition, a patchwork color of red, black and white, but with a predominance of the latter, is called Calico by felinologists. In the overwhelming majority of cases, it is cats (not cats) that have this spectacular color, which is explained by the genetic connection between pigmentation and a certain chromosome.

Important! Tortoiseshell coloration in cats is extremely rare and occurs only with genetic failures. Tricolor cats have two X chromosomes, which dooms them to problems with conception or complete unsuitability for childbearing.

Tales that the red color signals belonging to a male tribe cause a grin among serious felinologists, as well as advice to look closely at the outlines of a cat's muzzle (which is recommended by some authors).

In their opinion, against the background of brutal male forms, females demonstrate more elegant and streamlined lines, which is a rather controversial argument. Head and muzzle configurations are determined by the breed standard, but by no means by gender. It is also very unreasonable to build on the size of a kitten - all newborns weigh approximately the same, and the gender difference in size (often indicated in the standard) becomes noticeable only in adult animals.