Determining the gender of a cat isn’t as easy as it is for a dog. Have you ever heard the story of a cat named Jack who was actually Jill? This is a very common situation, and it shows how foreign a cat’s genitals are to most humans. But when it comes to the basics, cats have the same basic anatomy as humans. Male cats are born with testicles and a penis. Female cats are born with a clitoris and a vagina.
So why is it so hard to determine a cat’s gender? In this article, we’ll explain how to determine a cat’s gender and why that information is important for much more than picking the perfect name for your pet.
Purpose and Function of the Cat’s Clitoris
Essentially all mammalian fetuses start out as female (that’s why men have nipples). As they develop, genes determine whether their gonads will become ovaries or testes, and whether they will become a penis or a clitoris, which is the female version of a penis.
In human females, ovulation occurs on a regular cycle. Female cats, on the other hand, ovulate only when they mate with a male. This is called induced ovulation, and the physical act of mating causes the ovaries to release eggs. Because female cats reproduce by induced ovulation, there must be some sort of biological “tripwire” that tells the ovaries when to release eggs. It is widely believed that this “tripwire” is the clitoris. A cat’s penis is covered with tiny spines that provide additional friction and stimulation during mating.
In humans, the clitoris is located away from the vagina. In female cats, the clitoris is located within the vaginal vestibule, making it an ideal location for stimulation during mating.
Clitoral stimulation occurs naturally during a cat’s reproductive years and is thought to act as a trigger for the secretion of hormones that stimulate ovulation, so the clitoris plays an important role in cat reproduction and fertility.
How to determine a cat’s gender
Determining the gender of your cat can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. The easiest way to find out the gender of your cat is to take them to the vet for a formal examination. Otherwise, there are different methods you can use depending on the age of your cat.
Unlike dogs, cats don’t have penises in their abdomens. Instead, they’re hidden beneath the anus and are not visible. You’ll never see a cat’s penis unless it’s cleaning itself thoroughly.
Under 8 weeks of age
If your kitten is under 8 weeks old, determining their sex can be a little tricky. Like the rest of a kitten’s body, their external genitalia are small and difficult to see.
To help you determine the sex of your kitten, ideally you will be able to compare them to kittens from the same litter – this way you will have examples of male and female kittens and will be able to tell them apart more easily.
If your kitten is lost with its litter, you can determine its sex in the same way as for kittens over 8 weeks old.
8 weeks or older
If your cat is over 8 weeks old, determining their sex is much easier: just lift their tail and look at the shape of their genital opening and the distance between the opening and the anus.
In men, the genital opening is circular and located far from the anus, while in women, the genital opening is straight and located closer to the anus.
As most cat owners know, simply grabbing your cat by its tail and picking it up will not produce any positive results. Instead, handle the situation carefully to help your cat feel at ease. First, find a time when your cat is calm and gently hold him or her in your lap.
Once your cat is relaxed, you can gently lift its tail to inspect it — however, your cat’s penis is likely not visible, so it’s not a good idea to determine your cat’s sex based solely on its structure.
The same goes for the testes: if your cat has been neutered, the testes may have already been removed, so the lack of visible male reproductive organs does not necessarily mean that your cat is female.
Are there any other ways to determine a cat’s gender?
The only way to know for sure what gender your cat is is to examine its genitals, and if that’s difficult, you can have your vet determine your cat’s gender. In the meantime, there may be other ways to determine your cat’s gender.
The gene for orange, a unique feline coat color, is sex-linked and only present on the X chromosome. Males who carry this gene will be black or orange (reddish) with or without white mixed in, while females will be black, red, or a mix (tortoiseshell or tortoiseshell). This means that almost all tortoiseshell or tortoiseshell cats are female, and about 80% of red-haired cats are male.
However, this method is not a guarantee. Although very rare, male calico cats do exist. Male cats can be calico because of a genetic mutation that causes the cat to have more than one sex chromosome. Klinefelter’s cat.
Why is it important to know your cat’s gender?
Many people may think that knowing a cat’s gender is important only for naming purposes, but that’s not the case. There are several reasons why pet owners should know their pet’s gender. Some health and behavioral issues are more prevalent in one gender and some in the other.
For example, males are at higher risk of fatal urinary blockages than females, and knowing what diseases your cat is susceptible to based on its gender can help you spot the signs of illness early and greatly reduce your cat’s discomfort and pain.
If you have brothers and sisters, or male and female kittens, you need to know this so you can plan for neutering, especially before siblings produce unwanted kittens.
Additionally, disorders of sexual development, such as gonadal disorders, can also be an issue. Gonadal disorders affect a cat’s reproductive organs, but symptoms may vary depending on the cat’s gender. For example, in females, a common symptom of a disorder of sexual development is an abnormally large clitoris.
So knowing your cat’s gender not only helps you determine if your cat is a “Jack” or a “Jill,” it can also help you keep track of your cat’s health.
Final thoughts
Female cats do have a clitoris, which is thought to play an important role in feline reproduction. As induced-ovulatory animals, mating is important to stimulate a hormonal response in order to release eggs from the ovaries. The location of the clitoris, combined with the anatomy of the penis, ensures that this stimulation occurs.
Although female cats have a clitoris, this isn’t a way to determine a cat’s sex – instead, look at the shape of the genital opening and how far it is from the anus. If you’re confused, your best bet is to ask your vet for advice.
Featured image credit: Hanna Taniukevich, Shutterstock
