Some say that females are more affectionate, while others find this to be true of neutered males. Cats are said to be more 'nippy' and males nice and calm. In fact, many of these traits have nothing to do with gender, but are embedded in a cat's character. Breed, upbringing and degree of socialisation also play a role. But besides the obvious difference that a male cat is a male and a female cat is a female, there are some other differences to note.
Often, young males are a bit brighter and more impolite in their play than their female counterparts, who are more cautious. Just like with humans actually! Make sure you have enough, cat toys in the house, so you can alternate and nicely stimulate your kitten's natural instincts. To make sure your male cat gets rid of his excess energy and doesn't indulge it on your sofa and curtains, choose the Crazy Hunter. But you might do a kitten a bigger favour with a Crazy Kicker Bells, which she can enjoy kicking against, or a nice toy mouse. But any home tiger will enjoy Kattenveertjes or bonks! These toys immediately evoke their hunting instinct in a male and female cat!
In general, males have a larger territory and therefore wander further from their homes. Their territory can be up to three times bigger than that of a female cat. And this large territory must of course be defended tooth and nail. This therefore regularly results in fights and associated injuries, especially if you live in a neighbourhood with many cats.
Males tend to be somewhat larger and more coarsely built than females. A healthy house, garden and kitchen cat, or European shorthair, should weigh around 4 kg on average. Males may be a little heavier and females a little lighter. This is different for pedigree cats. Again, males may weigh a bit more than females, but in a large breed like the Maine Coon, females can grow up to 7.3 kilos and males as much as 10 kilos. And in the slender Siamese, females often weigh less than 3 kilos, while males can weigh up to 5 kilos.
Both male and female cats are best spayed or neutered at a young age. As cute as they are, there are unfortunately already far too many unwanted cats in the world. Neutering involves removing the testicles in a male cat and the ovaries in a female cat. Castration can cause behavioural changes, as the production of hormones is disrupted. For example, neutered cats generally show less aggressive behaviour and the territory of male cats becomes smaller, providing more peace of mind for your pet cat. During neutering, the vet ties or cuts off the vas deferens in a male and the fallopian tubes in a female. Cats can no longer reproduce, but a spay has no effect on your furry housemate's behaviour. This is because the hormone balance remains intact. Both procedures cost more money for a female cat as they are more invasive. But 'assisted' males are again more likely (in later life) to suffer from bladder stones, which can lead to a bladder infection because of their narrower urethra. This can be prevented or remedied by special food, available from the vet or pet shop, but of course this comes at a price.
Would you like to get a kitten or an adult cat, but already have one or more tigers running around? You know your cats best and can therefore judge whether you are really doing your adult housemate a favour. Older cats (over ten years old) often do not need a young cat to disturb their peace and quiet, whether male or female. But if the answer is yes, then it is advisable to consider the gender of your new arrival in addition to the character (if known). Looking at the natural behaviour of cats, you are most likely to have a successful match if you add a kitten or adult cat of the same sex.
To give your new kitten a warm welcome, we have the perfect kitten pack compiled. Do you already have a home tiger? Then take a look at our awesome Mystery box Whether the new Season box!
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