Determining whether a cat is male or female isn’t always easy. The physical differences between male and female cats are not always obvious, especially for new cat owners. Identifying a cat's gender requires some knowledge and specific methods. Some certain signs and behaviours can help make it easier to tell if your cat is male or female. Keep reading to discover the best ways to determine your cat's gender.
 
Identifying the Gender of Kittens
 
If you’ve adopted a kitten, your new pet is probably only a few weeks old. Newborn and young kittens are so undeveloped that it’s almost impossible to tell if they’re male or female. Once the kittens are six to eight weeks old, their genitals become more visible. However, a male kitten’s penis usually doesn’t show, and the owner might not be able to see or feel the scrotum. Therefore, the absence of a penis or testicles doesn’t necessarily mean the kitten is female.
 
The “Punctuation Mark” Method for Determining Gender
 
As a general rule, breeders use the "punctuation mark" method to identify the gender of younger kittens or neutered cats. To do this, gently lift the pet’s tail. You can try scratching the cat’s lower back, which might cause it to raise its tail automatically and start purring.
 
Female Cats: When looking at the cat’s genital area, the space just under the tail, it will look like an upside-down exclamation mark (¡), with a long slit for the vaginal area just below the anus. The distance between the anus and vagina is usually about half an inch. In young kittens, both the anus and vagina might look like small dots, and they may be close together.
 
Male Cats: Male cats have a larger gap between the anus and penis, with the testicles in between. Both openings look more like dots or circles, resembling a colon (:) rather than slits or lines.
 
Identifying the Gender of Adult Cats
 
For those who have an adult cat, you can use the same gender identification technique as with kittens. This usually works well for both neutered and "intact" adult cats. If a pet hasn’t been neutered, it will be easier to identify its gender based on appearance and behavior. Once cats are neutered, there’s no clear behavioral difference between males and females; any differences are likely related to the individual cat’s personality.
 
Intact Adult Cats: Male cats that haven’t been neutered have obvious testicles and a wider jaw. They also exhibit unique behaviors when they reach maturity. Unneutered males tend to be more active and aggressive. They’re also more likely to mark their territory by spraying urine during mating season. A female cat that hasn’t been spayed will go into heat about every two weeks during mating season. During this time, her behavior can change significantly as she tries to find a mate. Unspayed females are usually more demanding of attention and more vocal during this time.
 
Neutered and Spayed Cats: Female cats will still display the "!" mark, but if you’ve adopted an adult cat, hormonal tests can determine if she has been spayed. It’s important to know whether a female cat has been spayed. Neutered male cats will often still show remnants of the scrotal sac, and the anus and penis will remain relatively close together. Neutered cats won’t display typical male or female behaviors. Neutered males are usually more passive than intact males, and spayed females don’t show signs of being in heat.
 
Gender-Based Appearance Differences
 
While most cats look very similar, some colours and physical traits are unique to a specific gender, which can help identify a cat's gender. For example, it’s very rare for male cats to have calico (three-coloured) fur or orange-and-black fur on their tails. If you have a calico or tortoiseshell cat, your pet is likely female. It’s also uncommon for female cats to have orange or ginger-coloured fur (or orange and white stripes). If you have an orange cat, there’s a good chance it’s male.
 
Cats born with visible nipples (though both males and females have them) are more likely to be female. Pregnant female cats may also have a low-hanging, swollen belly.