Should I get a male or female cat?

You would like to adopt a cat, but should you choose a male or a female? Although it is especially advisable to look at the character, breed and whether it fits into your lifestyle, there are also some differences between males and females. We have listed them for you!

Whether you choose a male or female can depend on several factors. Think of sexual maturity, his or hers character and possible costs.

Sexual maturity

A male cat that has not been neutered can become sexually mature as early as 4.5 months of age and start looking for a female cat to reproduce with. A female cat becomes sexually mature later than a male cat, namely when she is around 6 to 8 months old. This does depend on the breed. Siamese cats can be sexually mature very early and Persians somewhat later. A sexually mature female can be in heat every three weeks. Males do not suffer from heat when they become sexually mature. A female cat in heat can be troublesome, because she meows a lot, will ask for a lot of attention and wants to go outside as much as possible. You do need to take this into account.

Companion

In companion with his or her owner, males and females may differ. For example, females are usually more cautious when playing with you and males are a bit more clumsy. The chance that your pet will knock something over at home is therefore generally smaller with a female than with a male cat. In addition, females need a smaller habitat. This means that they often do not go as far from home as males when playing outside. So, males are more likely to go on adventures and are also more playful and active at home than their female counterparts. Keep in mind, however, that an unspayed female cat is less likely to "spray" indoors than an uncastrated male cat. Spraying involves a cat not peeing in the litter box, but spraying straight back to mark territory. It usually does this standing up, but sometimes squats. Spraying can carry an unpleasant odor. A big misconception about spraying is that only males do it, but females are sometimes guilty of it as well. By spaying or neutering your male or female cat, you can prevent hormonal spraying.

It is important to know that the difference between males and females within a breed is something that needs more research. Indeed, based on anecdotes, you will be able to get numerous different and contradictory answers. Some claim that males are more affectionate and playful than females. The other claims that females are calmer and this applies to many characteristics (from social predisposition to predisposition to fear and frustration).

What is an actual difference is the build (males tend to be taller than females), body weight, and the obvious difference in hormonal housekeeping that exists between males and females. The hormonal difference can result in a difference in behavior.

Already have a cat?

Do you already have a male or female cat in the house? Then consider whether you will be doing him or her a favor with an extra cat in the house. You are the best judge of that for your cat. Do you decide to take an extra friend into your home? Then it is good to think about the character and gender of the new cat. Our Prins CareTeam gladly thinks along!

Should I neuter my cat?

It is good to decide whether to have your cat neutered. By spaying or neutering your cat you make sure it is infertile, so you can prevent unwanted litters. It is best to discuss your wish to have your cat neutered with your veterinarian, who can tell you everything about the procedure. Keep in mind the additional costs when you choose to castrate. When you adopt a cat from the shelter, it is often already neutered.

Did you know that we often talk about neutering a male cat and spaying a female cat, but that is not the difference? In fact, both male and female cats are castrated, the term 'castration' means the removal of the gonads. So the removal of testicles or ovaries. In a spay, the fallopian tube or sperm cord is ligated and the gonads are retained. Spaying is almost always chosen for females and males.

Costs for males and females

Regarding the costs you spend on your pet, there are generally no major differences between males and females. However, it is true that cystitis occurs more often in males than in females. This is because their urethra is much smaller than that of females. It can therefore become blocked more quickly (by, for example, bladder stones, blood or mucus). Therefore, the owner should immediately call the vet. He can check the cat for high kidney values and high potassium levels. If these values are too high, the cat can die. The costs of this treatment can be high. But on the other hand the castration of a male cat is cheaper than the sterilization of a female cat.