This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care. Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian. You just brought home a kitten that you intend to name Sam but your roommate tells you that you had better consider the name Samantha instead. Lift the kitten's tail. The opening just under the tail is the anus. Below the anus is the genital opening which is round in males and is a vertical slit in females. In kittens of similar size, the distance between the anus and the genital opening is greater in the male than the female. The color of the kitten may suggest its gender.
Determining Gender (Sex) of a Kitten
Distinguishing Males from Females Is Tricky
The PetCoach editorial team is comprised of veterinarians, veterinary technicians and longtime industry veterans who are dedicated to providing the highest-quality health Determining the sex of a kitten may be difficult especially before about 8 weeks of age. The male and the female kitten's genitalia look remarkably similar. If kittens of both sexes are available to compare, it makes the process easier and more likely to be correct. In the male kitten, the scrotum is located below the anus and above the back of the hind legs. The testicles are descended into the scrotum presumably at the time of birth. The cat's penis is immediately below the scrotum and projects behind the cat and is normally not visible. The penis is enclosed in the prepuce.
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Kitten genitals are not as developed as adult cats, making gender determination a crapshoot. Don't disrupt the mother-kitten flow within the first few weeks of life. If a kitten is handled too much during this time, the mother may abandon it and stop nursing it altogether. So don't get too anxious to determine the sex of your kittens. Instead, wait until at least two weeks—or preferably longer—to start handling your kittens. While assessing your kitten's gender, it is necessary to minimize stress. Start by picking him up, gently petting him, and snuggling him close to your body.
Many cat owners find it very difficult to determine the sex of kittens, particularly newbornkittens, and often need their veterinarian to sex their kittens for them. Now you can determine the sex of your kittens all by yourself! This page contains everything you, the pet owner, need to know about sexing kittens and cats.
