7 Facts You Didn't Know About Female Cats

How much do you know about your female cat? Let's explore some of the most interesting facts about our fabulous female feline friends.
Read a vet's take on whether or not male cats are more affectionate than females: cats.com/are-male-cats-more-a...
Sign up for our free recall alert program: cats.com/recall-tool-email
Sources:
Longevity of female vs. male cats: todaysveterinarypractice.com/....
Cat behavior in colonies: www.petplace.com/article/cats...
Relationships between gender and personality in cats: www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/8/1030
Menstruation vs. "estruation": www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Photo and Audio Credit:
Out slide, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Sound of a cat in heat, under Creative Commons License 4.0 freesound.org/people/Noise%20...
Video Navigation:
0:00 Introduction
0:59 Female Cat Biology
4:14 1. Female Cats Are Smaller Than Male Cats
4:47 2. Female Cats Tend to Mature More Quickly
4:57 3. Virtually All Tortoiseshell Cats Are Female
5:54 4. Fewer Orange Cats Are Female
6:26 5. Female Cats Tend to Live Longer
7:35 6. Spayed Cats Also Tend to Live Longer
9:10 7. Female Cats May Have Personality Differences
11:30 Thank you!
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[@AllAboutCatsYT]

BONUS FACT: Most female cats are right-pawed-just over 50% of female cats prefer to use their right paw for complex tasks, while only about 40% of male cats are righties, preferring to use their left paw instead. Did I miss any other facts? Let us know in the comments!

[@Lili-xq9sn]

My female cat was left pawed.

[@allison4644]

Not 100% sure. My kitty uses food box- i recall seeing her use right paw to pull a drawer-rope but also recall use of left to do things. I will have to be more observant for a preference.

[@sangjeongkimcho293]

100+ KITTENS W O W!

[@williamgeorgefraser]

Most of the female cats that visit me are right-pawed and use that paw to hold down meat they are eating. Most of the males just try to rip the food apart, send it flying in all directions.

[@scottb7539]

Personal observation of my cats Calli female right paw Buster male left paw. Alex male right paw. Wedge male right paw. Buster was the problem solver as well.

[@williamgullett5911]

I took my “male” cat of 7 years to the vet recently and left with a female cat. She was so much friendlier than my previous female cat I thought she was a he. The vet was checking her out, exposed her belly, looked at me with a strange look, and said “this isn’t a male cat”.

[@lisabishop6266]

How could you not know the difference??? Was she already spayed??

[@williamgullett5911]

@@lisabishop6266 yes she was already fixed….by me. Over 20 years there were anywhere from 3 ferals up to 8 ferals in my backyard. One day I saw a feral sleeping under a bush in my front yard…..in the rain…with the ear clipped. I started feeding this cat. A male cat down the street was bitting the throats out of male cats. The male was also eating the food I gave the feral so I started feeding the cat inside my house. The feral would leave after eating. One day I came home and the big male was on top of the feral cat…about to bite the cats throat out. I stopped it and decided to take the cat in and keep it. I assumed it was a male due to the male cat trying to bite it’s throat out. It was crazy seeing these male cats with their throats bit out…they didn’t live long after it happened. 4 years later I looked at my cat, who was friendlier than the female cat I had and just passed away before I took in the feral, and saw the clipped ear…and for those 4 years I wondered the cats history. Did it get fixed and escape? Did someone fix it and release it? I didn’t know. It was the 2nd one…fixed and released. Of the 80 to 100 cats over those 20 years going through my backyard I had tried to catch and have a few fixed…but always got torn up by the claws. But I did get two to the vet and they were fixed. I thought about it one day a few years later…and called the vet. I was given the date I had brought them in. I then realized at that point…that it had been ME who fixed the cat I had. The cat moving to the front yard made me think it was just another feral cat…but when I released the cat and it moved up to the front yard I hadn’t realized it was one I fixed. I never had asked the sex of the cats when I took them in and just released the two in my backyard and never thought about it again.

[@chascoppard]

Male cats are paid on average 20% more than female cats

[@salonsavy6476]

Haha 🙀

[@littlerose6673]

Lol 🤣

[@joy-boblindskog6798]

Lolol

[@Leelee-op7vj]

Funny.😂

[@Junior_Rocky]

They also work longer hours in more dangerous jobs.

[@TheSherri27]

I have a female orange who is super affectionate and has a mid range voice. I have a male who is SUPER skittish and has a very high voice. They all just have unique personalities.

[@BruceRichwineJr]

I must have the anomaly of a male cat. Going on 18 years old and still bounces off the walls like a kitten at times. He even chases his own tail still. He’s going to outlive me at this rate. 😂

[@donttakeitpersonal789]

❤what do you feed him

[@BruceRichwineJr]

@@donttakeitpersonal789 he has some digestive issues, but nothing considered high quality by this channel. It’s Royal Canin Digestive Care Dry Cat Food. Wet and dry food variety. I’ve tried all different types and this agrees with him the most.

[@donttakeitpersonal789]

@@BruceRichwineJr Oh okay thanks for the reply 😊 ill see if my cat likes this brand too thanks :)

[@christyh.6933]

I have had both male and female cats my whole adult life. I have had 2 female and 3 male cats in the last 10 years. While the male cats have all been very affectionate with me, the female cats have been even more demonstrative in their affection. I think much of a cat's behaviors and the affection they show is the result of their owner's behavior and affection toward's them. I have both a male cat who almost 11 years old and a female cat who is years old. I've had both of them since they were kittens. They fight over my lap during the day and who is going to get cuddles from me first every morning. I have never NOT had a cat who wasn't affectionate towards me and didn't crave my attention. My female cat is also my shadow and follows me every where I go, even if she is asleep when I go to a different room. She likes to cuddle. She talks to me. She kneads on me and sleeps next to me every night. Something she has done since the first week I adopted her. My cats do not act that way with other people, not even with my own sons that they grew up with and who now have cats of their own. My cats definitely see me as their trusted mother and caretaker. Its so sad that female cats get a bad rap in that area, and its just not fair.

[@stephanie_beth]

👏😻

[@littlerose6673]

My first experience of one of my female cats being in heat, it was late at night. The contortions and sounds she made I thought for sure she had swallowed something sharp like a nail. She was an indoor cat. I took to emergency vet hospital. Vet kind of laughed at what I was thinking and explained she was in heat. He did not charge me. 🙃🙂

[@cherearth]

is your cat spayed now?

[@littlerose6673]

@@cherearth oh this was many years ago and she has passed a long time ago. But, yes she was spayed soon after. She lived about 17 years. ❤🙏

[@g54b95]

Wow. The life expectancy graph really makes me feel fortunate that my male Bengal lived to be over 18 years old. RIP Genghis Khat. The finest soul I have ever known.

[@jcgrant1234]

I had always understood that the female feline was the hunter, provider, and defender. Males were explorers and were mostly driven by their desire to breed. I have had mostly neutered males and one of my vets once said "these big toms are more like dogs than cats" I think I agree with her. The big toms I have had are more like dogs though my current fella was the runt of his litter and bonded to me...and no one else.

[@wandadawnmiller1552]

As someone who owns (serves?lol!) 5 indoor cats, manages a colony of Community Cats (ferals and strays), and has fostered quite a few kittens, I would say there are differences between male and female. However, I feel a lot of the differences between the sexes that people talk about (ex. Male cats are friendlier than females) are a combination of people's perceptions and the way the cat is treated. I also think that cats are more comfortable and calmer when spayed/neutered. But, I think a lot of a cat's behavior has to do with personality rather then the cat's gender. I have very affectionate male AND female cats in my colony. I also have an indoor female and indoor male cat that are very anxious kitties. All my indoors came from the alley behind my apartment. Right now I have two seal point kittens that I'm trying to socialize for a rescue. I don't know their sex yet, but one is very friendly and the other is skittish. In fact, the one will let me pet and hold it. The other runs if I get too close. It will be interesting to find out if they're male or female. But, I've had spicy male kittens and laid-back females. In my experience, sex doesn't matter that much. It's more about spaying and neutering and how the cat is treated that makes the most difference.

[@mariovicente]

I agree with you. I have had both a male and a female cat and they were just... well... cats! The differences between them didn't in any clear way connect to their gender, so I believe that this idea of looking at animals on a gender basis is a reflection of the social mindset of us humans these days.

[@josephtravis8880]

I agree with most of what you said, but I've had a slightly different experience with my male and female cats. Our male is initially outgoing to just about everyone who comes to the door, while our female is definitely a believer in "stranger danger"! However, both our cats are very affectionate with us (... or is it just that's how they get what they want out of us?!... 😹)

[@timothyneiswander3151]

In my small study group, I have omly been wrong once when I was guessing gender based off personality. Everything about the cat pointed toward being male but he was so motherly and protective of any stray kittens that wondered into the yard. Also the cat colony that I use to have, were all neutered males that decided my backyard was a safe haven. A collection of cats that were thrown out or abandoned by my neighbours. Over the years I brought in the ones that wanted to and now my backyard is a little lonely without them. Oddly the one that resisted being taken in has lived the longest. He was the leader of the pack and stayed outside for 15 years. He is now somewhere over 20 years old. Sure he is grumpy, demanding and has his alzhiemers moments but he greeted me every night I came home from work for 15 years. So I am happy to care for him in his retirement.

[@rebeccahendricks9829]

I've had cats most of my long life, and have found female cats to have more of a tendency to be cautious, what some might call standoffish. I always attributed this to the protective instinct that mother cats need to have. Otherwise, they just have their own personalities, sometimes clearly affected by their experiences, such as having been mistreated or having a kittenhood with no other cats around -- or being raised in a loving foster home with lots of other cats and kittens.

[@HanQ28]

If women and men lived in the wild, women would definitely be more cautious than the men, because we are physically less strong and less able to defend ourselves against violence. I think the same thing happens with cats. The big male cats tend to be "gentle giants" and more chill than the smaller male cats and female cats. They're big and strong, so there's less things to worry about lol

[@lisasanders4818]

Sooooo glad u addressed that how a cat is RAISED absolutely has everything to do w/the cat’s personality!! I have a female(young found her at approximately 9-10 weeks of age, she is now 2.5), so raising her from essentially birth-and she is a lil sweetie! She’s been spayed(of course), and while I’d say she def doesn’t like outsiders(just me and my elderly roommate), she is a total love bug. Now with that said, she is the only cat I’ve had(male/female aside), that is more of the traditional opinion that they are “aloof”; but that does not mean she isn’t affectionate and loving. She absolutely is!!!! She is just more picky as to when she wants the attention. I have figured out that when she doesn’t respond right away to any affection I have induced, I just tell her “Ok, I still love you Lucy, ya crabby lil stinker!” LOL 😂 and I move on about my business. 20 min later she usually seeks me out and then wants some lovin’s ❤😻❤️ I truly believe how an animal is raised(not just talking felines here), strongly influences how their personalities develop. All of ur video talking points were great as well, that one just stuck out to me. Thx again so much for the informative video, it shows us just how much work and research you have done for ur love of the kitties 🐈‍⬛😻😽😸

[@Its_me--Boo_Radley]

Interesting. We have two sister cats. We wanted female cats because we thought the threat of urinary tract issues might be a little less. These sisters took a long time to warm up to us--probably close to a year. After 3 years, they have settled in, sometimes they sleep with us, and occasionally will sit on our laps for a nap. Those sessions are pretty irregular. This is different from our previous male cats--who seemed to be charmers who loved to hang out with us. Anyway, we needed more affection so we finally got a dog--a male dog. He is full grown and is half the size of the cats. Everyone gets along so all is well.

[@Instantpower332]

We just received 2 rescue's and male ( Bentley ) a female Beanie. We adore both of the little munchkins.( Age 6 months ) Beanie on the IQ dept has Bentley beat. She's calculated when she plays , she new her name very quickly. Bentley's now has got it. Beanie swishes, she is so sensual where Bentley is a bull in a china shop. She plays daintily. He barges in and grabs the ball. They are brother and sister ( Neutered ) I could write a book but my writing sucks. Where is my secretary..

[@kenalex0353]

About a year ago I had a stray mama cat presented me with four girl kittens around three weeks old. I kept them fed once they were weaned and at fifteen weeks, got them all spayed (including Mama).. Mama has since disappeared but the four girls have turned into 100% indoor beasts with no desire to go outside.. Except for the age there is no similarity (appearance or personality) between the four. One is all black and talkative, one is orange and generally indifferent, one is white with blue eyes and has to be handled carefully and one is tricolored like her mama and clings to me like Velcro. They have never been apart since birth, they get along fine together but no one can believe they are sisters because they are so different...This past spring another mama cat had three kittens in my garage that she could not nurse (mastitis) I managed to keep one of them alive and he is now a robust four month old boy that also lives with me...

[@jupeter24]

kittens can have different fathers! It sounds like yours maybe had different dads!

[@stephanie_beth]

👏😻🙏

[@irishprincessd]

Our female striped cat is the best, most loving cat I’ve ever owned. She’s my little shadow, talking to me and cuddling all the time. She comes running to me every time I call her from anywhere in the house. She’s 8 now and I rescued her at 1. I hope she lives for at least another decade or more. I love her dearly. (Katniss Marie Everdeen)

[@tomifost]

I have a female orangey and she chose me. I was planning on keeping the tux from the litter but she wouldnt leave me alone so she was the one I moved on with. The male tux was peeing on all my stuff so it made it easy. She's the sweetest animal, at least to me.

[@jessicahinman1338]

My 2 female cats are a little more shy or standoffish when meeting new people than my 2 males. The boys just go right up to people. The girls are fine once the person has been around awhile or more than once. I feel like this makes them smart. It's like they are measuring people up before they decide whether or not they can trust them. Of course this could be because my older female was a stray, and you'd have to be cautious living on the street. And the other female is her baby, so she learned to behave like mom.

[@ChasWG]

Over the years of owning cats, both males and females I have noticed that the female cats HATE to have their claws trimmed. Whereas the males don't put up much of a fuss about it. Our current pair, a larger orange boy doesn't care and only half heartedly meows when we do it. Feed him some treats and he could care less. On the other hand, our female tuxie will put up a fight, growl and gets very scary, to the point of having to scruff her and cover her head with a towel. Lets just say, her claws get trimmed less often. We have tried to work with her, playing with her paws and petting her legs and feet, but she hates it. The orange boy could care less and actually enjoys a good toe and foot rub. I also used to work on a TV show at a Veterinary clinic and when asked about this, the vet techs always said that the female cats were the tough ones to trim their claws and only got away with doing it with only one person when they were knocked out for a procedure. LOL!

[@lisag-mh5rc]

My experience was the exact opposite. My most recent boy had to be wrapped in a towel & held by another person while I trimmed his nails. He growled & chewed on my fingers/hands the entire time. He wasn't hurting me. He just wanted to tell me what he thought of trimming his nails.

[@lindaraeder4342]

I agree.the females are far less cooperative in this regard.

[@427ladybug]

I've shared my life with 7 cats so far - 3 males and 4 females. Two of my boys were more attached to me, and 2 of my girls were more attached to my husband. I think how each one behaves depends on their individual personality, not gender specific. I love their differences, and we're adopting 3 more.

[@scottb7539]

Calli died 16 spade female. Buster died 14.5 intact male. Still too short

[@NIkki-ox1ej]

I feel so horrible for not neutering my baby early on, but it was mainly because we got him during the height of the pandemic and the vet clinics were primarily closed or full. I just got him neutered last month and I can see a HUGE difference in him. He was always playful and has a petting timer, which he still does, that’s just his personality BUT he is more playful and relaxed now, not yowling or meowing like you presented in the video. He’s more focused on loving 🥰 and being more affectionate, definitely loves my new baby girl 👧. I reward him greatly for his patience every day and appreciate him so much for his companionship while I was alone when my husband was in military training and I was still pregnant 🤰🏻

[@joerexhausen8897]

Took in two cats just a couple weeks ago that are sisters and being moved from the home they had known for years has scared them into hiding in the ceiling of the basement. Just today one of two cat towers arrived and i finished constructing it so i am hopeful that they will see it as a place to climb and not stay hidden away in the ceiling.

[@cat3crazy]

I've had several cats. The 3 cats that I currently have came from people who, for various reasons, did not want them. The previously 3 cats, I got as babies or very young. There are vast differences between the 2 sets of cats. The two females that I currently have, came from negative environments, were not spayed and had babies. The male cat was always escaping, and even though he was neutered, got into fights. The owner was worried about him becoming seriously injured and gave him to me. He is totally an indoor cat now. The females will let you know when they want to be petting. The male cat is almost always next to me. I find that male cats are more dominant and can be possessive. Each cat has their own personality. They are as unique as people are.

[@Boogie_the_cat]

My female cat loves to hunt and climb trees after birbs. I've only ever had female cats, so I don't have a frame of reference as to differences. It seems (based what i have heard from other cat owners) that some cats may treat humans of the same gender differently than they treat humans of the opposite gender.

[@MWGallaher]

Once again, I applaud your acknowledging the anecdotal, not-confirmed-by-scientific-evidence nature of some of these observations, and noting how we might be projecting some of these characteristics, rather than passing them on unquestioningly, like so many would do in the cause of "keeping it fun." But these are still a lot of fun, and I'm quite appreciative of this kind of content you've been doing more of lately!

[@jerzcnate]

My neutered cat 22 years my spaded cat 12 years both lost their battle with kidney disease

[@travailier]

🙏🏼

[@Era515]

I lost my previous 2 (a 15 year old Calico & a nearly 19 year old Tortie) to Kidney disease; I feel your pain. Still miss them so much 😢.

[@michaelhargrove5111]

She also has mentioned something I do agree with also is that male cats live a shorter life because they tend to go out and do dangerous things when they are not neutered and that dangerous activity is usually in countering female cats

[@lisag-mh5rc]

If you buy a pure bred or a breed-mix, each breed has a specific personality range. I believe that how a cat is raised & the environment is more important. If you buy a friendly breed, but ignore the cat you will have an expensive aloof cat. If you get a mix-breed & interact with it as much as possible, then you will probably raise a friendly cat.

[@j.jr.martinez5352]

We have a black cat whose name is Bellatrix. She is the most spunkiest and playful of our 2 cats! Her sister Katniss Everdean is gray and white and reminds me a lot of a previous cat we had who passed away a few years ago. I actually got Katniss 1st from our local librarian and then a month later got Bellatrix as a playmate. They are both indoor cats and everyday is never dull. As a side note to this video clip, It’s the same way at shelters with black dogs. They sadly take longer to adopt out. All animals regardless of color need our love and care.

[@missyanngobin7978]

I have 2 neutered male cats (brothers) that are friendly, loveable & crave attention. I rescued 1 female who is spayed, aloof & has no problem letting a human know with her claws that she doesn't want to be bothered! She plays and sleeps with the boys! I am trying to ignore her because of her behavior & find that she now comes to me for attention, BUT still on her terms! Time and maturity will tell if her attitude will ever change.

[@lindawolffkashmir2768]

Male calicos are XXY, which though being very rare, and interesting, they in most cases are sterile. An unfixed male calico will still spray, though, so if you don’t want that, you’ll have to neuter them to prevent any spraying.

[@techenglishteacher]

I have a male Singapura and a rescue Tortie. I think a good way to describe their interactions with me is my Tortie loves me but my male Singapura is in love with me. He is much more cuddly and rarely is out of my sight while she will snuggle occasionally but she leads her own life.

[@rcar16]

I really enjoyed this video! I'm sure your planning on it but I hope you do a video on male cats. I feel like neutering them changes their personality so much.

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

Yep, it's coming soon!

[@claudiasmith1966]

Yes, let not leave male cat's out😊❤

[@Kentanimationnnnnnnnn]

2:17 my boys got on alert here lmao

[@Homieguerneville]

I use to have a male and female cat. The female stayed always around the parameters of the house while the male would roam on big distance from the house. The female would look after the male, grooming him and sometimes punishing him when he was away for a night. The female was sweet, the male a bad boy and funny.

[@LoveKittiesLoveDoggos]

I have two 5 years old tabby cats, they adopted me since they were 5 weeks old, one male one female and they’re from the same litter, my girl cat is a better communicator, she will sit right in front of me and look in my eyes when she wants food or treats or playtime. I found it interesting cuz for human, women are considered better communicators than men as well. My boy cat loves me to hold him like a baby and he loves to cuddle but he will bite me when I brush his hair and trim his nails so I would not say he is more friendly, he just loves to cuddle , loves to be held and love the attention. My girl cat loves to sit by me but she does not like to be held. But she loves to be around me. She never bite me and she is gentle and polite. I feel that she loves me, it’s a feeling and it’s hard to explain. She is a smart cat and she knows how to make me happy by laying on top of me in the morning and staring at me haha! My boy cat is 15 pounds which is twice her size (she is only 8.8 pounds) and bullies her, maybe that’s why I am more protective of her. My boy cat is rebellious and does not like to listen to me, he is more like gangster cat and he walks like a little tiger, while my girl cat walks like a baby deer, she will wait in line for daily hair brushing😂! I love both of them and I love my three-legged rescue doggo! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@lisag-mh5rc]

If you put a t-shirt made for a small dog or a harness on a cat they basically freeze. This might help you trim nails. It's a cheap solution that has 0 side effects. This will not work if your cat is harness trained. My cat's previous guardian suggested this solution. Work's like a charm on my darling daughter. 😺

[@LoveKittiesLoveDoggos]

@@lisag-mh5rc Thanks for the advice! 🙏😃

[@anaalvarez1925]

All my females and males have loved me the same way and they have behaved the same way. The only difference I have noticed is that females make less messes with their food and litter box, females are a little more cleaner (just a little more). Everything else is the same.

[@melaniesirignano9408]

I really enjoy your videos. They’re so informative! Cats are fascinating creatures.

[@f.michaelbremer-cruz2708]

Thanks for this interesting overview of the differences between the demonstrated personalities of male and female cats. Ours are siblings, rescued as part of an abandoned litter of 4 day old kittens 11 years ago this month. They've been cherished and as such, their true personalities have blossomed, which brings us so much joy and love. The male is named Little Tigre, but we always call him "The Boy" (an homage to "The Simpsons") because from early on, he was clever, inquisitive, endlessly curious, playful,, silly and utterly snuggly. Above all, he was demonstrably loving with lots of bunts, being ever present. He loves to be hugged and has what seems to be an entire vocabulary of vocalizations that he consistently uses in specific situations. The female is named Hillary (because she was quite the climber in her kittenhood), nicknamed "Princess", who decidedly prefers not to be handled, but rather doted on tabletops; with an easy escape route. She is the most beautiful calico we've ever seen and it's clear, she's very well aware of this. She's always nearby and prefers a lighter touch, occasionally stopping by for a few friendly pets, before she wanders off to sunbathe by the Sliders. Both of them are always around and still chase each other occasionally. Sometimes The Boy starts wrestling with Princess and every time, she gets the best of him. :)

[@deborahmclaren2209]

Thank you for this information. My female cat bites me almost every time I try to pet her. She loves to be brushed though and tolerates it for several minutes. I believe she was feral, I got her from a rescue organization that had trapped her. I should have realized she was not going to be loving as all my prior cats have been. After almost 3 years together she does seem happy and playful. I doubt she’ll ever sit on my lap which is disappointing.

[@bobstewart8032]

My wife and I have 4 cats...3 are males. The oldest cat is around 4 years old. The other three cats are all from the same litter. The female is one of the siblings, and she is a character with all of her brothers lol She is smaller than all of them, but in her mind, she thinks she is a lion lol It's all in fun. There is no serious fighting. Everyone gets along, including our dog lol. I am a new subscriber and I enjoy these videos. Thank you for doing them.

[@jenniferbalesteri2810]

Terrific info! I also live with a female torbie, “Merlin/Merl” and a grey male tabby named “Poof”. I feel like I had an unusual situation when I brought Merl home at 8 weeks and my 3 year Poofy was SO tolerant and almost affectionate and protective of her. He has never lifted a paw to her, and is totally submissive to her. She sleeps next to him and they hang out in the same room…but she feels threatened by him in terms of territory. It breaks my heart when she exhibits her torbitude on him…he will always run and submit. Love your channel and you are SO BRIGHT!😻🐈❤️🐆🙏🐾🐈‍⬛

[@myragroenewegen5426]

This understood here, but should be reasoned out, as long as we're talking about spaying and neutering; Female cats can and will start having kittens before their bodies can handle the stress of labour and before they can cope with mothering kittens. Then, if they get though that stage, they can continue birthing kittens almost constantly well into the part of their lives when they and their bodies are again not equipped to birth and mother. Male cats may also spray and have other behaviors which make them problematic as house pets, if fixed too late. Keep the timeline vets suggest in mind and watch your kittens. Fixing cats plays an important role in making them the domestic creatures we can have in our houses and keeping them alive and healthy.

[@skinnypigs1]

I was so grateful my 2 males I took in from outside and neutered had good litterbox habits after being neutered and no spraying. I was warned they could spray still. They were 1.5 and 3 years roughly when I trapped them and thank goodness no spraying inside the house.

[@lisag-mh5rc]

I love the "biscuit head" look that an un-neutered male cat develops at around 3-5 years. But vets recommend neutering around 6 months to prevent spraying. I feel strongly that cats should be 100% indoor only. I just settle for a cat that doesn't pee inside & look at "biscuit head" pictures online. ("Biscuit head" is caused when the cartilage pads in his cheeks thicken & enlarge. This protects the male's blood supply in his neck when he fights with other male cats)

[@skinnypigs1]

@@lisag-mh5rc my 1 male had very thick cheeks and slowly lost them after his neuter. They were adorable chubby cheeks prior. So I know what you mean about how cute they are.

[@lisag-mh5rc]

@skinnypigs1 When I see those chubby cheeks, I just want to scratch/tickle them. 😸 ♥️ 😁

[@williamgeorgefraser]

I live on a boat with a catflap. I have a brother and sister who are both very friendly. However, I am often visited by stray cats and their litters. Apart from a few odd cases, I find that the females are much more friendly and approachable than the males. I often have one jump on my lap while the males run if I move. However, there is one female who is over 5 years old and who brings in her kittens to eat with her. I'm able to stroke them with no problem and she even eats and rubs up against her 1 year old son. She remains very close to her offspring and they are loving cats. She has recently brought in a 3/4 month old daughter who has no problem with me stroking her. I wonder if it has something to do with her being a calico.

[@thehomeschoolinglibrarian]

Cat personality is definitely an interesting thing. I have four cats, 2 male and 2 female. One of the females is my 14 year old calico who is very much my hold me cat and always has been, however it was only in her old age that she became social with other people. Now our 2 year old female panther Onyx is very social though she doesn't enjoy being picked up. She will lick like crazy and definitely demands attention. Our male panther Obsidian is also very social though he is less so with people not his family. He loves to lick noses and also demands attention and likes to be handled. Now Jasper out 2 year old Siamese mix is social with me most and then with my husband and daughter though not as social as the panthers and calico.

[@annlavine3576]

I found a cat and she had kittens Found pregnant and she was so happy when the kittens were adopted. Then she was spayed

[@TheSarah730]

You’re amazing ❤

[@annlavine3576]

@@TheSarah730 Carol is amazing my cat

[@aliciashank7940]

I just have female cats so I can't give a huge comparison, but I do have an orange girl kitty. I didn't know the part about cat reproductive cycles at all.

[@katierobinson939]

I adopted 2 male kittens. It was the human’s way of controlling the population. So Tigger and Tanner were litter mates from different “dads”. Tanner was a red point Siamese and Tigger was striped. Bc they were litter mates, they would cuddle, play fight and protect each other on the occasion that they were outside. (I always had them fully covered as house cats that a helicopter mom would let them enjoy the outdoors). Having the 2 of them neutered helped.

[@teto85]

The fact that a single litter of kitten can have more than one father always amazes me.

[@IainHamilton]

Even for a cat my Peggy looks down on all lifeforms (except me when the treat bag is produced). She is my green eyed demon and my baby. Got some good laughs when we first adopted her from the Glasgow SSPCA as my missus would tell folk I have another female in my life and the look of shock they give is priceless until they realise it's actually the fluffy bundle on my lap giving them that cat look of contempt.😅

[@petermaardananders6803]

24 years ago : When our mother 'Little Cow' and daugther 'Cuddles' ( Europian shorthaired black/white) cats had litters minutes appart from each other, we saw something amazing. They helped out each other to get some time to eat etc. they timeshared their kittens to give times of duty to eat, pee, poop and stretch their leggs. 10 kittens 2 mothers and we lost track whoms kittens they were very soon, so funny seeing kittens being carried back and forth to give some time of mothering duty's to each other. I know this is'nt un common, but it still felt very special. One fem kitten ' Crystal' never got bigger then a 6 month old size, one male kitten 'Lightbulb' was huge like the size of a Nordic big cat, another male kitten 'Shanka douchy' (beautyfull butt )had a elbow tendon birthdefect, common small doggs issue called a patella luxation. CD was operated by a specialized dogg clinnic, they never had operated a cat with a patella luxation before and CD the charrmer got so much love from the staff when I picked him up from that dogg clinnic. The operation was very costly but money was'nt imporatant his health was. ✌️

[@clutchleague6877]

I recently adopted a 4 month year old black domestic tabby yesterday he’s pretty cool

[@brians2808]

Great video! I always wondered if female cats have better grooming habits and personal hygiene than male cats? Again, projecting human male/female behavior onto cats. Lol

[@SarahRenz59]

I recommend that first-time cat owners get neutered males because they tend to be "lover boys," ie, very affectionate and sociable. Not that female cats aren't, it's just that the males' personality is more relatable to people who aren't familiar with cat behavior. Female cats seem to be braver than their male counterparts; they're usually the first to check out something new while the males take a more cautious approach. We've had an even mix of female and male cats over the years, and they've all had wonderful, unique personalities -- we've loved every one of them!

[@Chewbeccas]

i think sometimes people need to give time to their female cats. my girl is super loving and wants constant attention but she wasn't like that at first it took her a bit unlike my boy who quickly enjoyed attention, but now my girl loves it even more than the boy lol.

[@johnries5593]

Tomcats do strike me as more adventurous and aggressive than the female of the species, even when neutered. One of our cats raided a henhouse once; the chickens definitely won. It took a bit of money to stitch him up, but he appeared to have learned his lesson.

[@wendywoo7031]

All my cats, regardless of gender, have been loving and affectionate lap cats

[@kissdakittycat84]

My Sister was feeding a stray black female Cat, who ended up having Kittens inside someone's crawlspace vent. The weather was bad, so my Sister took them ALL in (Mama included). Even though She was making sure "Mama" was now better fed, Mama wasn't producing enough milk for the 5 kittens. Long Story short, my Sister handfed & raised All 5 kittens & when they were "weened", She Adopted Out, Mama Cat & 1 kitten. My Sis ended up not being able to part with the rest of the Kittens. There is 1 Male (Ash) & 3 females (Peppa, Nibbler & Cinnamon)(that She kept) & 1 female kitten (Muppet ) that was adopted by her friend. Now, that they're over a year old, the Male is the "largest" one, by body size (all of 'em are a 'lil Chonky). The second largest 1, would be the female that was adopted. Besides the male being a long haired Grey & the adopted Female having a long haired all black coat. The other 3 females, 2 have medium length black coats with kinky tails (one has a "quirly Q" piggy tail 😊) & are of the same body size (slightly smaller than the male & other sister). The "runt" kitten is the smallest since birth & has a long, striped/tabby light brown/charcoal, haired coat. The 3 femals seem to stick together. Wether playing, cleaning each other or getting into mischief. They usually only hangout with thier brother if it's just to Clean Him (He does a sloppy job himself) or snuggle. But, snuggling is rare cuz He would rather "Play". The females don't like His version of of Playing, cuz He gets too vicious & the Girls get upset. They've all been Spayed & Neutered. I do believe that the Male does His best to be a "Lone Wolf" (as much as possible in a small home) & His 3 Sisters seem to spend all their time with each other. I agree with what you said in the Video. At least it seems so in My observations. I just know, I am glad that My Sister found & kept these Hooligans tho ❤..

[@scottb7539]

I have had seven cats rub my life. I have learned tomcats are generally more laid back. Female cats generally get a little more heated. And are more likely to show their discontent.

[@edschulhof6303]

Thank you for this video. I have had seven cats in my life, all females. My current two are 16 month old sisters. Colbie is a Mackerel Tabby (thank you for your two videos on Tabbies) Panda is a tuxedo. Their mother was a Tortoiseshell. My first cat was intact and lived 16 years. Colbie and Panda are indoor cats, in suburban Southern California. They eat mostly homemade food. They have not been spayed. They have bonded with my 12 year old grandson and love to hang out around him. They put up with a lot when he plays with them. Females tend not to want to wander, don''t mark their territory and don't try to mate with the furniture. LOL

[@pavlovsdog5020]

My folks had a big tabby tom called Arthur who they got in 1987 as a kitten and he lived until 2014 He was unspayed until he was run over aged about 15 after surgery on his leg but it didn't change his ways one little bit and was a very dominant cat til the end He loved to torment the neighbours dog (who was tied up the poor chap) every day in his later years maybe it's a cat long life recipe or something who knows

[@ronchang9791]

I liked the video thumbnails that had you surrounded by a bunch of cats. 😸😸

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

Thank you!!

[@vernabryant2894]

I have 3 male cats a nd2 female cats.The males are more loving and friendly.The females are more moody and unfriendly.

[@joey86bu1]

I've had both, nothing against my boys but the female cat was the best I ever had. She learned really fast and was more affectionate. It took her longer to become affectionate though.

[@Bibliobelle_]

I’ve only had female cats, a total of five, and they were all loving and sweet and friendly, to varying degrees. I didn’t even know that male cats were supposed to be friendlier until recently. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@kellydalstok8900]

I have a female cat that I came to live with me when she was 5 months old. She has been very affectionate from day one and can’t wait for me to settle down so she can curl up in my lap.

[@mph1ish]

I have great unease about the thought of spaying my indoor, solo female cat just to make life more convenient for me. I've heard many stories of extreme personality changes and the cat turning fearful after spaying. Also surgical complications and health issues. My Sushi is so happy and loving. It just seems wrong for me to have her mutilated to make my life easier.

[@JH-zr8lo]

My 2 boys love to play, cuddle together and groom each other. My little Siamese girl will play with one of the boys, but does not cuddle or allow them to groom her. She is very affectionate but mostly in the morning.

[@LoveKittiesLoveDoggos]

Thanks Mallory, u always provide informative videos to us and share your experiences, we appreciate your videos! I hope u can make a video about shelter cats and kittens and encourage more people to adopt and foster shelter animals and homeless animals! A 7 years old three-legged doggo (he was a stray before abused and rescued in Iran) adopted us two years ago when he was 5 and I feel so super lucky and super happy everyday since he came into our lives. He is the best that happened to me in my life and he is the most precious, same as my kitties! Most senior and special needs animals get overlooked and never had a home and never been loved, they are waiting to rescue human, yes they rescue human, not the other way around! They are the angels waiting to show us what unconditional love is and how to be resilient and strong. I just hope that u can use the KZbin channel to spread the word for them! Many thanks! ✌️👍🙏😺😸🐶🐕😃

[@denisev.2525]

I have three cats, one girl and two boys. It's so funny to me how my girl is verryy girly, being graceful, gentle and is super affectionate. She even likes to be picked up and held on my shoulder. My boys are also affectionate but are very boy-like, enjoying wrestling, their food... One of my boys even walks like a bulldog! It's so cute to see their personalities and male and female differences 😂

[@wmroykarlen]

My wife and I have had many cats in our lives both before our relationship together and after. Both of us have experienced male cats as being more clingy when young. Females tend to get more clingy as they age, my 16 year old abby female is on my lap the moment I sit down and has to be removed to allow me to stand. When I lay down at night she sits on my legs all night long. She was not like this as a younger cat. Male cats are more happy-go-lucky and don't tend to hold grudges. Females are more likely to remember being scolded and generally act out by potting beside the litter box rather than in it. I had one little lady before my wife and I were married that if you told her to get off the counter she would go stand beside the litter box, wait until you noticed her, and then pee on the floor just to show you who was really boss. Oddly, she never peed on the floor when you weren't watching, it's like she wanted you to know she was mad at you!

[@emilypaparelli701]

Great video! Mallory will always be my favorite cat KZbinr ❤️🐈

[@bentojgaard5434]

Love your videos ☺️

[@85picke]

have had 3 cats for 12 years now, 2 males and 1 female, the female is the smallest at 3.5 kg and the males weigh around 8 kg. the female is the one who is the most cuddly and she is the one who eats first when I pour out food the males wait until she has finished eating, then they chew what is left. so at least in my home the female is in charge. the female is I sphynx 12y and 1 male is I ragdoll / maine coon mix 14y and the other was a farm cat 14y ( RIP July 4, 2023 ) the male are just trying to keep her happy for the sake of peace

[@roblaw5807]

The female is always in charge 😂

[@TheSarah730]

Great topic!!! I love my tortie girl, Penelope ❤

[@ziggystardog]

Strange that you showed orange cats after talking about sexual dimorphism, because orange cats tend to have a larger size difference than others. Although each cat is an individual. We’ve been lucky to have four orange females, and the largest of one litter was assumed male, until the vet gave us a surprise gender reveal.

[@teresabastien7703]

Thank you, you gave a very interesting insightful video

[@mexy04]

I couldn't handle the meows from her being in heat. I rushed her to the vet to get her fixed immediately.

[@user-kp2do6rk5n]

Loved 🫡

[@smgumbycat]

Cool video

[@Pauley_in_GP]

Thanks for another great video. I think you are right-on in your assessments. My little buddy Hunter (he's been gone for many years) was such a sweetie. He was, I dare say, like a little dog. He'd follow me around, wait on the front walk for me to come home, and sit next to (or on) me when I sipped my evening cocktail. Some of you might believe me when I say we conversed. My current little princess is much more independent and strong-willed. But when she wants a bit of attention, she sure lets me know, and when I wake up with her under my arm, I feel her affection. Funny story: She showed up one day and just moved in. She had obviously had previous human contact, as she warmed up to us immediately. A few weeks after she came to us, we heard this weird noise - very spooky. That was the first time I had head a kitty in heat. Wow. (She got fixed very soon after.) 😸

[@mbryson2899]

We've been owned by five female and ten males. We haven't noticed any gender differences in behavior; all of them have/had their own distinct personalities. All have been neuteted/spayed. All are indoor cats, not allowed to roam. The last 11 have had access to a secure yard (tall brick walls) with a catflap patio door insert so they can go in and out at will. Of the current seven one female and four males are harness trained, so they get to take us on walks. The other two have zero interest in exploring. Again, no gender correlation. They range in age from 1.5 to 11.5 years. They had five different mothers. They interact with one another very well, playing, eating, and sleeping together, as well as grooming one another, in no set combinations, again with no gender differences. The oldest gets respect from all the rest. He's the biggest and is fearless and is very protective, so I don't think his gender is the reason. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, you addressed things I've never really thought about.

[@cherearth]

i love all catssss ❤❤❤

[@dj7973]

Thank you Mallory.

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

You're welcome!

[@bookmouse2719]

My oldest female spayed cat is Queen Kichi....svelt and dangerous. Her second in command is The Duke of Doodo who's name is Duke, who always wears a grey tux. Then the Duke (Oogie) and Duchess(Seven) of Poop who are mostly friendly but fat as all get out.

[@kittyasylum]

In general, I would say that my male cats have generally been more friendly to friends and strangers, while my female cats have tended to only bond with me and won't interact with others.

[@user-wz7fe2bq5c]

Almost always? I have NEVER seen a male calico and if you can show me one Ill believe it MEOWlorry.

[@wmroykarlen]

Also, we've noticed that the male cats tend to accept and play with the new kittens much quicker than the females do. We have a one-year-old feral that we found abandoned and raised; the only cat in the house that will play with him is our other male cat (8 years old). Our two ladies (one 8-year-old and a litter mate of our older male and one 16-year-old) want nothing to do with him. It's no surprise that the 16-year-old has no use for his nonsense as she's a very senior citizen but it surprises me that the 8-year-old (who plays with her brother) won't interact with him. Though we found him abandoned and dying at about 2 weeks old he's grown to be the biggest cat in the house and the second biggest cat we've ever had. The biggest was a monster (long and tall not overweight) calico female who sadly died years ago.

[@hallaloth3112]

I'm willing to bet that many of the 'differences' we see tend to be pre-existing expectations. That, and I'm betting the average individual doesn't pay super attention to their cats (at least in my experience) in the same way we do dogs. For example, while the idea of an 'aloof' cat is fairly prevalent in our society. . .I imagine most cat owners that take the time to bond with and understand cat would call it a silly idea. Just because they're not right up on your lap or next to you all doesn't mean they are aloof. For a cat, hanging out on a cat tree (or a bookshelf) in the same room is, essentially making themselves avaliable instead of sleeping somewhere curled up tucked under things. At least, to me, if my boys give me 'access' to them for pets and the occasional snuggle, they are in fact 'hanging out' rather than being aloof.

[@lisag-mh5rc]

Nice interpretation. Love them on their own terms. I believe that cats are called aloof mostly by people who expect them to behave like dogs. I like both, but I have different expectations for each species.

[@dianegargiulo9233]

The young lady narrating the video was very informative. My experience with my cats is that my male cats are more dominant than my female cats.

[@gailjordan9250]

I have closely observed feral cats for quite a few years, and I find the statistics about feral cat reproduction to be skewed. The feral cats I am associated with seldom have more than two kittens per year who live to see their first birthday. Female ferals usually do not have kittens that live past a few weeks old until the female reaches two years old. On occasion, I have witnessed a female have a litter with 100% survival rate, but these females are older females who died within a year of successfully raising a litter. Of those litters, few of the kittens live past two years old. While reproductive rates cited in statistics are correct about possiblity, they are far off target when looking at reality.

[@josephchurchill6720]

Fascinating stuff! Question, I was wondering if female cats are in any pain during those heat days? I was told once that it's cruel to not spay your female cats as they are in actual physical agony.

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

Good question. We don't really have any way of knowing for sure if it hurts or not, but there's nothing about it that _should_ cause pain. Instead, it's probably more of an agitated or frustrated sensation.

[@smarieintn5955]

They're miserable because their drive to mate is overwhelming. Why wouldn't anyone want their cat just to be happy with all the pleasures in life and enjoying their family, without this overbearing drive to mate.

[@wandadawnmiller1552]

I don't know if the females are in pain, but the outdoor cats I had spayed seem much more comfortable and calmer than before. Breeding is brutal for cats. Males fight and often get injured or contract feline aids and leukemia. Females spend the majority of their lives pregnant and giving birth to litter after litter. The kittens often have short brutal lives as well. Plus, the reality is we have way more cats than people willing or able to adopt them, so spaying and neutering is essential.

[@josephchurchill6720]

@@wandadawnmiller1552 I have an indoor male cat, who is neutered but my buddy has a female Russian Blue and he boasts an "all natural" lifestyle, "as God intended..." he would say. And his cat was an indoor cat but every few weeks she'd go nuts in heat and his neighbor knocked one day complaining and said that tidbit about how they're in pain. I mean, he's not entirely wrong. If your cat is always inside and not sexually active then I can see choosing not to "fix" what's not broken but OMG those yowls are soul crushing! 🙀

[@annlavine3576]

I had a male mainecoon neutered who lived to be 20

[@dianneallen583]

I know you have reviewed cat carriers but have you reviewed wheeled carriers? I needed one because of my inability to lift. Thanks

[@theboredengineer2947]

We have 4 cats currently and only one is female. All the male cats gravitate heavily to my husband while our female gravitates towards me. She alwas rubs my legs and has shown protective attitudes towards me, going as far as hissing at my husband when she saw us hugging and kissing.

[@stephanie_beth]

It's so strange that people perceive female cats that way. I have 4 rescues, 3 girls, 1 boy and 3 ferals I care for outside. All 4 are incredibly sweet, affectionate, playful, talkative, loving...just amazing creatures. Regarding the ferals, I've never been able to get or have a female feral get close or affectionate towards me like the males, do. That may be self preservation or preservation of their young? Oh, an my oldest female 9 yrs. is an Orange Tabby and left-pawed. I'm left handed, too 😆

[@HellBoundLegacy]

Can you do a review on the PetSnowwy litter box please ?!!

[@freedomcat]

Could you do a fact video about blue/gray cats? you covered 2 out of 3 of my cat's color/patterns. Black and Orange Tabby.