8 Facts You Should You Know About Male Cats (#6 Is Sad)

Are male cats more affectionate? Are they aggressive? Stay tuned through fact number 9 to find out if male cats have distinctive personalities. Sign up for our free recall alert program: cats.com/recall-tool-email
Video Navigation:
0:00 Introduction
0:49 The Life of a Male Cat
2:55 Why Un-Neutered Male Cats Can Be Hard to Live With
3:50 1. Most Orange Cats Are Male
4:39 2. Male Cats Can't Be Torties (Usually)
5:18 3. Male Cats Are Prone to Urethral Obstruction
6:34 4. Male Cats Tend to Be More Left-Pawed
7:18 5. Male Cats Tend to Be Bigger
7:53 6. Male Cats Tend to Have Shorter Lives
8:33 7. Neutering Adds 4 Years to Their Life Expectancy
9:27 8. They May Have Distinct Traits
Sources:
Paw preference in cats: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2265897/
Effects of castration on longevity in humans: abcnews.go.com/Health/castrat...
Tips for living with intact male cats: humanepro.org/sites/default/f...
Calico male cat image: Alixia Pain-Brun, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.
Explore the Cats.com website: cats.com
Join the community and keep the conversation going off of KZbin: cats.com/community
Join us on Instagram:
/ cats.com.official
#cats #catvideos

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

Do you think that boy cats have different personalities than girl cats? Or is it all nurture, not nature? Let us know in the comments!

[@jljljljljljljljljljljljljljljl]

*ALL* mammals have personality differences between males and females, and most of that is nature, not nurture, with testosterone being a *HUGE* personality modifier more than other hormones. Humans often nurture their sons to be more masculine in behavior and condition their daughters to be more "feminine" in behavior, but we humans tie red bows on both male and female dogs and cats alike and most of us do not treat our male and female cats/dogs differently based on their sex.

[@Dwellerindarkness]

Not that I've seen, honestly. I've had a dozen or so cats, roughly half of them male and half of them female, and they've really run the gamut, from aloof females to males who simply ALWAYS want to be held or at least near me. As a general observation, female cats tend to initiate affection a little more often, while male cats are generally more tolerant of my proactive demonstrations of it.

[@feelthejoy]

I’ve had cats my whole life and the males have always been more extroverted and physically snuggly but the females were more obsessed with the one person in the family that they picked.

[@mcmlxii4419]

Yes. Male cats have been more affectionate than females, at least in my personal experience. However, I have both male and female cats and I adore them both. 🙂

[@johnries5593]

Most definitely. Testosterone has the same effect on cats that it does on humans.

[@aeg_125]

Neutered male cats are definitely the most affectionate, especially once they are older. If you want a sweet, snuggly kitty, ask for the oldest dude at the shelter. They might not live as long as females on average, but an indoor-only neutered male will live a long time if properly cared for. My sweet boy Venti lived to 17 years and Nemo is almost 16 now.

[@SpideyVids]

My next door neighbour had a male cat that spent a lot of time outside and I don't think he'd been neutered as he really wasn't that friendly - he lived until he was 21.

[@Treatsandthreadscom]

Agreed. We spent like 7 grand on them though. Worth i5

[@rowdyrobbyrider4226]

I had a male polydactyl cat named Thumbs that lived 20 years. Longer than any female cat I’ve had. Miss that guy.

[@deborcor]

My Julius, also a polydactyl, lived to be 20 as well. I miss him terribly.

[@brenda8305]

I have had cats all my life. My personal experience has been that the males were much more affectionate than the females as a rule. One male in particular I adopted from an animal shelter when he was a small kitten. He was a solid black male who was very vocal about wanting out of the cage he was confined to. He was adorable and full of personality. I named him Spook. I was in high school at the time. Spook grew up and traveled all around with me as I went off to college and beyond. Everywhere we lived he was the talk of the neighborhood. Back in the day we would allow our cats to be inside and outside. Neighbors would beg me to let them have him lol. He loved everyone and they loved him. Spook lived to be 20 years old. I still miss him to this day. Currently I have a Ragdoll female that we purchased as a kitten from a well-known Ragdoll breeder. She is now 10 yrs. old and to this day has never jumped into our laps. She hates being held but will tolerate it if she has to. She prefers to be admired from afar lol.

[@easygoing6397]

"long live" little Spook. ❤️ 💌

[@kukui79]

All of my cats have been pretty sweet and affectionate, but the little black girl I have right now is hands down the sweetest, most loving cat I've ever had. She sleeps in my bed every night, supervises my showers and even grooms me afterwards, and frequently begs me to go into the bedroom and close the door so she can have her own personal petting time without her brother interfering. 😅 She's my little shadow and is my absolute everything.

[@luvslyfe1]

My female cat is the same way ❤

[@yvonnelanese-coppola4999]

Same here, she is the only female with 3 brothers 😳 We are out numbered 😂the girls need to stick together ❤

[@AlyHollywood]

I had a black girl like that. I miss her every day. She still shows up in my dreams though sometimes. She slept on my pillow and under my head. No pillow will ever satisfy now lol. She greeted me when I would come home. Loved to steal bites of my food from my hand when I was distracted. Always had a paw on me. Loved to play with the bubbles out of my bubble baths lol I got some catnip bubbles I’d blow at her so she would leave the ones in my tub alone. Nothing like a cat facial lol ouch but it’s sweet. I only got 10 years with her but it was a wonderful 10 even people who hated cats who met her then changed their minds and many then got cats of their own lol she would call for me looking in diff rooms when she couldn’t find me. She was my best friend and that may sound weird but it’s true. When I was crying she would lick my tears even if I was balled up rocking on the floor she found a way to weave herself into my entanglement of limbs to comfort me. She was one of a kind and loved selfies she would pose and even photobomb me all the time when she saw I was taking pictures lol her green eyes were gorgeous. I miss her hunting skills making me certain no bug or spider is gonna bite me in my sleep lol she is missed. Something is special about black cats I really miss having one.

[@christinaklinger5169]

Sounds exactly like my "lil Lovey-Girl"...so super sweet!!

[@aussieaussieaussie9438]

My black male kitten is like that! Got him a tortie female friend, and although she likes cuddles, she's more if an 'independent woman'. Sorry to throw a spanner in the works 😊

[@brushstrokedesigns]

My son and I rescued a polydactyl orange cat from shelter. He came from an abusive home. We had him spayed. It took lots of love and patience to get him to trust people, however he became the most loving, adorable big cat. We lived beside a river and he would hunt everyday, bring home, grasshoppers, crickets and mice, and just left them on the front porch. He was most amazing cat, became friendly with all neighbours. We took him to a photography studio and he was photographed wearing a black bow tie. Just brought so much fun to our family. We miss him.

[@Atheria444]

I have noticed that boy cats become much more clingy/affectionate as they become seniors.

[@Lonelywolf1312.]

True but my boy was since 3 months old affectionate(sleeping with me.cuddles.licking my hair my armpits😂) basically he chose me i didnt chose him 😂

[@Treatsandthreadscom]

Me too. The girls not as much

[@mamandapanda185]

My big old man is the bestest cuddly kiss cushion cat in the whole wide world. He's half orange tabby and Siamese. I love the mix.

[@mikestrohlein4187]

I have a flame point Siamese as well and he is the best loving cat.

[@mamandapanda185]

@@mikestrohlein4187 Yay! :) Loves belly rubs and I can get him to spread his rear toesies by rubbing his back paw pads. It makes me giggle and happy like nothing else.

[@toniwaugh1823]

I have the pleasure of owning two male orange tabby cats and I couldn't be more thrilled! I rescued them from a shelter in April 2023. My one cat Duke(formerly named Dublin) is my sweet, affectionate Garfield like boy. He will sleep with me in bed and purr incessantly. Whereas my other tabby male named Jaxon (formerly named Jersey), has a leaner physique because he tends to be more active and mischievous than his laid back brother. Jaxon will show me affection on his terms especially when he's hungry or wants my attention by interacting with him using the wand toys I've got them. Duke has a very sweet and quiet meow whereas Jaxon's meows are whiny and quite loud. They definitely have different personalities which is perfectly fine with me. 😊 They came into my life over a year (January 2022) after my beloved husband passed away and ironically 5 months after the passing of our brown tabby male Hazey in October 2022. These losses took a difficult toll on me to say the least. I am so grateful and happy that I took a chance on adopting both boys at the appropriate time. They've provided me with companionship and unconditional love during my difficult grief journey. 😊

[@localchumb]

I've spent most of my life with a female kitty and it always makes my heart feel full and like I've had a daughter 🥲. Also, the baby Wessie pics are adorable!!

[@alanhigh8125]

My sister's black Tom recently celebrated his 17th birthday. He's a "half n half". Half his time indoors and half his time outdoors.

[@user-hm2ms7dr3o]

I've had at least one cat in my life ever since I was born. When I came into the world, my Mom had a little orange boy, 7 months old, named Rusty. I was 17 when he died and it felt like I lost a brother. Ever since then I've always had orange male cats. Each and every one of them were total lovers. I'm 79 years old now and on my 12th and 13th orange boys. I love all cats, but for those of my own, they will always be the orange guys. They are simply the best.

[@em1o457]

yes, more affectionate, that wrap around your legs, cat loaf in my lap. Aggressive? you bet! he will break down the door to get to any strange animal in 'his' yard. we had a lady next door whose dachsund was terrified of him. Baxter is neutered, too. it hurt my heart to hear 11.8 years was the average life span--he had his 11th on last saturday. he's in excellent health, and still runs and romps with the Zoomies, sees the Vet once or twice a year--and can hear a can peeled open from anywhere in the house! good vid!

[@bradw.1945]

This was an interesting video. We adopted a male cat last month, and my partner thought we'd get a female, but when we were at the shelter, the male we ended up with was just so sweet and gentle for a one year old cat. After the first month, he's exploring more, and playing more, he has also gained about a pound (which he needed), but through all the personality changes, one thing remains constant. He is very sweet.

[@Barbarra63297]

Our family cat was a large female ginger. She had a medium temperament, she loved mom, she liked dad, brother and I lol. Also along the way I had a male Calico, he was neutered and a true love bug. I've had many, many cats over the years but the sweetest was a male, Oriental Shorthair, neutered. He was sweet and cuddly, ALL THE TIME! We now have one cat (we are getting up in age) he's a huge male, neutered and can't get enough love, cuddles and attention from either of us. His name is Mr. Man but it should have been Mr. Mush. I think neutered males tend to be more affectionate than females but I love 'em all.

[@ShawninAZ]

We adopted siblings one male one female when they were about 8 weeks old. Max the male was always very affectionate and talkative his sister Angel was significantly less so. Even though they were raised in the same home and given the same amount of attention. We sadly lost Max a few years ago due to complications with diabetes. He’d been getting insulin shots and specialized food for several years. His sibling Angel will be 18 in October and her health is quite good. Very interesting piece thank you!

[@tomahawk1976]

I adopted male and female kittens a couple of years ago, and my male is more affectionate. My female is a sweet kitty but doesn't like to cuddle like my male cat does.

[@zaframiriam3038]

I'm 53 and had cats in my crib and have had cats ever since. A house is not a home without cats. I've always found male cats to be more affectionate and I've always formed the strongest bonds with them. The one exception was a female we had when I was a teenager, she was insanely affectionate and crazy cute, and coincidentally one of the few all-orange female cats! Maybe she saw herself in the mirror and thought she was supposed to be male. Now as an adult, I have exclusively male cats because they tend to be more loving, and as a bonus they're cheaper to have sterilized where I live.

[@sharonreaves]

Love this! My male orange tabby is literally THE BEST! I've never had a female to compare but I volunteered at a cat rescue which is where I met him and I know how special he is. He's talkative, selectively cuddly, super playful and - best of all for me - a bit weird. Love him to the moon and back!

[@kaleya3d484]

I have a male Ginger who is not very affectionate at all. He has moments of cuddliness but they are extremely rare. On the other hand my female black cat is the most affectionate cat I have ever known. I think its more about how they were raised than gender personally. The Ginger boy went from an overcrowded shelter as a kitten to a cage at petsmart at 8 weeks old to a foster home with 19 other cats before I adopted him so as you can imagine he did not really get a lot of human interaction as he was growing up and so he is not very human focused he is more aloof and independent. My black girl on the other hand came from a very small foster network where she only shared her home with her brother so got a lot of attention from her foster family. She is very human focused, very talkative and always wants to be held and cuddled and near me all the time.

[@MisterPersuasion]

We had a black male cat and a white female (Manx) cat. The male went outside and moused my entire land while the female stayed inside all the time. Both were "fixed" and both lived to be 19-years old!

[@susanmargaret9331]

I have a white male Manx. He's 12 and I love him so much. So glad to hear yours lived to 19! I hope Dewey has many more years.

[@toniwaugh1823]

My late husband and I had 4 cats (2 males and 2 females) in a 21 year span together. Our first cat Mink whom I inherited as a gift fromy brother was a husky orange tabby cat who didn't like to be held and despised going to the vet. He would hiss and growl. He would lash out when being touched by the vet so a towel or blanket was always used during these visits. Mink did come to me as an un neutered kitten living in a farm with other felines. He lived to be 16 years old as an indoor cat. I personally didn't find him to be overly affectionate. Our next cat Roxy was a very petite medium long haired black and white cat who was very affectionate to both myself and my husband. We also learned that she was amazing with children. As a teacher, my wonderful husband would bring her to school to visit with my students over a few years. She was so gentle with my students and didn't mind at all being held by 20 + children over a short period of time. When held she would bite my nose or she would nibble on my husband's ears. She loved basking in the sun in our backyard and on two separate occasions she hunted down a mouse and also a squirrel and brought my husband these presents to his horror...lol. She was petite but boy was she a hunter! Our third cat came to us from a work colleague who needed to find her a good home since her young son developed an allergy to her. She was a brown tabby named Snickers. We were skeptical that the two females would get along and we were right. There was a power struggle. Lots of hissing and a fight for control over the 3 years that both lived together with us. Sadly, Snickers died suddenly on January 28, 2015 (from a stroke we believe) after less than 3 years of caring for her. She was just 8 years old. ☹️ We both didn't find her to be very affectionate. In fact,it was safer for me not to hold her and show her affection. When our beloved Roxy needed to be put down after close to 13 years (January 2019) of ownership, both my husband and I were devastated. She brought us so much joy and love to our lives.♥️

[@giulianaserra1094]

Tell us about the fourth boy please!

[@Lisatruck]

I've had lots of cats starting with barn cats as a kid. I always found the females to be more serious and business like and males to be goofier and friendlier. On the farm the cats weren't fixed (it was a long time ago) and even the intact toms seemed friendlier. There was usually 1 dominant tom and 1 or 2 that came and went. Of all my indoor cats, I also found males tended to be more friendly but there were exceptions. I've had 2 orange males, 1 was a sweet cuddler and the other was more aloof. I agree that intact toms do not make good pets. It's not that they can't be friendly but they do fight and stink. Those big faces are handsome though. When I've had older toms neutered it was nice to see that they kept that big, round head. 😊 I really enjoy your videos because you use research rather than just popular opinion. It's fascinating.

[@jimmylieb5225]

like your post but an intact tom cat showed up at my door out of the blue and adopted me a few months ago. he does not spray or stink. he is very affectionate except he will hiss if i get too close which makes me think whomever had him before abused him horribly. he is getting better though with all the caring I give him.

[@Krazede]

Two Maine Coon Boys. 1 SUPER LOVING, 1 loving on his terms. I stray, male, ginger who can’t get enough pets and attention. All 3 neutered & They love each other

[@edum.6353]

This is the first time I ever own a cat, he's 9 months old and I'm 30 yo. What do I have to say about having a cat? It's an adorable experience. I went from no-cats-around-me to watching every cat video out there. It's hard to believe I found my male tuxedo cat on the streets at night. I walked by him and I couldnt keep going without checking out his cuteness and my instincts to protect him was immediate. He's the most loving cat, he loves to sit on my lap and lay down in bed on my side. God bless the Cats

[@misssunnydee]

I've asked this of a breeder who has bred for over 20 years - several type of cats. She said that male cats are more affectionate than females (nature) and if you want multiple cats you'll most likely have more issues with females as there can only be one Queen. However, despite all these things, nurture can overcome nature if a breeder (or shelter when handling kittens) knows what they're doing. I'd adopted a black girl from her (who unfortunately caught a virus during her last vaccination in the vet's office - that's what they figured out in the hospital -and didn't live long after that) and while my two boys are super sweet, she's still the most affectionate, most empathetic kitty I've ever met in my 40+ years on this planet. She was raised as an emotional support animal (her entire nest) for people with anxiety, depression and chronic pain - that was already noticeable when she was still very young. But... I've met a lot of cats over the years (I've noticed I tend to gravitate towards people with cats) and the females were rarely cuddly, or only with their cat mom. While the majority of boys were quite affectionate and often with friends of their catmom/dad as well. My orange tabby boy loves everyone (though I still get the extra special treatment) and my silver- black boy is very affectionate towards me, but not so much toward others (some ahole traumatised him when I was in the hospital and now he doesn't trust most strangers anymore).

[@jennijapanime]

Really interesting! I have a boy who is neutered and a girl cat who is spayed, both indoor only. They are both sweet and affectionate, but in different ways. My male cat is definitely the more confident one and he is really social and loves attention from new people where my girl cat is scared and hides from new people. Thank you for sharing this information.

[@bethunrein3269]

I had siblings 1 male (Smokey grey & white) & 1 female (Ash charcoal grey). They both were very affectionate but I noticed early on that the male was more affectionate than the female. Smokey as a kitten would suckle & make biscuits on my neck which I then slowly redirected to my hand/fingers, and he did this all his life. He also played softer than Ash, she was out for blood haha. Ash passed away at 15yrs old and Smokey 1 year later at 16yrs old and both had kidney failure. They were my babies and kept me sane for many years. ❤

[@leekifaucett]

My boy Blu is way more clingy than his sister. He also likes to roam outside and is very social with the other cats in the neighborhood.

[@hallaloth3112]

Our second stray turned house cat was an intact lad. He had SUCH puffy cheeks. He had scabs every time we saw him. . .he was definitely a scrapper. I still find it funny that even when we brought him in (couldn't get him neutered immediately) he was not the dominate cat in our household. He instead screams bloody murder when he gets sat on to be groomed. . .but that's another matter. He is now an absolutely perfect gentleman.

[@BrownEyedGal77]

My female tortie was so sweet but turned overnight! Broke my heart. I’ve had two great striped boys and they’re the sweetest. One my best friend.

[@AWalkingHat]

My male cat is an orange Siamese (Flame Point). He is a lap cat when he is not playing or exploring and quite affectionate with me. But Siamese cats are generally afraid of strangers, and this is true for my cat. He will hide / run away from visitors or hiss when cornered. He is left-pawed and an amazing hunter. He brings back live mice, cicadas and moths on a regular basis in summer. He can jump up to four feet in one jump. Very light and slender, lighter than the average male Siamese (he is under 9 pounds). He is prudent with other cats or animals and will only venture about 40 feet from the door when he goes outside. He eats well but is not greedy. Talkative too, but mostly when he wants something.

[@elizabethramsey9295]

As a cat lover of almost 70 years I agree that the male cats are more affectionate. We currently have a female Torbie that can be very demanding and sometimes aggressive. But we did have a very sweet female tabby who we named Lovey because she would purr very loudly while rubbing against everyone.

[@lazlor3347]

I have two orange kittahs both are female. Gingerellie and Amaterasu. both are amazing!

[@mnirwin5112]

I've had both male and female cats. I've never seen any evidence that either one is more affectionate and definitely NOT more aggressive ... although I did have one female cat whose preferred activity was to get on top of the highest piece of furniture in the room and look down upon her kingdom. 😁 I did have one male cat who had the urinary blockage. The solution was a hugely expensive surgery -- this was decades ago; I can't even imagine what that same operation would cost today. I should add that all my cats have been spayed or neutered as soon as I got them (usually about a year or so), and as a lifelong apartment dweller, they have by necessity been indoors-only cats.

[@user-jg5ie8rc1s]

Very interesting video. Thank you for the veterinary advice, also.

[@vickiesorenson2383]

I have a male cat which is a gun metal grey color. He’s about 13 years old and weighs about 10 pounds. He’s more tough and tumble with episodes where he will cuddle and be affectionate. I’ve had female cats also which were very affectionate.

[@julieharden2433]

My 16-year old elderly gentleman is a domestic short hair, ticked tabby with a moderate covering of white. He was a stray that I got at Pet Smart 16 years ago. When I first saw him, he was only 5 weeks old, which means he was weaned way too young. He suckled his inner leg for the first 3 years of his life :(. So sad. Lol. And, he has always been pretty clingy and very sweet. He's not the smartest cat I've every had, but he is so sweet and funny.

[@patforden2365]

I had always had female cats until I adopted my male tabby. It is a whole new experience. He seems so much more loyal and shows affection differently.

[@stefcat5331]

I've got five males and eleven females and they all have distinct personality traits so you're right, this stuff is really hard to pin down. They all have different ways of showing and expressing their affection. Two of the older males are nuturers, pal cats. The girls are affection driven and want your special attention and get in spats over who gets petted first.

[@Shaolin91z]

That's a lot of cat piss in that litter box 😫

[@lileelisamc.4722]

One now neutered male cat is enough. Thank fully he was a stray so mostly eliminates outside.

[@user-ov4wr5yu4r]

That's why I can only have 2. Double handed petting for the win! Nobody has to wait.

[@sheryltaylor7181]

My female tortie was the most loving and affectionate cat ever, a true sweetheart. My black male cat is much more aloof and has many more 'danger zones' than any other male I've had. Both were neutered at a very young age.

[@slimvincent10]

I’ve had many cats of my own and known many other cats that lived with friends or family. My experience is that neutered male cats are the friendliest and most affectionate with humans. My current male is 14 and loves nothing more than getting attention and being close to his human family members,

[@Candence514]

That's so interesting about male cat cheeks and makes so much sense. I adopted 2 male cats from a shelter who were about a year old and they weren't neutered until i got them. They have these noticeably large cheeks. On the flip side, i adopted 1 kitten who was neutered fairly young and he has the most delicate little face. The more you know!

[@planningkitten]

I had male and female cats growing up and I can't really pin point if either was more affectionate. But with our last female cat I always had the impression that she preferred men over women. After moving out I adopted two male cats and they are definitely the most affectionate cats I ever had but I think it’s mainly because they are so bonded to me. When I lived with my ex (we adopted the cats together) they would still prefer to cuddle with me 😅

[@MGC-1977]

3:50 I have an orange female cat and her name is Pumpkin 🥰

[@mcpmeow]

Over the course of cat guardianship, our male cats have been more cuddly, with our current male cat needing cuddles when he wakes up from his nap, 😻 However, nurturing I think helps, as my tuxedo female has been on my lap since she was a kitten and is super sweet and cuddly to me. Our female tortoiseshell is definitely the least cuddly, but when she wants them she sure wants them!

[@nursekitty]

Your video was great. It helped to have the explanation for my husband to know his movements are why the cats prefer to sleep with me on my side of the bed than him. He moves around a lot and I don't.

[@nannybannany]

My boy and girl Orange cats who are litter mates and adopted by us at the same time have vastly different personalities. My girl cat is less affectionate in the traditional sense but she does show affection. Her brother is the traditional affectionate one; he's the one most likely to lay in your lap, want to be held, rub against you constantly, lay directly on you and adjust himself if you move. I had a travelling nurse visiting our house once and he even tried to get into her bag despite having known her for 45 seconds, lol. My girl cat likes to be held only one certain way and for 30 seconds or less. She will rub against you but at specific times or for specific events. If she's laying on or near you and you move AT ALL then she is gone, no adjusting for her. She is also SUPER play-motivated while her brother is food-motivated (though they both eat and play just fine). But she actively meows a few times a day for play and she will run herself ragged until she's heavy breathing if you let her. They're both wonderful in their own loving ways.

[@OzAbi]

My family got a 3 months old black male cat last week. It's our first cat and to our luck he seems to have gotten used to his new home rather quickly. He loves playing & being pet 😊.

[@heidiq2777]

My big Tom was neutered at 6 months, but still sprays, in the house! I had him checked to see if the vet didn't get all his boy parts, but they did. I still adore him despite his bad habits, but would love to learn of anything I can do to break him of this habit!

[@cdwarden45]

Thank you for posting these videos!

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

Thank you so much for your support, Charles!

[@g54b95]

My Bengal, Genghis Khat, lived to be 18 and was 10 lbs. My current cat is a male orange short haired tabby that was born in a barn. I got him when he was 4 months old, got him fixed at 12 months. He was 18 lbs when he had his little operation. Inside cat. Left pawed, although sometimes he changes it up and hits you with a right, or even a combo. Sometimes a combo with a bite. Genghis did not have an 'off' button...it was claws out, all the time. Layne will play with you, but claws are not deployed and if he bites you, it's only a nip that doesn't break the skin. If you really get him going, he will deploy claws. He is the most honest cat I have ever met. At about 20 lbs, he could really put the hurt on you, but he chooses not to. He likes to put his paw on your hand, and if you try to lift your hand up, it feels like there's about a 50lb weight on it.

[@wandapease-gi8yo]

Love the name!

[@yonutz333]

Funny thing is, here in Romania the consensus (not study based but general opponion of most owners) is that female cats are more affectionate

[@wbradley2395]

Hi Mallory, nice to see you making new videos. I believe female cats are inherently more cautious, which makes sense. Consider that succumbing to predators potentially costs the lives of mother and litter. Instinctive adaptation for survival of species. Males are more outgoing and playful typically. Females are usually more effective hunters for the same reason, potential litter to feed. Males tend to play more with their prey.

[@creativespace179]

We have two dilute calico sisters. They are 7.5 and almost 10 lbs. Our cats are extremely social and love when people come to the door. Both greet me at the door 99% of the time. The smaller one is a total love bug, and very demanding about it. The bigger one is a snuggler on her terms.

[@joandioszegi3962]

My daughter Adopted litter mates, 1 male and 1 female. They were from feral parents. They were caught right away, and she got them as soon as they were weaned. That said, they are very different personalities. The boy is very affectionate and friendly. The girl is very aloof. She is not unfriendly, but she mostly likes to be alone, except when playing with her brother. They are both all gray, and neutered as early as possible. You can put all of this info into your databases and see what comes out.

[@maryb3909]

My husband has preferred dogs over cats his whole life. I rescued a male kitten and he did not want to keep it. Somehow, I think Gus picked up on this, and constantly showed him tons of affection. Now Gus is more my husband's cat than mine.

[@catladyjai1113]

My female cat has been the sweetest most cuddliest and most loving cat I've ever had. I've had 4 male cats and they were all aggressive and mean and never cuddled except one. But the female cat is so different. She's just a bundle of love

[@honeybadger1847]

We have a colony of 11 spayed/neutered feral cats in my apartment building's parking lot. The four oldest are 13-year-old siblings (mom passed several years ago), and there's a decided gender-based personality difference. The two sisters (both torties) are dominant and bossy and hang out only with each other, patrolling the parking lot, checking the sky for hawks and owls. The two brothers (one orange, the other brown tabby) are goofs who have welcomed the other ferals like frat boys hosting a kegger. Among the other ferals, the females stay by themselves and the males hang out in groups. The males are much more social and trusting.

[@lynnmartz8739]

First thank you so much for what you do for these cats. And thanks so much to the property owner! Far too many are willing to evict a renter, or in my case even a condo owner, for feeding homeless kitties.

[@honeybadger1847]

@@lynnmartz8739 Aww, thank you Lynn! The property manager is and has been my best friend for 20 years; she deserves all of the credit. She came over on Saturdays to help me trap the cats. I don’t drive, so she’d rush the cats to Animal Control once we captured someone, and then Community Cats returned them after testing/vax/spay-neuter. They’ve “returned” two that aren’t ours!! It’s hard to believe the original four are 13. I still remember when Betina (mom) brought them out from the storm drain, such wobbly little things. Amazingly, except for Betina who simply disappeared 😢, they’ve had no major health issues. We love them every day they’re here.

[@sub04aru]

I’ve never met anyone in life that also, as a kid, thought that cats were the girls and dogs were the boys. I still kinda see them that way even now into my late 30s. It just made so much sense. I also thought that only the person that owned a car knew how to drive that exact car. It blew my mind when my dad moved my uncle’s car out of the driveway once. HOW DOES HE KNOW!? Later on he would show off by driving with JUST HIS PINKY FINGER!!! WHAAAAA!?

[@DrGiggles6]

Haha! My 8-year-old nephew was shocked when I told him that my cats are boys. He also thought that all cats are female and dogs are male. 😆

[@user-vw7qf8hc2z]

Az a child I thought the same thing. I thought puppies were boys and kittens were girls.

[@arif1979]

Aww! Super cute seeing pictures of you growing up with your cat! I thought all cats were girls and all dogs were boys as a child too! 😂

[@AlyHollywood]

So my 14.5year old tomcat is a miracle being as old as he is, he did have the urinary crystals with emergency surgery at his 11th year but other then that he’s been great. He is completely bonded to me so much post surgery recovery I had to go daily because he wasn’t eating and not recovering but my visit by request of the animal hospital made the difference so I went for hours a day to stand there cuz he is that bonded to me. Sleeps in my arms like a child would a teddy bear shares the pillow under the covers like a human tail wrapped between and around my legs paws clutching onto my arm and hair. My hair is a comfort to him lol reasons I can’t have short hair he would not be happy with not being able to snuggle into it and hold it lol. He is extremely vocal. He lets you know what he wants and when he is upset u didn’t do what he wanted when he wanted he intentionally will shit infront of the litter box while evil eye peering right at you if you happen to be in sight lol. Like doesn’t matter if I just switched the automatic box tray or not. He also likes to do it infront of the non auto that he only pees in just to make a point. He is extremely protective of me I’ve been told by friends if I fall asleep he will walk circles around me and make it clear to them this is the boundary don’t cross it don’t touch her or I’ll make you regret it. He has never bitten anyone. Me once but we were asleep and bit into my hand not sure if I startled him , rolled too much onto him or what but he definitely apologized a lot with kneading and this high pitch mew and trying to win. Me over in his own way lol. He’s one of the sweetest cats I’ve ever known only thing is I wish he would play with toys and not be scared of the wand or things like that lol. He doesn’t tend to like male humans at all and ones he really doesn’t like doesn’t matter if I’ve washed it or it’s been mine if an item of theirs is on the floor he will pee on it lmao. Not funny but kinda esp because I warned them to be nice I warned them that when it was clear he didn’t like them not to lèave things on floor unattended so sorta the idiot dude fault. We thought my tomcat was a female the first 4 months I got him right when he was weened …. He didn’t ever answer to that name he was waiting for us to figure out he was a dude and responded almost instantly once we knew and changed his name lol. He’s very small but he is quick. Back legs longer then front. Hes a spotted and striped golden brown black and white tabby with bright green eyes. Best valentines gift ever because every year he is my valentine. He cried when the female I had he was bonded to passed away holding her name tag. I took him up to her when she passed he licked her forehead and gave the sadest mew I ever heard heartbreakingly sweet he snuggled with her teddy bear for years and took about two or three years for him to stop eating exactly half of the dry food. Looked like I cut down the center and emptied one side leaving the other completely full. Was so hard to see him grieve really nothing is more heartbreaking then having to deal with your own grief and be worried about theirs and not sure how to help them to be okay. He purrs when I trim his nails. He lets me brush his teeth. Never has hissed or tried to hurt me when he needed a bath. There are a few times he got out because someone left my front door open when I wasn’t home smh. Since I been in this apt he only got out three times. First time he was running back to come back in before I even realized my idiot friend let him out he came bolting up as I was locking up about to go out thank god on that timing. Second time he was on gabapentin couldn’t figure out how to go up the stairs he came down had to crawl under a low bush to get him smh lol other time he was under the stairs once again unable to go back up for some reason they are steep though but yeah most of the time he doesn’t want to or try to go out. He will walk on a leash. Does better on a leash riding around in my purse full of my usual stuff not a cat carrier purse lol he will just perch cutely up out the top but on a leash and harness just incase he did try to bolt from my purse. Crates he always pees ugh. Which since Covid where vet is a drop off in carrier pick up situation it’s less ideal then when I could just purse him and we go lol times I had him out in my old neighborhood people would be like oh it’s a cat? Confused why he wasn’t a chihuahua or something lmao and the ones with little dogs then understanding why I was being like trying to keep distance and not wanting their distracted self to continue haphazardly having their dog get way too near me. My cat could care less he has been around dogs and they are the one with issues he doesn’t give a damn lol. Oh and he loves clothes like he has a small wardrobe and when in his shirts he struts around and talks saying look at me look at me lookin like a stud rofl truly like he likes it if he didn’t want to wear it he can get it off but he prefers it and it’s pretty cute mind you he is very small for a male let alone tomcat being between 7.5-10 lbs he was 10 almost 11 until more recently I think he hated the prescription diet food had to switch it a bit plus the ingredients I was like wtf this stuff is not good why is it so $$$$ for corn meal aka crack for cats lol. He eats a ton since I switched to still urinary care but not scripted like 3-4 cans per meal a day and dry food always out. Lots of water like tons so I mean he isn’t starving just small. His name is BINX because I want him to live forever. Oh and when hocus pocus is on he tries to go through the tv answering to his name and very much into that movie lol. 😊

[@RSBurgener]

In my experience, there are exceptions to whether the male is an active dad. Our intact male, Morgoth, is incredibly loving to his children. He watches over them and lets them eat whatever they want out of his bowl. Anyone else might lose an eye if they tried that! It's clear that he cares for them and likes being around them. I've seen him act defensively on their behalf as well.

[@thetimetravelersball5527]

I have 1 female , 12 yo- Tinee and 2 male cats, Fred (11) and Sheldon (3). Tinee is a food wh*re who will give any one loves if in exchange for food, though she does like to cuddle if it’s fall/winter and you have a blanket on your lap. She does not like to be held for any length of time. Snuggles are definitely on her terms only. Fred likes to be held like toddler, wants to be next to me all the time (whether it’s a good time or not) but doesn’t like to play with the other cats. Only really likes me and I’ve had him since he was born. Sheldon is the most affectionate cat you could ever meet, if he comes out from under the bed. He loves being held like a baby (he’s part ragdoll) by his dad or me (me less because he’s heavy and he can tell I’m less stable holding him), and he sleeps on my head every night. He likes having his belly rubbed and loves to play with us, the other cats (if they will play) and even the dogs. I’ve had many cats over my life time ive definitely found male cats to be much more affectionate.

[@robadams5799]

My family had a neutered male cat some years ago that bonded with my younger sister. Wherever she was, Tiger was never far away. If I tried to pet him, he might tolerate me for a few seconds, and then go look for her.

[@vivianvigil6375]

I Have Had Experiences Of Being A Cat Owner And Believe Me I Too Have Had My Fair Share Of Male Cats And Losing Them To ILLNESS sucked Especially At A Young Tender Age Of 7 Years Old . My Favorite Brown Tabby Leonardo Went To The Rainbow Bridge On August 24,2005 And I Was Heartbroken And I Had Other Male Cats Who Would Follow Suit. I Admit It I Miss ThemI Even Have Had Female Cats Too And Other Circumstances Beyond My Control.Being A Cat Owner Has Its Moments.

[@christiemcbaine2805]

I’ve had females most of my life. For the past 5 years we (my husband and I) have had a female and her son as well as adopting an “8 year old” male. The female is much more independent yet possessive. She owns us. She it also noticeably more intelligent. Her version of cuddling is to perch on a leg and nap. The older male is incredibly affectionate to the point of being codependent. He will go to great lengths to be in a lap (preferably mine) and must be in the same room as everyone else. The average lifespan concerns me. I do allow my fur babies outside (making sure they are in before dusk) and nearly all my cats have lived past 18 (the exception being one who pasted due to complications from getting his shots).

[@derekbenoit3657]

Very interesting. I'm sorry, did you say you had a cat pass away because of complications due to his shots?

[@valentinchentsov8095]

Interesting, my family's male cat is going to be 16 this year, he is not neutered, but he's always been super affectionate, not aggressive at all and he never sprayed. He's also too shy to go outside.

[@kenalex0353]

I have four indoor girls all from the same litter. Even though they have been raised together they are completely different. One is all black, one is tricolor, one is orange, one is white, They have completely different personalities ranging from very affectionate (black and tricolor) to moderately affectionate (orange) to "don't touch me" (white). The white is Siamese, The black is very fluffy, The orange and tricolor are short coat. Two or maybe three different fathers and their personalities seem to coincide with their paternal genetics. Their mama was a stray but also affectionate. (she did not want to be indoors, I had her spayed but she disappeared after about 6 months).. Four outdoor cats acquired me about 2 months ago (a mama and her two boys all three orange plus their tricolor sister) they are also spayed/neutered now and all four are very affectionate...(I was able to find an indoor home for the girl).. There is more to saga but this is getting too long...

[@nannybannany]

My littermate sibling cats also have very different personalities!

[@adrianac888]

Between my female tortie and male orange cat, my tortie is the super sweet and affectionate one. She's around me all day, snuggles and sleeps under the blanket with me, she enjoys being carried but only by me and my mom. Whereas my orange cat who I neutered at about a year and a half dislikes being held, prefers more alone time but who's cuddly only really at bedtime.

[@michaelfried3123]

Lots of validity to the male orange cat being the most loving. My boy Kenton (RIP) was an orange/white cat, 17 lbs and he was more like a small friendly dog than a cat, he'd follow you everywhere, loved going outside and never knew a stranger. My mom's torti female was literally the most temperamental cat I think I've ever been around. You couldn't hardly touch her, and trying to pick her up was futile.

[@anniejutsum8565]

My orange cat definitely has the personality of a orange cat. Loves to cuddle with me and meows a lot. Lol. He is definitely a mamas boy.

[@AmberWool]

The most loving cat I've ever had was an orange female. Her orange brother was pretty affectionate, but not nearly as much. Right now, I have a tabbico, a calico, and a tortie. The most affectionate is the calico, but all three lay on me.

[@elizabethannferrario7113]

Hi we have had siamese cats all our lives only one was female she was absolutely devoted to me and yes she was the only one which went outside but my goodness she was a thief , she would steal any food that any houses that she could get into and bring it to me as a gift ! i should have said she was neutered when she was about 8 weeks old. we moved home about 4 times and we never had any issues. and she lived until she was 14 yrs old i truly loved her . after she passed we waited about a year then we got two both male both different colours one a torti the other a chocolate point ,they both were castrated at 8 weeks and both were indoor ,and were the most loving cats ,they lived for 12 yrs , then we got 1 oriental , one seal point one fawn point these were all boys sadly we had alot of health issues the fawn point came from a different breeder and was heathy and he was really boisterous, the other two came from a breeder who had feline leukaemia and were on the point of dying until i did some research and we went back to our vet who did some ringing round and he found a human drug which might help but very expensive so we told him to go ahead it was an injection each day for all 3 cats for 6 weeks cost £700 so we didn’t have that kind of money so we got a bank loan for the first month worth then we would know if it would work so we went ahead and our prayers were answered they were showing signs of recovery and i gave them the injections myself it was ok as i was a registered nurse , then out of the blue we had got all the cats insured and we got a call from the vet saying that the insurance company would continue to pay for the rest of their treatment , and yes they all got better but the only issue was it left them with diabetes so they needed insulin twice a day but one of them lived until he was 22 yrs old and one day he just died as quick as that ! now two years later we have 2 bengal kittens who love to swim any water , the bath the sink the basin the shower ! anywhere ! so this is the sweet end to heart breaking tale , my love to everyone liz xxx a cat lady !

[@richfuller]

My male orange tabby 22 years, my female tortie only lived 15 years. Both were fixed. All my cats are/were totally insanely affectionate. Those are my two longest lived cats. Having had well over 15 cats over the course of my life I can honestly say every single one of them is completely different personality wise even if they are from the same breed or even litter.

[@poormanssage3922]

I'm a guy who grew up with over 15 cats over my lifetime. I'm 22. Have had 3 males in total. All had/have an all black coat. All named Joshua. My current Joshua is half Korat. Muscular and big. Have no idea on who the father is. Mamakitty got out. (Unfixed) but he is the biggest lovebug ever with a cute, almost feminine meow. Love him like hes my bestie.

[@ErinDorman-nl5yl]

I grew up with male and female cats together. All were cuddly, but the males are social, friendly, laid back, outgoing and cuddly with everyone while females are just about their person only. My males were the alphas though and don't do well with other male cats in the house while the females were fine with any gender if a new cat was introduced. Males are very needy and just want to be with you all the time while the female is independent but will come to you when she wants attention on her terms. Both very sweet, but females more on their terms only. I think that makes sense with how they were in the wild. This also holds true with male and female dogs from my experience too. As for which gender lived longer, my males so far have lived longer.

[@tinah9187]

My 13 yr old male started getting UTIs about 2 years ago, he's had 4 so far. The vet chalked it up to age as he has always been very healthy. We bought a water fountain to make drinking water more attractive.

[@barrydysert2974]

The boys are always lovier than the girls, but i love them all !:-) 😻

[@artistgrly]

I have 9 cats. 5 spayed females and 4 neutered males. They are all rescues. 6 of them were originally feral. My males are very loving and affectionate at 99% of the time. While the females are loving too, they tend to dictate the timing and amount of love they desire. Thank-you for the interesting facts about cats. I'm a newbie to your channel, but will definitely be a subbie. ❤

[@SpicyKimchi-]

They definitely do. I’ve had 6 cats on my life, 4 boys 2 girls, the boys were always the marshmallow cuddle bugs while the females were still loving but more independent. 3 out of the 4 boys have been ginger and they definitely exhibits dog-like traits, love attention and validation. My females were highly intelligent and definitely had a mind of their own to do things on their terms. They were all neutered. Currently I have two ginger litter brothers (one Puss in Boots, one Garfield), both neutered, they fight and sometimes also fight my female gray tabby.

[@S.E.C-R]

Here I am again… we currently have 2 males and 2 female. Our orange male is 10, our gray male is 1 and our tuxedo female is also 1. Our boys are much more friendly, lovey & snuggly than our female. She is also much more independent and way less needy than the boys are. Our boys are also large (20lbs) compared to our female who is maybe 8lbs. We’ve had many cats over the years, mostly females with oldest living to 20. She was mostly white with tortuous markings and indoor only, she was also my first cat as an adult on my own and I adopted her when she was 6. Other than her and our current 10yr old boy the others (all females and one male) didn’t live past 5 or 6, but they were also indoor & outdoor cats and would go out one day and never come home. We’re also rural with occasional raccoons and coyotes, so do the math. Our indoor cats have lived about twice as long as our indoor/outdoor cats. We’ve also never had a cat live long enough to die of old age. Even our 20 year old who was indoor & outdoor did not die of old age. She was accidentally ran over in our driveway because she had lost a lot of her vision and senses and walked right under my car that was backing out at the time. She always ran up the driveway when I would leave but this time her timing and senses were off. I always wonder how much longer she would have lived if that hadn’t happened. She was still getting along really well and was just starting to really show her age. RIP Tabby!

[@chantallennox1201]

Spot on! Have two cats from same litter: ginger male, tortoiseshell female, 11 years old and the male is super chill while the female is more temperamental.

[@chantallennox1201]

And they were both desexed as kittens

[@LittleC22]

Both male cats I've had were/are more adamant about getting cuddles. They care less that one may be busy and will be pushy about getting in my lap or on my pillow. My females ask for cuddles sometimes too but are ready to move on quickly.

[@michaeltorrey3603]

The most affectionate cat I ever had was a neutered ginger tabby. But I think it has most to do with how they are handled as a kitten. Maybe since everyone loves ginger cats they get more attention.

[@annlavine3576]

i knew neutering adds years to the life of a cat but i did not know how many, I have not experienced the last one both females and males are affectionate I had a neutered male who lived to be 20

[@noyourewrong599]

my female orange cat was more reserved and not too social, while my orange male cat was a big teddybear :P he also had some weight issues, he was basically like Garfield (although named Tiger) :)

[@randywatson8347]

My orange cat (nutered) lived for 21 years until complications have appeared. I used to make purr sound and he will respond wit a purr somewhere and come to me.

[@deborcor]

I have had the pleasure of sharing my home with cats my entire life. I want to address the claim that male cats live shorter lives than female cats. I have had several male cats live past the age of 17, two of which lived to be 20 and 23 years. Also, as far as "tom cats" being more aggressive, my Moose was a street cat and wasn't neutered until he was approx 10- 12 yrs old. He is a a very big boy at 26 lbs and is afraid of his own shadow. All my tiny 17 yr old female would have to do is stare at him and he'd go running.

[@johnpaulhenry2566]

I have four cats that are twenty plus years old. A mother and three kittens (one male and two females). The mother was friendly when I found her. The kittens were feral. The male kitten is the friendliest. One of the females is insecure and very clingy. The other female is more independent, but friendly.

[@JesusIsMySaviorCatsMyTherapy]

I've had cats for 42yrs and I've found that the breed made more of a difference. Especially between domestic and hybrid.

[@Dogsnark]

I’ve only had one female cat and she lived the longest of the cats I’ve had - 20 years. My other cats, all male, were definitely more affectionate than my one female. A far to small pool to draw conclusions from, of course, but my experience does seem to align with the research you mention. Good video. Thanks.

[@DTex.45ACP]

My male cats have generally been more affectionate than the female cats I've had, besides one. That one, a 3 year-old DMH Calico (patch colorization) named Susi, is the absolute sweetest cat I've ever met, much less had in my family. Major outlier, though the second-most human-affectionate female I had was also a Calico (tabby-style) named Kiki. She hated other cats, though, and tried to kill every cat or kitten that attempted socialization with her. Had to give Kiki to my sister to live in a single-cat home. The best cat I've lived with is Nibbler, the DMH gray-brown tabby currently sleeping (belly up, paw over eyes) next to me on top of the blanket-covered tote I set up as his bed next to my office chair. He's the most intelligent animal I've ever had, thought he's a bit clumsy for a cat. He was rescued from inside a porta-potty at the age of 6-7 weeks where some...thing...had thrown him. I cleaned him up, got his shots and neutered him, and he's been a constant companion since 2009. Very affectionate. A particularly prickly companion I currently have is a DSH Calico (patch colored) girl named Athena. She's 8 and she is a holy terror at times. She can also get to where she's purring so hard, she drools. She is not animal tolerant and we have to keep her separated from the dogs and Susi - hell, she growls at deer from the windows! She stays near me at all times, and will demand petting, but can't bring herself to relax and sleep next to anyone. She was not weaned long enough because her mother, who was a very sweet orange tabby, died from disease shortly after Athena was born. The rest of the cats I've owned have been mostly female, with an DSH orange tabby male and DSH white/gray patched tabby male being generally more affectionate than the females. That isn't to say any of the rest of the females were unfriendly - they weren't. They just didn't stand out either way. The final count is that, as an adult with my own home, I've had 3 male cats vs 6 female cats. All three male cats were/are generally highly playful and affectionate with little to no aggression. The females had/have more extremes, but as a whole, I'd say they averaged out slightly lower on the affection scale. They definitely average higher on the aggression scale with only Susi being almost completely non-aggressive.

[@DeneF]

Us men are just friendlier full stop. Lol lol. Great video. Many thanks.

[@kennyjones559]

My neutered males (10 months) were cuddle-bugs. My tuxedo female was very friendly, too. The calico female loved me the most -- she was definitely more male-centric. She would jump in my dad's lap unbidden. Maybe cats just like me, and I'm (biased) "cat people."

[@easygoing6397]

Thank you.

[@nateadams4056]

My female cat used to be so sweet and loveable and would always want attention before she was spayed 3 months after she started to be in heat and now she is more dependent and not loveable as much but every once in a while she will be wanting attention and thought she also does try to always sleep with me or lay next to me though her first kitten that i still have has stayed loveable and always needy and codependent even after spaying although i spayed her 1 week after she started to be in heat

[@sandreawhite7534]

I have a orange male that’s huge and fixed. He’s a huge teddy bear. He would not hurt a fly. On the other hand, his sister, his real sister, from the same litter is a white calico and meaner than a junkyard dog. She will bite and scratch every chance she gets. Then she’ll be loving and adorable when she’s had enough, she bites and scratches without warning. I’m the only one who can touch her. And she loves me and nails me on a regular basis. She’s also fixed. I love her so much but it can be trying.

[@DavidArcuri]

I've had both male and female cats who are absolute snuggly lap cats, alongside both male and female cats that are only occasional snugglers and prefer to be on their own. I suspect it has more to do with their upbringing than their gender. Not surprisingly, the super-snuggly cats have also been cats who loved to be picked up (or at least tolerated it,) and the not-so-snuggly ones really disliked being handled. As I've acquired all of my cats at a bit older than the kitten stage, I'm not sure how they were handled while they were younger (and the one former stray I am sure had little or no human contact.) So there is another anecdote for your enjoyment. :)

[@davidwayne9982]

TWo of my three "sons" are almost 6 years old- and I've had NO issues with them. They never scratched anything other than their tree and scratching posts, they never did much of anything on this list AT ALL.. Their "fights" which are very rare-- are usually just vocal "disagreements" and they ARE rare. The one year old, however- is hyper--- he has two speeds-- wide open or stopped!! He scratches stuff, plays VERY energetically- and makes the older adopted brothers play whether they wANT to or NOT!! ha. They have been a GREAT blessing to me. I had one orange tabby in California that lived to 33- and was still climbing, playing, etc. like a kitten to the last day. Don't know for sure what happened-- a dumba... tech repair guy left the door open too long and he got out and we enver saw him again. (I told the tech guy to get out and NEVER come around me again and if he did- it would be a VERY miserable day!).. So far mine are extremely healthy. I have a rountain for them and they drink a LOT.. pee a lot- and play a LOT-- they seem to be VERY happy. The older ones were getting a bit bored I think- and the little one came in and he's brought a TON of LIFE to this house-- making them play whether they WANT to or NOT!!! :) I never planned on any of this-- but I'm infinitely glad they came to me.