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BEHA
VIOUR
Battle of the
D
eciding you would like
to take on a new kitten
or cat is so exciting, but
before you decide which
kitty you want to become
your new family member,
there’s plenty to consider.
Which gender of cat
makes the best family pet
is something many people
have strong opinions about.
But what are the behavioural
differences between the
genders? And how much
of a consideration should
gender be when making that
all-important decision?MAN POWER
Many people consider male
cats to be more affectionate,
cuddly, and amenable than
female cats. But, as the term
‘male’ encompasses both
entire and neutered male
cats, this opinion can be
quite misleading, as there
are large differences
between the two.
When a male kitten
reaches puberty, at
around six months
old, his testosterone
starts to kick in and he
becomes highly driven by
his hormones. This means
that he will develop certain
patterns of behaviour, which
aren’t always pleasant for
owners to deal with.
Clinical animal behaviourist
Trudi Atkinson elaborates:
“Entire males are more likely
to fight with other male
cats and be more likely
to cause and/or receive
injury. They also have a large
home range, which means
that they can wander quitefar in their search for
a mate.”
An entire male who is
allowed to wander is at
much greater risk of
becoming lost or injured,
either by scrapping with
other entire males or as
a result of his adventurous
streak. As well as being
a nuisance outdoors, and
highly likely to get a female
pregnant, he could also be
quite a handful in the home.
Trudi explains:
“Urine-spraying by entire
toms is a form of sexual
advertising to attract
potential mates, and
a warning to potential rivals.
It’s almost inevitable with
entire males, and they will
also perform it indoors.
“Many people know that
entire females ‘call’ when
in season, but males also
make a loud and persistent
‘mowl’ sound when they are
aware of a female in season.
Some breeders refer to this
as ‘singing’,” adds Trudi.
“Entire males are also more
likely to be aggressive and
not so affectionate towards
their owners. So, all things
considered, they don’t
generally make good pets.”
Therefore, if you take on
an eight-week-old male
kitten, these behaviours will
inevitably surface if you don’t
neuter him before he reaches
sexual maturity.
When a male cat is
castrated, both testicles are
surgically removed, which
takes away the main source
of testosterone. Therefore, if
this is done before he reachesYour Cat November 2017Are boys
the best...?Did you
know?
According to the
most recent PDSA PAW
Report, 90 per cent
of owners have had
their cats neutered.34-36 YC Battle of the Sexes CSEWCCSW.indd 34 29/09/2017 14:12