The battle of the sexes has long been a discussion within mankind. If you are bringing home a new cat, you might find yourself pondering the same question.
When you are thinking of bringing home a new cat, there are lots to consider when making sure your to-be new furry family member is going to be the right fit for your human (and perhaps other four-legged members!) family. Things like deciding on which cat breed, what your new feline friend needs, and of course, the perfect name — and yes, even things like whether you should go with a male or female cat. (Heck, you might even have a preference of one over the other.)
But when it comes to differences between male and female cats, we all know that they have different, um, parts, should we say. But other than that, what exactly are the gender differences, or in this specific case, behavioral differences, of male vs female cats?
Truth be told, it really just trickles down to the physical and behavioral differences.
Male vs Female Cats: Behavioral Differences
While we feel it's important to note that there is no absolute when it comes to the comparison of an individual personality against a cat's sex because there are always exceptions, there are indeed some common differences between male cats and female cats when it comes down to behavior — being neutered (for male cats) or spayed (for female cats) will also play a big part in any differences in the cat behavior.
In general, as adult cats, male cats can be more affectionate towards their cat owner. They have a more laidback attitude and are often more playful; they will even give you cuddles.
On the other hand, while we're not saying female cats don't like to cuddle, they would just prefer to do it on their own terms — female cats are just typically more independent than male cats. Catological explains the differences in the cat's personalities,
"Female cats, by default, are more oriented towards caring for kittens. As such, their main focus isn't on themselves and their pet parents, but on continuing the family and reproducing, as well as providing security and safety for the newborn kittens.
Male cats may appear more loyal, affectionate, and amiable towards their owners. Compared to a female's inborn maternal instincts, male cats can focus solely on pleasing their pet parents. Thus, they may appear to be more loving when it comes to their owners."
Male vs Female Cats: Neutering/Spaying
As we mentioned before, whether or not a cat is neutered/spayed will have a big effect on a cat's behavior. However, it's generally a very good idea to neuter or spay your male kitten or female kitten.
Neutered males won't be quite as territorial and won't exhibit aggressive behaviors with other cats. On contrary, unneutered male cats (i.e. tomcats) will display aggressive behaviors like marking their territory in the house and are more likely to escape, especially if they sense a female cat in heat nearby. After spaying, female cats tend to be calmer and is more affectionate with their human.
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