Males Verses Females
So the number one question I have received with all my litters is "Is there any females available." I always ask each person why they want a female. Or if they just ask about kittens and don't disclose a preference on what sex they want I ask them if they do. I find it fascinating that more people seem to want females than males. Especially when I am selling pets and not breeders.
Realistically, there is much more of a difference between un-fixed cats verses fixed cats, then there is males verses females. The number one answer of those who say they want a male over a female is "because males spray". Guess what... did you know that females spray also???? Yep, that is right, a female who is not fixed will spray MORE than a male who IS fixed. (I have never had a fixed male spray - EVER) As a matter of fact, the messiest cat I have is an un-fixed female, much more messy than the male because not only does she spray when she is in heat she sprays when she is on her time of the month, which leaves nasty blood stains if she is left to roam the house (no more.)
I have had cats my whole life. I kept them as pairs, my first two where "Mittens and Sir Thomas Paws" There we both fixed as early as they allowed in those days (which is later than these days now that they have "early spay and neuter". For us fixing a male happened as soon as his testicles dropped. if the vet could palpate them, they got taken off, usually between 5 to 8 months, but no later than 8 months, so if one hadn't dropped (medically called Cryptorchidism - An undescended testicle) The procedure costs a little more, but TOTALLY WORTH IT. After Mittens and Thomas there was "Griffin and Shadow" (another male female pair) and my barn cats "Phoebe and Racheal" (my mother still has Racheal in her barn to this day and she has to be around 21 years old from our calculations) who were two FEMALES. And for a short time I had a few kittens come and go that people tried to leave with me for rescue and I rehomed, like Jr and Highway (both males). And I had roommates that had their own Orange Tabby that lived with us (a male)... Then my current boyfriends cat "Mama".... all of them fixed... 39 years of cats ... and not one of them EVER sprayed. Not one. And having experience with both males and females that are fixed, and now getting into show cats that are breeders... I still prefer MALES over females.
Why? It's simple. if you have a fixed cat you would notice that the difference between each cat has more to do with their breed and personality than it does if they are male or female, so there are always exceptions to every rule... BUT if I had to narrow it down to the main difference between and male and female cat it would be this...
Males love you all the time, pick them up and place them on your lap because YOU feel like a snuggle? Fine whatever... He jumps on your lap for a snooze and snuggle, Fine whatever... Kids decide to dress him up in funny clothes and carry him around under the arms like a rag doll around the house? Fine whatever. Feel sick and call into work and need to stay in bed? He'll be on the bed no matter how much you toss and turn to keep you warm.
Females love you only when THEY want to love you. Pick her up and try to place her on your lap for a snuggle? "Are you crazy! I didn't ask you for attention, get off of me" (jumps down,) but when SHE is ready then she will jump up on your lap for a snooze or snuggle. Rub up against you and you don't respond and pet? "Are you hearing me?" (you just might get a bite or swat to remind you who is in control of the relationship here)... Kids come anywhere near her with dolls clothes? "OH HECK NO I"M OUTTA HERE" (up the curtains to the top she goes). Get sick and spend the day in bed? "Hi there? Mind if I share the bed? (lays to sleep) Hey! you are moving, stop moving (MEOW), okay I've had enough of this, I'm sleeping in the window, I'll come wake you up when it's time for my midday treat for pestering you until you are forced to get out of bed and give me what I want" (jumps down and goes to another room.)
Again, I know there are a few exception to the rule, I have had two females in our lives as calm and tolerant as males, one even let the kids pick her up by the tail without incident, and when she realized I didn't notice simply said "MEOW MEOW" like "Are you seeing this?" but did not try to swat the kids, but on the whole, my opinion is (and I have noticed this especially in my Bengal kittens even as little kittens) the females in general will love you when its THEIR choice, not yours, and you might just get a nail dug into your arm as they are trying to escape when it wasn't HER that asked to be picked up. Where a male goes along with everything and anything and loves you ALL the time, not just when it's his idea.
Personally, I guess I'm old fashioned in that as a health care provider who has studied health I have a hard time believing that removing hormones before starting puberty doesn't have a negative affect on the growth of the body. However, I would never let a cat get over 8 months before getting him fixed. But if you wish to look at the opposite oppinion or if you have more questions about early spay and neuter this is a good article from Cat fanciers magazine: http://cfa.org/Owners/CatCare/SpayNeuter/EarlySpayNeuter.aspx
Happy Kitten shopping!
