If you are thinking of adopting a cat, it is very likely that you are wondering which is better, a male or female cat. This is, without a doubt, a difficult decision, because surely you want to know which one will best suit your family and lifestyle and, therefore, if you can give it the care it deserves.
For this reason, in this article, we want to help you make this choice in the best possible way, explaining the reasons that you should know and value when you decide to host a cat or cat.
How to choose which cat to adopt?
Regardless of gender, there are many other considerations to take into account before adopting a new member of the family. This is because each individual is unique and, therefore, each feline has its own personality that will adapt to a lesser or greater extent to different habits and lifestyles. The character of your future cat will be shaped by different biological and environmental factors, since genetics (breed), sex (as we will see in this article) and age, added to environmental factors such as past experiences and learning, will determine that your feline has one character or another.
The main characteristics that you should take into account when choosing between adopting a cat or a female cat are:
- Age: generally, people tend to prefer to adopt a puppy cat, as they are at a stage in which they adapt and learn more easily from their environment. However, hosting an adult or elderly cat is usually a good option, especially if you do not have time to offer a basic education, in addition to the fact that young cats are more active and usually require more attention and games. In contrast, older cats generally have a more mature, serene and affectionate character.
- Breed: whether your cat is pure or mongrel, getting an idea of its breed will help you identify its physical needs and if it has a tendency towards a specific character, for example, if it is rather active, meek, affectionate…
- Know their background: before adopting a cat, in case it is under the care of other people, as a protector, you should ask about its background. That is, if you have had badly past experiences, such as abuse and / or abandonment. Knowing the past of your feline will be key, so that you will know how her socialization has been, if she has any specific fear or if her process of adaptation to the new environment will be more or less difficult.
- Presence of diseases: in the shelters there is usually the option of adopting cats that suffer from physical “defects” and / or pathologist, commonly FIV ( feline AIDS ) or leukemia . These felines have twice as difficult to find a home because they are more delicate, but if you think you can provide the necessary care and affection, adopting one can be a good way to give a second life to cats that will hardly know a family. Now, if you already have cats at home, you should consider whether you want to take the risk, since many of the most common diseases are quite contagious.
Characteristics of the cats
Feline behavior is partly influenced by sex. It is not strange then that you try to find out what characterizes and differentiates the males from the females.
As a general rule, but avoiding the erroneous belief that all cats of the same sex have the same behavior, female cats tend to be more affectionate and homelike. They tend to seek physical contact frequently, want to feel safe in their trusted environment, and are often protective of their own. This need arises from the instinct of wanting to have a nest or shelter in which to feel comfortable and protected in case of having a litter. In that sense, cats tend to tolerate less sudden changes in habits and environment, due to this need to have everything under control.
Another point to keep in mind is that females have periods of heat, usually between spring and summer. During these stages, cats experience stress and anxiety, they meow very frequently (especially at night), they may spray urine around the house (not always), and they run away. This behavior is, as you may have learned, problematic. Well, it is a danger for your cat, a nuisance for you and your neighbors, and there is a risk that she could become pregnant, which causes the uncontrolled growth of the cat population, which, unfortunately, are not always taken in by families that they deserve and love them, often ending up mistreated and / or abandoned.
Characteristics of cats
As for male cats, they stand out for having a more independent and lively character than females. Well, these, unlike females who need to be calm at home because of the possibility of being mothers, males usually have an active sexual life in which they usually go out in search of females in heat.
This behavior is usually problematic, as they tend to escape and wander due to the need they have to explore and travel long distances outside the home, therefore, there is the risk of an accident.
In addition, males often get into conflict with other males due to competition for territory and females in heat, a fact that implies that your cat suffers damages such as scratches and infectious bites, and the possibility of contracting diseases more easily.
For this reason, it is always advisable to neuter your cat as soon as possible, before it develops its sexual behavior. Since, as you have seen, it will be the safest option for your pet.
On the contrary, if you think that your cat will not be able to run away from home and that for this reason you do not have to worry about neutering him, the truth is that your cat will feel anxious and irritable because he will not be able to leave the home despite his sexual behavior being asks for it. This impossibility will generate a lot of stress in your feline and will make it easier for him to develop behavior problems.
However, by neutering your cat you will make him feel calm, since he will not have this need by lowering the level of his sexual hormones, so he will develop a more affectionate and meek character and, in addition, surely reduce and / or eliminate the behavior of spraying the house with urine (it depends on how old it is), which usually smells quite bad and does it to mark territory, warning other cats to stay away.
Male or female cat – which one to choose?
Now that you know the advantages and disadvantages of having a male or female cat, to make the right decision about which sex to adopt, it is important to take into account your needs and preferences, as well as whether you will be able to satisfy the basic care of your future pet. Thus, there is no correct answer to whether a male or female cat is better, but it will depend on the type of companion you are looking for.
