Boys Make Better Pets?

[cheylink]

Boys make better pets, but girls make best friends!
Theres more of a give and take with female cats but that is the basis of any loving,respectful relationship!

 

[mbd1974]

In my experience, males are much more affectionate. We have a 5 yr old female and a 5 month old male. He is very much a lap cat and comes when called, etc. He loves to snuggle up in the bed and sleep under the covers right up next to me. The female will sleep on the top of the comforter at the end of the bed, and she hates to be held.

I'm sure each situation is different, tho, and I wouldn't group all males or females into one category.

 

[miyas_mom]

I think it totally depends on the cat's personality. I wanted a boy when I was looking for a cat to adopt. The manager told me in her experience, girls were better.

I had pretty much made up my mind about Miya when I saw her on the adoption agency's website before I even knew she was a girl.

Miya is very shy around people she doesn't know, but with me, she is very affectionate, very intelligent and loves to play and chat. She is also very much in tune to people's emotions--she wants me to pick her up and hug her if she senses I'm feeling blue and she'll watch over me when I'm sick. She also understands a few simple words and commands.

 

[momofmany]

Originally Posted by yayi

IMO, if you are a human female, the animal boys will show more affection. If you are male, the ladies tend to be friendlier to you.

That generally holds true in my house. My 2 girls are all daddy's and my 9 boys are mostly mine. The exception is Stumpy, our alpha male, who tends to side with daddy but he also thinks he is a dog.

 

[trixtersmomma]

Originally Posted by andrewweilin

Interesting question, I have an interesting theory. Here's my kitty history:

My first two cats: (1) Boy, (1) Girl. Brother and sister. Brother was loving and affectionate all the way. Sister was a little affection ***** and cried ALL the time. So my next two cats ended up being:

(2) Boys, Brothers. Thinking that boys were "better." However, they exhibit almost identical personalities in terms of their relationship to me as my last two cats! Sometimes I think the "younger" brother, Chiron, might actually turn out to be a girl in disguise! LOL

So from my experience, I've concluded that the "dominant" cat tends to be more affectionate, loving, and chilled out, while the "submissive" cat tends to be a little bit more skittish, cautious, and whiny (LOL). That's just my theory. I guess it might make sense from a layman's perspective.

This makes a lot of sense to me. Of my two boys, my ten year old is the dominant king of the castle. He is more affectionate (tho he can be a brat lol) and less skittish while my 2 year old siamese is more skittish, hides from most guests, hisses at them, etc. neither of my boys like to just sit on anyones lap. They like their space and THEY run the entire house! lol

One thing I think effects their behaviour is the timing of when they are taken from their mother. Both of my boys were born outside, wild, never touched until the day they came into my home, but Trixter (my ten year old) was at least 6 weeks, while Smeagol was captured and given to us when he couldnt have been passed 4 weeks. (both cats were very wild, and even growled during their first few meals, etc) If I recall correctly, I have read that kittens who are too young do not learn the essentials from the adult cats in their lives and therefore are more likely to over-react, etc. That sure seems to be part of it with my boys!

 

[gizmocat]

I think it depends on whether you own an alpha cat. Both sexes could be a bit bossy if this was the case.
Gizmo is definitely not an 'alpha' and she is the sweetest and gentlest thing imaginable. I prefer females since they do not spray, but a male who was neutered young would also be nice. Jacques, the 26 pounder upstairs, also has a sweet and loving disposition. And he loves his daddy more than anyone on the Earth, while Gizmo loves her mommy! So they don't always bond with the opposite sex.

 

[gizmocat]

I also read that a cat's personality depends on that of its father. Gizmo must have had a really nice daddy.

 

[natalie_ca]

I've only ever had female cats for some reason. All of the strays that I take in or have adopted have been little girls.

I do know people who have or have had male cats. A girl who lived across the hall had a boy kitty named Sylvester, and he was such a loving kitty. He loved to be picked up and he would wrap his front paws around your neck and hug you, hehe. He was very social and loving.

My brother had 2 male cats (separate occasions) and they too were very loving and affectionate.

Out of all of the girl kitties I've had, some have been exceptionally affectionate like my oldest cat Chynna, and others not so affectionate and downright aggressive and viscious like a former cat I had, Kiera, a DSH torti. She is the only cat I've even relinquished to the humane society

And I think after having read these boards that it was my fault entirely for her demeaner.

I had taken her to a vet I'd never been to before because it was near my home for her to be spayed and declawed (

). Back then I didn't know what it involved.

I think the vet I took her too at that time turned out to be quite mean and called me after the surgery to tell me that my cat was freaking out in the cage and that I should come and pick her up and take her home because she was a nuisance. He also told me at that time that he had tested her blood and that she showed as diabetic (she was 1 year old), and that it was a huge task and very expensive to look after a diabetic cat and that it would be more humane to put her to sleep. I was devestated but trusted his opinion as a professional.

I called my friend and cried on her shoulder. She was just as upset as I was as we took our cats in together. She kept her head though and called the emergency vet hospital here and talked to the head of the vet society or something. After she explained the situation he called me and told me that a cat of 1 year old is highly unlikely to be diabetic and asked if I had given direction to have the cat euthanized. I said I had. He hung up the phone and called the hospital to stop it. Turns out the vet had already done the euthanizing and had used way more than the required dose.

He resussitated my cat and I picked her up.

She was never the same.

She was viscious, like a wild animal, plus she was peeing all over the furniture and the bed repeatedly. I tried all kinds of things to get her to stop but after a month of her attacking me at every turn and peeing everywhere I just couldn't manage her and took her to the humane society.

I've never gotten over the guilt of what I put that poor kitty through

I know from the sounds of it that the vet and his staff were cruel and mean to her which was probably part of the reason for her aggression, declawing was another factor, but if she ended up with brain damage from the drug to kill her, I don't know.

Anyway, I don't really think that there is a huge difference between boy and girl kitties when it comes to affection. I think lots of it has to do with how they are socialized when they are young.

 

[maddies mom]

I have had females most of my life, with the exception of our barn tom's when I was early teens. All of my females except my current, and my all time favorite Maddie, have been exlusively mine. By this I mean they loved and cuddled me, came when called, and merely tollerated all other living things. Madison is the opposite, she is so outgoing and bright, full of energy, loves people,(she meets them at the door and makes first introductions) and is still very much my cat

Even after she was hit by a car, (blinded in one eye, her upper and lower jaws broken and lost all her front teeth,) after three surgeries to repair damage, she is still the same outgoing and loving cat as before. My daughters female Bella, is mean, fiesty and mean and.... well you get the picture.

My husband has had male cats all his life, and has had two since we've been married. All loving cuddly and happy, including our latest adoptee, Max.

Even though females are more aloof and can be standoffish, I can't help my selfe. I love them

 

[miamispartan]

I don't know about that...
We have a female, and she could not possibly be any sweeter and more affectionate. When she sees me come home from work, she will sprint towards me. She knows her name, and she'll let other people pet her, as well. She follows me all over the house. If it's storming outside, and she is sleeping indoors, she cuddles up next to me. Some part of her must be touching me while she sleeps. Sometimes I'll wake up to find her on my chest with her face inches from mine! (Thank God my cat allergies have gone away!)
I don't think it has anything to do with the gender of the cat. I think each one just has a different personality.

 

[jaycee]

im sooooo glad i took the chance on getting a girl kitten (i had planned on getting a boy for thinking girls are standoffish) she, Kya, is the the sweetest most affectionate and tolerant little thing ive ever seen. now that i know, i wont ever shun female cats again

 

[indykitty]

and before anyone yells at me. the economic reason is...

Boy kitties are cheaper to neuter than girls are to spay. I consider that part and parcel of having a cat. If I can't afford to do that in a reasonable time then I can't afford the kitty. Luckily my younger cat came with the surgery included in the cost of adoption. I got a certificate to take him to the "Spay and Neuter " clinic,and yeah that's the name of the place , when he came home so he didn't cost me a dime but if I had to pay for it I'd still get a boy.


Jennifer Sweeney

 

[gizmocat]

That reason makes perfect sense to me. But most good cat adoption places will neuter or spay the animal before you get it. There is no difference in adoption fees for males and females, though ours charges half price for adopting mama cats and one of their kittens.

 

[indykitty]

my kitten was too little to be neutered before I got him but as soon as he was big enough and over the ringworm I got him neutered. Its just part of the price I figure.

My adoption source gave me a certificate to get him broken and since my dad works with them I wouldn't have dared not get it done. I do believe that the older animals are all broken before they get adopted out

Jennifer Sweeney.

 

[dusty's mom]

My kitty was a stray that lived in our backyard for several weeks before we realized she was a stray and needed a home. She was so timid and ran away everytime we went outside. Gradually we won her trust and now she is the most affectionate cat I've ever seen. She loves to snuggle right next to our faces, and she just can't get enough pets. She is our baby and seems to love my husband and I equally. Actually she is very diplomatic. She alternates between the 2 of us when we are watching TV in the evenings.

 

[luckygirl]

Originally Posted by jaycee

what is an affection *****??

someone who is practically selling their body for attention....it's a pun on words.... but my LuckyGirl will actually meowmeowmeow if her daddy hugs me if front of her. Like a jealous child (or girlfriend).....

 

[jaycee]

Originally Posted by LuckyGirl

someone who is practically selling their body for attention....it's a pun on words.... but my LuckyGirl will actually meowmeowmeow if her daddy hugs me if front of her. Like a jealous child (or girlfriend).....

thank you for answering my question, that just seems like such an ugly name to call a cat (or anyone)

 

[pami]

Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom

what a gorgeous cat

 

[ckatz]

My female siamese mix is the most affectionate cat ever! Any more attention crazy and I'd go crazy. So in my case this theory isn't true.

Cynthia

 

[dusty's mom]

Originally Posted by Pami

what a gorgeous cat

Thank you Pami! Not bad for a stray, but you should have seen her the first week - full of mats, her fur was dry - actually she looked like she was covered in dust, which is why we named her Dusty. It's hard to tell her color from these pics, but she is a charcoal grey and white long hair tuxedo kitty.