Handle the kittens in a warm, indoor area Don’t separate young kittens from their mother for more than 5-10 minutes Don’t lay kittens on “heat-sucking” surfaces like marble countertops and hardwood floors that will draw warmth out of their bodies
Calmly pet the kitten for a few minutes before laying it gently on a soft, clean towel and lifting its tail. Be willing to back off and return it to its mother if it shows resistance. Position the kitten in a standing position with its head directed away from you. Lift–don’t tug or pull–the tail. If the kitten is reluctant to let you inspect beneath its tail, try getting a partner to help. The partner can gently hold the kitten in their arms while you gently lift the tail. You can also try to get the kitten to voluntarily lift its tail by scratching where the back meets the tail. [1] X Research source The kitten should have two openings. The top opening is the anus, while the bottom opening is the male or female genitalia.
A female kitten’s genital opening will look like a small vertical slit. Together, the anus and genital openings on a female kitten will look like a lowercase “i. ” A male kitten’s genital opening will look like a tiny circular hole. Together, the anus and genital openings on a male kitten will look like a colon ( : ). [2] X Research source
A female kitten’s genital opening is placed higher up and closer to the anus. A male kitten’s genital opening is further below the anus.
Look carefully at the space between the genital opening and the anus. If you see a small bulge or pouch, it’s likely the scrotum, and thus the kitten is male. If you can’t visually detect a scrotum, you can feel for them in kittens that are at least a month or two old. To feel for testicles, gently pinch the area between the anus and genital opening. You may feel one or two small pea-sized lumps. Be aware that very young male kittens–younger than a month or two old–may have testicles that have retreated into the inguinal canal and cannot yet be felt.
Certain colors, like calico (large patches of black, white, and orange) and tortoiseshell (marbled black, orange/brown, and sometimes white), are carried on the X chromosome and require two X chromosomes to appear. Thus, because females have two X chromosomes while male cats have only one, males cannot have these colors except in the case of a rare genetic disorder. Orange tabby (striped) cats are more likely to be male.
Beginning to meow more loudly, harshly, and frequently. It will grow in intensity over time and may begin to sound like howling. Showing a strong urge to go outdoors Becoming extremely affectionate, even with inanimate objects Showing “presenting” behavior, wherein a female cat rests on its front legs while hyper-extending the back and lifting its tail and rear end in the air. Spraying urine
A male cat may begin to spray outside the litter box, even if he’s normally well-trained. The urine will have a strong, unmistakable smell that most find unpleasant.
An unneutered male will tend to be lean and muscular, with thicker bones in the skull and jaw. Unneutered males also commonly have what’s called a “stud tail. ” A set of glands at the base of the tail secretes an excessive amount of an oily substance called sebum. This secretion can have telling effects on the area near the base of the tail, including greasy or matted hair; absent, thin, or patchy hair; blackheads; a rash or skin infection; and/or a foul smell.
