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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Are boy cats always friendlier?

31 replies

MayTheOddsBeEverInYourFavour · 13/04/2013 16:39

We are getting a kitten

We went to view a litter and picked the boy that we wanted. But that was a week ago and the breeder has emailed to say that our boy cat is actually a girl. We love the kitten we picked and she was so friendly and cuddly (though I don't know if that will change because she was very young) but we did have a slight preference for a boy

We've told the breeder we want to keep the same cat because we loved her when we saw her but does it mean she won't be as friendly because she is a girl?

OP posts:

mrs2cats · 13/04/2013 17:57

I just think it depends on the cat rather than the gender.

Female cats have always been good company for me whereas male cats have been a bit more diffident.

I would just say that if she's easy to handle and friendly and cuddly then that's what you should be looking for rather than gender.

mrs2cats · 13/04/2013 17:58

Did mean to add at the beginning of the 2nd paragraph that 'In my experience, female...' Otherwise it looks like I'm contradicting myself!

WhereBeThatBlackbirdTo · 13/04/2013 18:10

I've had three boy cats and four girls.

The first two ginger boys were the most gentle, loving glorious cats you could ever wish for. When we lost them we got another ginger boy - spiteful little sod!

One of our girl cats has always been a little darling. The others only became lovely as they got older.

So - it depends on the cat.

And post pictures, please

Pascha · 13/04/2013 18:13

Two boy cats here, one very friendly but not cuddly, the other very cuddly but extremely grumpy. I think personality is down to the cat not the gender.

RandomMess · 13/04/2013 18:14

I've had 3 boys and 1 girl, all have been friendly but the girl is definately the most cuddly and the friendliest.

cozietoesie · 13/04/2013 18:20

For me, the answer is yes - but I think that that's just because I've always 'fitted better' with the male cats I've had. One of those things. I know that many of the posters here have female cats who are just as cuddly and friendly as can be so if you've found a cat who really suits you, I'd go for that one regardless of sex.

You'll be having her spayed in a few months, I assume, so her loving attitude shouldn't change much, if at all, as she ages. (Unspayed females would regularly have one track minds so wouldn't be so friendly then - but the same is completely true of males.)

Have fun - and let us have some pictures when you get her.

QueenStromba · 13/04/2013 19:21

Our rescue cat is a girl and she's one of the friendliest cats I've met. I've met a boy cat as friendly as her but I've also met both boy and girl cats who aren't so friendly. As other posters have said, it's just down to the disposition of the cat - as soon as you neuter them there is very little difference between the genders.

Hassled · 13/04/2013 19:23

In my experience, yes. Neutered males just seem more interested in people than neutered females.

issey6cats · 13/04/2013 19:26

i have 5 cats 3 boys 2 girls, in order they are boy cat loves to lie on my lap and bury his head under my arm is his idea of heaven, his sirter will lie in my arms like a baby very cuddly, ginger asbo likes to sit next to me but he wont do cuddles or laps, half siamese boy is very loving but doesnt do laps either, young girl foster kit of 8 months is affectionate but doesnt like being picked up, so basically down to temprement of the cat rather than sex

Pollykitten · 13/04/2013 19:46

I've got the friendliest girl cat in the world, Polly (hence my MN name) she is amazing, bit of Bengal in her but mostly mog. might actually worship her a little bit!

TSSDNCOP · 13/04/2013 19:51

I don't know if boy cats are friendlier, but they are definitely more stupid.

Mine is currently perched on top of DS's frog sandpit in the garden. It is pissing down.

The girls are definitely the brains of the outfit in cat world.

Branleuse · 13/04/2013 19:53

i always thought males were friendlier and wanted a boy when i got my kiitten but fell in love with a girl kitten because she was so friendly, and she still is

QueenStromba · 13/04/2013 19:58

My cat hates being picked up even if it's to rescue her from the bathtub that she can't get back out of. She's also not a lap cat - if two people are sitting on the sofa then she'll curl up between them. She is a chest cat though because when you lie down on the sofa or in bed she stands on your chest and head buts you in the nose looking for some love. We've only had her five weeks but I've already figured out her pose for "lie down so I can stick my nose up your nose". I describe this as being purrminated because she's just so insistent of you submitting to her love.

MissBeehivingUnderTheMistletoe · 13/04/2013 20:01

I've had about 16 cats over the years both boys and girls and some were friendly and some weren't. I have two at the moment a boy (not friendly unless food is involved) and a girl (very friendly but shy)

Growlithe · 13/04/2013 20:10

We've had 3 female cats and one male and they've all been very affectionate and friendly.

Our last cat actually seemed to understand when I was pregnant, and when the babies came home was very understanding of the relationship I had with them. Maybe it was in my imagination but that's how it seemed to e.

In our experience when you go to the rescue centre they pick you anyway.

sashh · 14/04/2013 03:44

I spent about 8 years fostering for Cats Protection, they are all individuals.

Some are friendly to everyone, some prefer one person over another, some hate everyone and every thing.

One was so think I don't even think he knew he was a cat.

I'll try to remember them and personalities (wish I'd kept a diary)

Annie Von Ack - didn't know she wasn't making a sound when she meowed so spent a lot of time standing by doors opening and closing her mouth. She was a sweet old lady who became the 90th birthday present of a very sweet lady who had made arrangements in case she passed before the cat.

Violet Elizabeth de fuzzybum - guardian of the scarves spent 90% of her time in the drawer where I keep scarves

Jacob and Chivers (both male) were a sort of whirlwind chasing each other around the room and then would sit on knees for affection

Lilly and Tonks, just kittens really and happy to play with humans, toys, each other. Tonks was a boy so if you are a Harry P fan I appologise.

Loopi - was very ill when handed over to me, he was a lap cat for an hour or two before I took him to the vet. He didn't come home.

Venus - the nastiest piece of work when she arrived, my carer spent hours picking her up and stroking her only to be hissed at, after about a year she became quite friendly

Buffy and Spike - only interested in cuddling each other, unless I was reading in bed when Spike would lie on my back and 'paddy' my shoulder.

Princess - an old lady, only interested in sitting on HER cushion

Pilchard (f) and Salem (m) as different as two cats can get. Salem was 'pretty but dumb' and would wrap himself in a shawl for fun. Pilchard would give him a look of disdain and then ignore him.

Hermione was a gorgeous kitten who was fostered by a friend, she loved to play and would greet my friend at the door when she got home.

Sam and Eliot, very much like Jacob and Chivers with the exception Eliot would lie flat on his back on your knee and go to sleep.

Guinness would wake me up by tangling my hair in her paw - cute but annoying at times.

I know I've missed a few out, but as you can see personality is IMHO more important than gender.

Growlithe

There is someone on here whose cat has only ever brought her mice when she is in the early stages of pregnancy. Obviously it's debatable whether being given a gift by a cat or POAS is better.

changeforthebetter · 14/04/2013 08:55

My girl cat is the friendliest, if most nervous, creature on the planet. Her brother was friendly but not as much as her. Our other Tom is sociable but no where near as loving.

DontCallMeBaby · 14/04/2013 10:18

Even if there's a tendency for boy cats to be friendlier, it's not going to apply to any individual cat - that's like thinking that as a woman ALL men are going to be taller than you.

My cats are both boys, I wouldn't exactly call them friendly. One follows DD round shouting at her, at least when she's not carrying him around. He's her biggest fan, but less fussed about anyone else (unless I'm doing something in the kitchen, in case he sits and stares at me just in case). The other is politer (went up on hind legs the other day when I let them in the door, while his brother just stalked in) but generally more standoffish. Except last thing at night - if he's in, he has to come and knead me and DH, lie on my arm, put his paw in my mouth (ugh) ...

ChocsAwayInMyGob · 14/04/2013 10:24

my girl cat is like Velcro. She is with me all day and sleeps on my feet at night. In the evening she is glued to my lap and her hobby is non stop purring.

I agree with many posters that it's the cat not the gender.

TomArchersSausage · 14/04/2013 10:27

Two very soppy and friendly boys here. We've had only boys previously all friendly types.

But I'm sure girls are just as friendly too, I just havent owned one to know.

Lovethesea · 14/04/2013 10:33

Rescue1 is a boy and loves to be stroked and sleep or sit by you but doesn't do laps (he is actually a bit big for laps come to think of it). Can be held in your arms and cuddled.

Rescue2 is a girl. Does not do being held or lifted but grabs any free lap and purrs like crazy when stroked. Also sleeps next to or on you in bed.

So both different, both affectionate.

WhereBeThatBlackbirdTo · 14/04/2013 10:44

growlithe the only time my vicious tabby girl sat on my lap was when I was newly pg. The rest of the time she could out-spit and out-hiss the best of 'em

PipkinsPal · 14/04/2013 10:51

In my experience its boys. I've nearly always had boy pets, cats, hamsters, rats, rabbit, gerbils and they have always been lovely and friendly. I did have 2 female rats and they would hide behind the tv when I had them out. The friendliest rat I had was called Pipkin, hence my name. I suppose I've been lucky that the pets I've had have lovely natures.

PipkinsPal · 14/04/2013 10:52

And they are generally cheaper to neuter.

TeamJavert · 14/04/2013 10:56

No ime.It depends on the cat.We've had countless cats,and they've all been different.We've had as many affectionate females as males.

My current cat is a male ragdoll,and he can be affectionate occasionally,but spends most of his time biting everyone.

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