Just found out 5mo boy kitten is actually not a boy...

[HelloTreacle9]

I'm a bit in shock after a visit to the vet to have jabs, checkup and book in neutering. Our 5mo kitten, who we acquired at 12 weeks on the basis that he was a boy, is apparently actually a girl, which hadn't been picked up on previous vet visits. So obviously completely different neutering process.

We specifically looked for a boy for some time because we sadly lost our older chap earlier in the year and my 13yo DS, who adored him, was desperate for another little chum.

We obviously love the new cat, very sweet fluffy little thing who follows me around like a squeaky shadow with sharp teeth, but it's really thrown me. Not sure what to say to the kids later. The name is neutral so don't need to do anything about that but I can't get used to the new pronouns and am seeing the cat completely differently with this knowledge, I don't know why.

We've always had a boy and a girl cat - and the surviving sister of our cat who died absolutely hates the kitten. Vet said it's probably because she knows the kitten is another girl even if we didn't!

My DH thinks its hilarious and said we could just treat the kitten as trans (!) and keep male pronouns while making sure he/she gets the right healthcare for her biological sex.

Does it even matter?! Anyone had similar or advice/thoughts on how to handle the situation?

When we moved into our home there was a big ginger and white stray that would visit. My daughters were only two and three at the time and they called it Rosie. Yes Rosie was in fact a huge Tom with balls to match and fathered numerous litters and ran the neighbourhood. We tried to change his name to Robbie but couldn't get used to it so Rosie stuck.

We had a cat called Dave who was female! We didn't know she was female at the time but we never changed it. Dad used to say it was short for Davina 😂

Friend had a cat that was believed to be a girl, Shirley. He was named Shirley for his lifetime. He had 2 vet visits before anyone mentioned that she was he.

Cats are not fussed about names or pronouns and the chances are your older cat wouldn’t like a boy kitten any better because it’d still be an annoying kitten invading her house.