As a cat owner, you must have asked this question at least one time in your life. Well, before answering this question, it’s important we know what transgender actually means.
Generally speaking, transgender is an individual who strikes down with the gender they were originally given at birth. For instance, their parents and doctors call them of a specific gender, but they just disagree with them.
The concept of transgender is human-made; animals don’t understand their gender assignment. There is a possibility that a cat might be born with a female body but has a male brain. However, because they don’t understand the concept of gender assignment, we cannot call them transgender.
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Can Cats Be Intersex?
By definition, an intersex or Hermaphrodite is to be born as an intermediate between different sexes or with both sexes. As this condition is associated with the body, it can occur in several animals.
In cats, the concept of intersex is not so frequent. Most people think their female is changing its sex because they cannot properly determine the gender of a cat. To eliminate this confusion, it’s important to distinguish between a female kitten and a male kitten.
Continue reading to learn some of the most effective methods to distinguish between a male and female cat:
Ways to Determine a Kitten’s Gender
Distinguishing a male kitten from a female one is not an easy task. In fact, at first glance, even most professionals can find it tricky. However, there are several characteristics that can help you determine whether your kitten is male or female such as behavior, coat color, genital spacing and many more.
Here are some of the most common ways to distinguish between a male kitten and a female one:
Coat Color
This approach is simple but not quite reliable. You can observe your feline’s coat to determine its gender. For instance, tri-colored or Tortoiseshell cats are always females. This is because only female cats have this chromosomal makeup.
Furthermore, ginger and orange-colored cats are almost always male. However, this trait is not that reliable because only three-quarters of ginger-colored cats are usually male.
Identifying the Genitals
If your kitten is 2 weeks old, you can examine its genitalia to determine its gender. When it comes to male kittens, their genitalia will resemble a colon, with their penis residing just under their anus and detached by enough space to lodge their testicles.
On the other hand, a female kitten’s genitalia looks more like an upside-down exclamation point. Just under their anus, you might be able to see a vertical vaginal slit with little to no spacing.
Final Verdict
Are you wondering if cats have gender dysphoria? Well, the answer is NO. By definition, to be transgender, the subjected animal must understand the concept of gender assignment.
Your feline might have a female cat’s body and the brain of a male one. However, as they don’t understand their gender assignment, you cannot call that certain cat a transgender.
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