How to Tell If a Kitten Is Male or Female

It's important to know the gender of your kitten.

Many times, when people want to make an addition to their home in the form of a kitten, its gender is of great importance. Perhaps there is already a male or a female in the home, or there may be breeding considerations. People also sometimes find and adopt a stray kitten without knowing its gender.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Hold the kitten so its back end is facing you; its tail will go up.

2. Use the "colon or semicolon" rule: If the animal is a male, the area below its tail should resemble a colon ( : ); if it is a female, the area should represent a semi-colon ( ; ).

3. Check to see if the urinary area and anus are close together; if so, it is a female. In male kittens, the urinary area and anus are not close together, and an undeveloped scrotum may be visible.

Tips & Warnings

• When comparing two kittens, the space between the anus and urinary tract opening in the male is greater than the distance in the female.