How to Tell If Your Kitten Is a Boy or a Girl

As a cat breeder, sexing kittens is something you’ll need to get right from the very first litter. Pet owners might only need this once, but breeders do it many times a year. Here’s how to be sure every time.

One of the most common questions I get asked as a breeder is
“Is my kitten a male or a female?”

Even after nearly twenty years of breeding it can still be tricky to tell sometimes.

Knowing the sex of your kittens early is useful for breeders and for new kitten owners who want to choose the right name or plan ahead for desexing.

Here is how I check and a few tips I have learned over the years.

Preparing for your first litter? My free Birthing Supplies Checklist will help you feel ready and confident. Download it here

How to Check the Sex of a Kitten

 Step One - Handle your kitten gently and place it on a soft, flat surface.

 Step two - Lift the tail and look at the area under the anus.

What you’re looking for is the shape and spacing of the openings:

Male kittens

• The genital opening is located just below the anus and looks like a small round dot.

• You may see two small bumps (testicles) on either side, but these may not be obvious until a few months old.

Female kittens

• The genital opening is further away from the anus and looks like a vertical slit.

• The space between the two openings is shorter than in males.

Think of it as colon vs exclamation mark:

• Boys look like “:”

• Girls look like “¡”

The Easiest Time to Sex Kittens

One of the best tips for breeders is that kittens are often easiest to sex when they are first born.

Birth hormones passed from the queen can make the testicles in male kittens more visible in those first few days. After that they seem to disappear again until the kittens are older.

So if you are near the birthing box in those early hours take a look then. It is often clearer than waiting until they are a few weeks old.

Compare Littermates

It helps a lot to compare kittens from the same litter. When you see two side by side the difference becomes more obvious.

If you only have one kitten a quick Google image search for male versus female kitten will show you side by side photos for reference.  Just be careful of your search terms.  

Bonus Tip – Tortie Kittens Are Almost Always Female

If a kitten is a tortoiseshell which is a mix of red or cream with another colour it is almost certainly female.

This is because of how red or cream colouring is linked to the X chromosome. A male kitten can only be a tortie if he has an extra chromosome or if he is the result of two embryos merging. This is very rare.

Guidance for New Breeders and Pet Owners

If you are a breeder take a few photos of your kittens as newborns to help confirm sexes before you announce them to new owners. It is also helpful to explain these differences to your kitten families so they know what to look for when their kitten comes home.

Final Thoughts

Even with experience it can be tricky sometimes. The more kittens you handle the better your eye will become.

If you are a new breeder and want more help with early kitten care and confidence with things like this come and join my New Cat Breeders Club. It is full of friendly breeders and practical tips to make your breeding journey easier.