males vs females?

[CurlyCatz]

Personally i'd say males and that goes for varies species.
However if you had a cat already i'd take those considerations into thought but since you dont i'd go for boys.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Very sensible approach, Ela. 

[Ela]

I think females can be quite snooty. I've never had a problem with females spraying before, but in the last few days a few people have said they can be as bad if not worse than boys, interesting.

If you have a girl perhaps you could say something like, 'I will be having her spayed when she is 6 months old as I know each time she comes into season it will increase her chance of mammary cancer, FeLV and FIV and she won't  get pyometra the life threatening infection.'

[em1209]

Morning, and thank you all for your helpful words. I have heard quite a lot about males being more affectionate than females, I think females can be quite snooty. I've never had a problem with females spraying before, but in the last few days a few people have said they can be as bad if not worse than boys, interesting.
I know, I will try and say something about having the mum spayed, but it's not really my place to tell the owner what to do, tricky one. The kittens are all gorgeous, they are 6 weeks old today! We're going away for the weekend 23rd June, so will hopefully get them the week after, so they'll be 9 weeks by then. I've booked the week off work too so I can stay at home and play all day!! The mother is a seal tabby ragdoll. There is one tabby male who is very fluffy, I'm most interested in him, but the lady's daughter might want him, so hopefully I'll find out this week. There are then 2 black boys with little white bibs. As ragdolls are creamy, one of them has also got quite a lot of other white bits on him, he's got funny white hairy legs, so cute! And then there is a tortoishell girl. So hopefully I can have the tabby and then it's either the black hairy legged boy or the tortoiseshell girl too. Oh decisions decisons. I'd have them all if I could.
Right I'd better get on with something more productive, I could talk about cats all day!!
Emma

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Hi Em, and welcome to Purrs.

I've had males and females, and like many of the other posters, I've found the males have generally been more affectionate.  When they're neutered they tend not to spray.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I have had more affectionate males than females too.

[Ela]

there are 3 neighbourhood cats who like to go into people's houses and spray to mark territory - 2 are female!!

So many people when asking for a cat ask for a female and when I ask 'why do you particularly want a female, usually they  say they are more affectionate and they don't spray.

Most are gob smacked when I say that I think I have had more affectionate males than females and at least just as many females  as males that spray if not more.

[Desley (booktigger)]

i would just go with whatever you fall in love with - but MM has a good point about the mum cat, she wont know what she has come into contact with, and might not be able to register these as Raggies as they wont be true purebreds. As for spraying - there are 3 neighbourhood cats who like to go into people's houses and spray to mark territory - 2 are female!!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

i have 2 birman brothers who get in fine but r the newbies in the houe.

also have 1 male and one female who love each other to bits but not the birman boys.

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

hello emma  to purrs

i have 5 girls and 2 boys

i find my girls are a lot more stropey and they r bossy and have attitude espec when i try and get them to do something they dont want for example like flea and worming treatments

both my boys are very laid back and friendly and to be honest ive never seen any of them hiss or anything like that 

but my girls  if they dont like something they will make sure everyone knows about it lol lol

[Gillian Harvey]

I don't have a cat at the moment but hopefully in about 3 weeks, should be getting 2 little babies! I was originally looking at getting a ragdoll, but have decided against it due to having to keep them indoors

 I've been to see them and they are gorgeous, so cute.

I was going to get one boy and then not sure whether to get another boy or a girl?
Emma

I bet they look really cute - must see some pictures soon!  My experience is with 2 boys who now don't get on. I had Harry first at a couple of months old, then few weeks later, George - about the same age. They got on really well as kittens, until they were around a year old or so - and since then they pretty much can't stand each other! - its ok most of the time, because George avoids Harry (who is more dominant), but its an uncomfortable relationship at the best of times LOL! They are both around 11 yrs old now. Mind you, it might be different with siblings, they might continue to get on as they get older.

[Millys Mum]

If you neuter them by 6 months i dont find much difference between sexes, although the females cats iv had have all been worse hunters than the boys.
How old are they? And what do they look like? Iv now fallen for raggies having seen Amy on the rescue board 

Please encourage the friend of a friend to spay the cat asap if she isnt a registered breeding queen, her status will be affected if its known shes had an encounter with a untested male i think?

[ccmacey]

I was just saying I wouldnt get another female cat. All my females have been spayed. 

[Ela]

The only thing that would stop me getting a female would be the guilt of getting them spayed, Ive always felt really guilty with the girls where as I haven't been so worried with the boys.

I do know what you mean but you have to weigh that up against how guilty you would feel if you did not have it spayed immediately  and it got cancer of the mammary glands because you let it have a season, got FIV or FeLV from a male, as you know when a female is in season up to 20 males can have their wicked way with her, also it is quite painful as on a males penis is a barb, and lastly how guilty would one feel if the little one got pyometra just because it wasn't spayed.

[em1209]

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. I know what you mean about females being stroppy and less chilled out, my 2 cats back at my parents are sisters and used to love each other but now hiss and booff each other round the head whenever they walk past each other!! One of them, used to adore me too, she used to lie on my pillow "digging" in my hair and purring in my ear. When I moved out, that was it, she's a right moody so and so now!
Like you say maybe I'll go back and have another play (any excuse!) and see which ones prefer each other.
Thanks
Emma

[ccmacey]

Females are the higher beings (human kind   )

All my cats have got on great after the first initial meeting, I have 3 boys and a girl. I would say it depends on the cats personality, although I do find my female is a little more stroppy and when things get going she beats the crap out of her younger bro  

The only thing that would stop me getting a female would be the guilt of getting them spayed, Ive always felt really guilty with the girls where as I haven't been so worried with the boys.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Hi Emma  to Purrs!

I don't think there's much different between males and females when neutered, but I've always had males and they've got on fine.  My original 2 males were litter mates and no problems whatsoever.  I now have a 17 month male kitten plus a 10 year old male and they are ok together although they are both dominant cats which has caused a few minor problems, but nothing to worry about too much.  And I think that's just down to introducing a new dominant cat to a resident male.  With litter mates I think you'd be fine.  Personally I think males are generally a bit more chilled out and even tempered than females but that's a generalisation that not everyone would agree with.  I'd just choose the 2 you like best!  Or maybe if there's one you really like choose the litter mate s/he plays with the most, regardless of sex.

[em1209]

Hi,
I'm new here and have just posted a "hello" under the newbie section.

I don't have a cat at the moment but hopefully in about 3 weeks, should be getting 2 little babies! I was originally looking at getting a ragdoll, but have decided against it due to having to keep them indoors and to be honest the cost of buying a pedigree. A friend of a friend however has a ragdoll which before easter managed to get outside, have a night on the town with the local romeo and so has now had kittens. I've been to see them and they are gorgeous, so cute.

I was going to get one boy and then not sure whether to get another boy or a girl? Having only had female cats before, would 2 boys be difficult, would they be spraying alot (even once they've been done) to mark their own space? Does anyone have any good advice, comments, or previous experiences?

Thanks
Emma