Q&A for How to Determine the Sex of a Kitten

An average age for neutering a male cat is six months. However, it can be done earlier (such as rescue cats) from around 12 weeks of age. A mature adult male can still be neutered, but he's more likely to have established bad habits, such as spraying or fighting.

Traditionally kittens were neutered at around six months of age, since this is when they are able to father kittens or fall pregnant; however, there is a growing movement to start neutering at an earlier age, even as young as 10 weeks. Scientific studies have shown surgery at this age is safe and is not associated with complications in the long-term. The best person to discuss what is right for you cats, is your vet.

Look under the newborn's tail. Check the spacing between the anus (directly under the tail) and the vulva or penis. In the female, the vulva is just a few millimeters from the anus; in the male, the penis is lower down, almost between the back legs. In addition, there may be two tiny bumps (the testicles), between the anus and the penis in the male. However, these differences can be tricky to spot, and it really helps to compare one kitten with another, if there are several in a litter.

This can be difficult, especially if the cat is fully grown, since they do not have marks on the teeth that appear at certain ages (such as in horses). Most cats stop growing at around 6 months of age, but may 'fill out' up to around 12 months. Very old cats tend to have lots of tartar and be missing teeth, but this depends on if the teeth were brushed or not. Kittens under 10 days will have closed ear and eyes. More information can be found here: Know Your Cat's Age .