# Male versus female cats. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2017, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288 "2017-01-27T03:00:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/1 "2017-01-27T03:00:34Z")
Over the past 25 years, I’ve “owned” 7 cats. Two have been males and five were females. All had been fixed. Personality-wise, the males have been much more personable than the females. Is this to be expected? What’s your experience? Is there a correlation or is it just a crap shoot and too small a sample size? ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/2 "2017-01-27T03:05:13Z")
Yeah, female cats seem to be more territorial/skittish, male cats are more likely to get along with other cats. Although it’s also been my experience that female cats are more likely to go see strangers who enter my home. Perhaps that goes with territoriality, dunno. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/3 "2017-01-27T07:15:52Z")
I’ve had cats for 50 years, mostly males. Every single one of them has been playful and affectionate, so I can’t really say there’s a difference in gender. We currently have one of each, and the male is The Best Cat We’ve Ever Had. He’s everything a cat should be… except that he’s almost 16 and his health is failing. But all in all, each cat has been different, and I really can’t generalize on gender. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/4 "2017-01-27T08:17:34Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Is there a correlation or is it just a crap shoot and too small a sample size? Weak correlation, I’d guess. Almost everyone I’ve known who’ve worked with cats will offer up anecdotal evidence that neutered males _tend_ to be more friendly and personable, at least with humans. That has certainly been my experience as well. However individual personality probably swamps out that tendency overall. And insomuch as most pet cats, male or female, will tend to be at least friendlyish if raised with people, I don’t think it matters all that much when choosing a pet. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/5 "2017-01-27T09:09:28Z")
Factory cats are usually female both in Spain and Italy, precisely because they’re viewed as more territorial and less likely to go roaming (if she’s unfixed and gets in heat, it’s the toms who move to her). I don’t know whether anybody has actually cared to do peer-reviewed research on the subject, though. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/6 "2017-01-27T09:29:02Z")
The only difference I’ve noticed is that my male cats (I’ve had numerous over the years, all neutered) like to roam the neighborhood, whereas my females like to stay in the comfort of their own home. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/7 "2017-01-27T09:32:42Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Factory cats are usually female both in Spain and Italy, precisely because they’re viewed as more territorial and less likely to go roaming (if she’s unfixed and gets in heat, it’s the toms who move to her). I don’t know whether anybody has actually cared to do peer-reviewed research on the subject, though. I may have missed something, but what is a “factory cat”? ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/8 "2017-01-27T09:55:04Z")
I’ve heard that male cats are more affectionate, but my personal sample of 5 cats is inconclusive: **4 females** 2 super social and cuddly 1 skittish to strangers but affectionate to family 1 skittish all around, had to be coaxed into human interaction **1 male** Most awesome cat ever, friendly and cuddly to all. I miss him so much ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/9 "2017-01-27T10:03:57Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > I may have missed something, but what is a “factory cat”? A cat who lives in a factory. Hunts mice, trains her kittens as mousers, snarls at unaccompanied strangers, glares at accompanied strangers, eventually decides that you’re ok. I’ve worked in factories where you were unofficially considered to have passed your trial period on the first day that the cat jumped on your lap or weaved between your legs. If the Misi (short for _misina_, she-cat) says you’re ok, you’re ok. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/10 "2017-01-27T11:21:11Z")
I grew up with male cats and found them great. But as an adult, I’ve had a couple of small female cats, each with a male cat, too. The boys have been great and easy, but each girl has ended up focusing on me and really been lovey. Finding a good girl cat has turned out to be a good fit. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/11 "2017-01-27T11:51:07Z")
My last two male cats have been real “buddies”. They follow me everywhere around the house, and watch patiently when I do something like repair an electrical outlet. They just seem to love to “hang” with whatever I’m doing. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/12 "2017-01-27T12:57:49Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Over the past 25 years, I’ve “owned” 7 cats. Two have been males and five were females. All had been fixed. Personality-wise, the males have been much more personable than the females. Is this to be expected? > > What’s your experience? Is there a correlation or is it just a crap shoot and too small a sample size? We’ve had six cats over the past several years, two of them male. The male cats were always more outgoing and much more willing to interact with strangers, even going up to them to ask for petting and food. The female cats generally hung back to see what would happen. Each male cat also tended to be a bit of a bully, although not invariably so. They were more possessive of things and assertive about rights of way. The female cats were more possessive of people (invariably female people) and assertive about what space they regarded as Their Turf. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/13 "2017-01-27T12:58:46Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > I may have missed something, but what is a “factory cat”? > [@Nava](#): > > A cat who lives in a factory. Hunts mice, trains her kittens as mousers, snarls at unaccompanied strangers, glares at accompanied strangers, eventually decides that you’re ok. I’ve worked in factories where you were unofficially considered to have passed your trial period on the first day that the cat jumped on your lap or weaved between your legs. If the Misi (short for _misina_, she-cat) says you’re ok, you’re ok. Sounds like what we in the US call a “barn cat” - same concept, but in a barn instead of a factory. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/14 "2017-01-27T14:20:45Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > I may have missed something, but what is a “factory cat”? I was picturing cats being mass-produced in a cat factory. Sort of like a puppy mill. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/15 "2017-01-27T14:31:48Z")
Yet Another Personal Experience Tale: We find female cats far less likely to pee where they’re not supposed to. As a result, in looking for our current cat we restricted to female only. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/16 "2017-01-27T15:02:11Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I was picturing cats being mass-produced in a cat factory. Sort of like a puppy mill. Great. Now I’m picturing a Warner Brothers cartoon setting, with Chuck Jones animation of Factory Works, while Carl Stalling’s arrangement of “Powerhouse” score gives life to the scene, of a factory with molds and conveyor belts turning out an endless stream of Sylvesters. And a little sideline churning out his son. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/17 "2017-01-27T15:10:01Z")
Both my boys (Little Guy 1986-2006) and now Theo (age 1.5) have been extremely affectionate with me and a little bit of a shitbag to my female cats. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/18 "2017-01-27T15:52:06Z")
Our cat was male and was territorial as could be. If he saw another cat in our yard, he went on alert and started spraying (yes, he was neutered). He was more aloof than affectionate, but he did tolerate indignities like trimming his claws and taking pills. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/19 "2017-01-27T16:41:07Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Sounds like what we in the US call a “barn cat” - same concept, but in a barn instead of a factory. I’ve been to a few chemical plants in the US that had plant dogs - most recently in Natchez, where the plant dog was named “Plant Dog”. Same thing as Nava describes for the factory cat - once Plant Dog sniffed you and wagged his tail, you were considered good people. (the plant dogs don’t deal with mice, but chase away birds that otherwise nest in places they shouldn’t - like, in a relief pipe.) ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288/20 "2017-01-27T19:40:24Z")
3 cats raised from kittens. 2 females, 1 male. All fixed. All house cats. All took to the litterbox on day 1. The females were more affectionate from the start. the current one (male) is 1 1/2 years old and just now growing out of the playful kitten stage. Any motion of the hand toward him is taken as an invitation to play and he wants to bite (“nibble” would be a better word). He’s just now coming around to the idea of petting. he’s a part time shadow but also independent. They all see to have a mischievous streak in them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-versus-female-cats/778288.md?page=2)