Do boys and girls differ?

[Elaine]

First cat, Ghandi, male, wasnt very cuddly at all but he was extremely playful.
Other boy cats are and were, Mutley, Winston and currently Bernie, all very very affectionate and laid back.
Girl cats, Eva (the Diva), says it all really , she was affectionat4e in her own way especially with me but hated being picked up and definately had a mind of her own as well as a very stroppy streak.
Millicent Bo-Jangles is a very affectionate cat, she loves to be cuddled, on the whole she is fairly laid back but does have a stroppy streak, especially when you want to clip her claws.

[Leesy]

Both M&M are very cuddly, but I would certainly say that Maxi is more cuddly than Maisy who does like cuddles but again only on her terms

[angieh]

Most people are telling a similar story - boys are more affectionate!

My first cat Merlin was perhaps not representative of his gender - the vet said he thought he was psychologically disturbed (makes me think of the song Gee Officer Krupke from West Side Story!) as he had an unsettled kittenhood, moving around quite a bit. He was affectionate but unpredictable as I've said in another thread, he'd take a bite out of people without any warning. He did mellow with age and because he was my first cat I didn't know they could be different. He was with me a very long time - over 23 years.

Smudge was a little stray girl who came in one very cold night and stayed. She presented us with three kittens a bit later. She was a very independent little girlie but never bit nor scratched on purpose and would come and sit with me in the study and hold my hand. Smudge was with us for about 19 years.

My darling Kizzy has been a real eye opener of a girlie. She is very affectionate and playful and just so gentle. She likes to join me in the study too but tends to try to go to sleep with her head on my mouse hand - funny girl, she could happily use the other hand, but no. I think she is really just wanting my whole attention.

Pip is just a jolly merry young boy who is the soppiest most laid-back cat you could wish for. He is particularly keen on his daddy and will lie on his back in dad's arms and doze off. He is also adventurous, and likes people. He generally runs to the door to greet people, whilst Kizzy will run off!

Neither Kizzy nor Pip pay any attention to cold or rain, but Miss Kizzy doesn't care for windy weather!

Aren't cats entrancing creatures, male or female. Where would we be without them?

[jochristian]

I don't have any experience with boys but my little girl kitten is very very affectionate, maybe it's because she is a kitten and she'll be more independent when she is older but atm she follows you around the house and sleeps best when she is cuddled up as close as she can get!!

[Tink]

You know it is funny, the more I read this, the more it sounds like how I would describe boys and girls in ferrets. Girls tending to be feisty with a naughty streak and boys affectionate and loving. When I first started in ferrets, I said I would always stick with boys but now I've fallen for the girls too and their little attitudes I suspect this is how I feel about cats too.
Growing up we had almost all boys. Back then they were allowed to roam at their will and they did come home quite worse for wear..but tough as they were they were also so loving.
Cuddles was overwhelmingly affectionate since birth! That girl would happily live on top of a human for all her life, I never remember her turning down affection once. Tigger got that way as he aged but when he was young he was only affectionate with my Mom, she was His Person and everyone else could go away
The ginger boy I had at 18 (named Snarf from ThunderCats..ex's idea ) liked to lie with you but also had quite the wild side and was very doglike; even my Dad who is not one for cats liked him because of his attitude. He liked to be with you but not necessarily cuddle closely...being next to you was enough for him.
Kuan Yin still has quite the attitude but I'm so glad she's so confident of herself. As she's grown out of the kitten stage, I find she's more affectionate each day. She almost always lays with me at bedtime now. And she still likes to groom me
Hestia will throw herself at you and anyone walking by too..little hussy, she is But try and pick her up and you will get quite a set of teeth in your skin
Solomon is a lovebug but he only occasionally is a lap cat. Most affectionate in the morning. That is when I get the headbutts and kneading and purrs. And he'll follow you all day like a puppy so that is affection too. He won't struggle if you pick him up, he'll just kind of go limp and accept it even if he's busy in the middle of play He'll cry and all you'll need to do is get on the floor with him and comb him or rub his belly and he is content with that.
So I guess there are exceptions but it seems like majority is boys=affectionate, girls=independent. I suppose it really matters about their past/kittenhood/upbringing/environment too.

[angieh]

I can understand girls being independent and feisty - in nature they would be the ones who would have to fend for and feed their kittens. Does spaying females not make that much difference in their attitudes? What I find surprising is how affectionate our boys are - they would be out there fighting for territory and females. Is it because they are neutered?

Just thought I'd throw that into our discussion and see what you all think.

[dandysmom]

Good point about the neutered males. No opinion as all mine have had the op; I don't think any members currently have a whole male .....

Wilbar might have some insight on this .......

[Squirrel]

Originally Posted by angieh

I can understand girls being independent and feisty - in nature they would be the ones who would have to fend for and feed their kittens. Does spaying females not make that much difference in their attitudes? What I find surprising is how affectionate our boys are - they would be out there fighting for territory and females. Is it because they are neutered?

Just thought I'd throw that into our discussion and see what you all think.

Originally Posted by dandysmom

Good point about the neutered males. No opinion as all mine have had the op; I don't think any members currently have a whole male .....

Wilbar might have some insight on this .......

Definitely a thought! What about females and how they differ? At least with the hormonal changes which they no longer have to deal with once they are spayed? And does pregnancy make a difference as well?

[calismum]

I have had 4 males over the years. Two of them I adopted (or rather they adopted me) as entire males. The entire boys roamed and were out and about a lot more. However once neutered they were, like the others I have had, laid back, lazy, home loving cuddle bugs.

My girls have all been much more independent with varying degrees of affection. SOme happy to sit on your knee as long as you didn't touch them. Others affectionate but don't dare try to pick me up or I'll have you cattitude.

All lovely individuals in their own way. I wouldn't have swopped any of them.

[pamela81]

ive got harris, he is really affectionate at bedtime and when we come home if we have been out during the day but after he says hi, he just goes and does his own thing. Not really sooky during the day as much as he was before.