Male Vs Female Cats: An Adoption Guide

Considering adopting a cat? Learn about the key behavioral distinctions between male and female cats to help inform your decision.

2kittens-boy-girl Do you want to adopt a boy cat or a girl cat? Do gender it matter? You may be looking at adopting a new cat or kitten and wondering, what are the differences between boy and girl cats? Aside from the anatomical and chromosomal differences, or maybe partially because of them, we believe there are definitely behavioral differences between boy and girl cats! We’re drawing on our decades of experience sheltering, rescuing, fostering, and adopting out thousands of cats and kittens and sharing what we’ve learned with you, so you can benefit from our extensive experience to decide if adopting a boy or girl cat is best for you!

Neutered BOY CATS are usually more…

  • Easy-going
  • Adventurous
  • Tolerant
  • Goofy
  • Dependent
  • Sensitive
  • Friendly with cats smaller than them

Spayed GIRL CATS are usually more…

  • Nurturing
  • Choosy
  • Bossy
  • Flirty
  • Independent
  • Possessive
  • Tolerant of boy cats

Of course, every cat or kitten is a unique individual. However, just like certain personality traits connected to a cat’s coat color or length (such as tortie-tude, or longhair cats being very affectionate), we’ve found that gender does seem to play a role — especially once a kitten matures into an adult cat.

How humans socialize with kittens and cats has a huge impact on their behaviors.

We also want to mention that SPAYING and NEUTERING is so important! Yes, because there are already way too many unwanted homeless kittens and cats, but also because the girl vs boy behaviors can veer into unpleasant and even dangerous territory, such as unfixed males adventurous nature turn into a roaming one, and unfixed cats are much more likely to be aggressive towards each other and you too.

We’d love to hear if you agree or disagree! Click one of the social share buttons below and add a comment to share your opinion and experience.

Book Giveaway! Win a Free Copy of The Total Dog Manual From Adopt-a-Pet.com

Dog manual 400

 

Whether you’re an experienced dog owner or a first time adopter, Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Total Dog Manual has everything you need to know (and more!) to start you and your new friend off on the right paw – and now you can score your copy for free! We’re giving away a copy for each of the next 30 days. That’s right, 30 lucky dog lovers will score their free copy of the Total Dog Manual filled with expert tips, advice, and knowledge from the pet specialists at Adopt-a-Pet.com.

Inside the Total Dog Manual, you’ll find:

  • Basics like finding and choosing the right dog for your family and lifestyle.
  • Tips to better understand your dog’s behavior and the non-verbal messages he’s hinting at.
  • Tricks to master common behavioral challenges new dog owners face.
  • Secrets to keeping your new dog in peak physical health

…and so much more!

Ready to win your free copy? All you have to do is add your contact information below and you’ll be entered to win. If you’re selected as one of the winners, we’ll email you!

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED.

Official Rules:

The Adopt-a-Pet.com “Total Dog Manual Book Giveaway” Sweepstakes

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.  A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.

PROMOTION DESCRIPTION:  The Adopt-a-Pet.com “Total Dog Manual Book Giveaway” Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) begins on or about November 15th, 2015, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 15th, 2015 (the “Promotion Period”). At the end of the Promotion Period, thirty (30) Grand Prize winners will be selected from all eligible entries received during the Promotion Period, as more fully set forth below.  By participating in the Sweepstakes, each entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of Humane America Animal Foundation, d/b/a Adopt-a-Pet.com, 310 N. Indian Hill Blvd., Claremont, California 91711, (“Sponsor”), which shall be final and binding in all respects.

ELIGIBILITY:  The Sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of entry.  Officers, directors and employees of Sponsor and its parents, subsidiaries, licensors, affiliates, distributors, retailers, sales representatives, advertising and promotion agencies (all such entities and individuals referred to collectively herein as the “Promotion Entities”), and the immediate family members and/or those residing in the same household of each are ineligible to enter the Sweepstakes or win a prize.

HOW TO ENTER:  During the Promotion Period, complete the email opt-in form on www.adoptapet.com.  Once you have completed the form, you will receive one (1) entry into the Sweepstakes.  Limit one (1) entry per person.  Any personal information collected by Sponsor in connection with the Sweepstakes will be used such information in accordance with its online privacy policy, located at http://www.adoptapet.com/public/privacy_policy. Proof of submission is not considered proof of delivery to or receipt of such entry.

WINNER SELECTION: At the end of the Promotion Period, thirty (30) Grand Prize winners will be randomly selected in a drawing from all eligible entries received throughout the Promotion Period.  The potential winners will be notified by telephone and/or mail and/or email using the contact information provided at the time of entry.  Sponsor shall have no liability for any winner notification that is lost, intercepted or not received by the potential winner for any reason.  If any potential winner does not respond within the time required by Sponsor, or if the winner notification is returned as unclaimed or undeliverable to any potential winner, such potential winner will forfeit his or her prize and an alternate winner may be selected.

PUBLICITY RELEASE:  By participating in the Sweepstakes, in addition to any other grants which may be granted in any other agreement entered into between Sponsor and any entrant in or winner of the Sweepstakes, each entrant irrevocably grants the Promotion Entities and their respective successors, assigns and licensees, the right to use such entrant’s name, likeness, biographical information and Submission, and any individual(s) participating therein, in any and all media for any purpose, including without limitation, advertising and promotional purposes as well as in, on or in connection with the Website or the Sweepstakes or other promotions, and hereby release the Promotion Entities from any liability with respect thereto.

PRIZES Thirty (30) Grand Prizes are available. Grand Prize consists of one (1) copy of The Total Dog Manual book.

GENERAL PRIZE CONDITIONS:  No cash alternative or prize substitutions will be allowed, except Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prize(s) or opportunities or comparable out-of-pocket cost value if any prize or opportunity listed is unavailable, in whole or in part, for any reason.  The Prize winners shall be solely responsible for all federal, state and/or local taxes, and the reporting consequences thereof, and for any other fees or costs associated with the Prize.

GENERAL LIABILITY RELEASE/FORCE MAJEURE: Entrants agree that the Promotion Entities (a) shall not be responsible or liable for any losses, damages or injuries of any kind (including death) resulting from participation in the Sweepstakes or any Sweepstakes-related activity, or from entrants’ acceptance, receipt, possession and/or use or misuse of the prize(s), and (b) have not made any warranty, representation or guarantee express or implied, in fact or in law, with respect to the prize(s), including, without limitation, to such prize’s quality or fitness for a particular purpose. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any damage to an entrant’s computer system which is occasioned by accessing the survey or participating in the Sweepstakes.  Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who is found to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or the survey, to be acting in violation of these Official Rules, or to be acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with the intent to disrupt or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes, or to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person, and Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages and other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.  These Official Rules cannot be modified or amended in any way except in a written document issued in accordance with the law by a duly authorized representative of Sponsor.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision.  In the event that any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these rules shall otherwise remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.

GOVERNING LAW/JURISDICTION:  ALL ISSUES AND QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEABILITY OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES OR THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF ENTRANTS OR SPONSOR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SWEEPSTAKES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY CHOICE OF LAW OF CONFLICT OF LAW RULES OR PROVISIONS THAT WOULD CAUSE THE APPLICATION OF ANY OTHER STATE’S LAWS.

WINNERS LIST/OFFICIAL RULES:  To obtain a copy of any legally-required winners list, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to 310 N. Indian Hill Blvd., Claremont, California 91711.  All such requests must be received within six (6) weeks following the end of the Promotion Period.

 

Happy Beginnings: Henry & Laura Numeroff

laura-numeroff-catWe always love hearing from happy adopters who found their pet on Adopt-a-Pet.com, but when a celebrity sends us their Happy Beginnings story and photos, we have to make sure they are okay with us using their name too. Recently a very well known children’s author, Laura Numeroff, who has written such classics as If You Give a Moose A Muffin, If You Give a Pig A Pancake, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, and If You Give a Dog a Donut sent us her Happy Beginnings story for Henry her cat. She’s incredibly kind and when we asked her if we could use her name and who she is when printing her story she replied like this, big red font and all:
“Yes! Absolutely! I would

LOOOOOOOVE

for you to use my name!”

How awesome is that?

As awesome as her story about if you give a cat a home…

“Here’s my story about Henry!
I wanted a Tuxedo, around 2 years old, sweet, and gentle! And, he/she had to get along with cats, because I had another cat at the time (another Tuxedo! I even had a black and white horse!)
I looked on Adopt-a-Pet.com every day for a few months! When I read the profiles of the ones who looked cute, they were either too old, too young, or not good with cats! (Sort of like internet dating!)
Then I saw Henry! He sounded perfect! Plus, he had been in a foster home so they knew a lot about him! The woman from the rescue organization, brought Henry to a place where we could have time together!
He was very shy at first, which you can see in the photo from that day! In a few minutes, he started to get a little closer, and then he climbed into my lap…and…well, I’m sure you can guess what happened! He and Cooper got along just fine after a few days!
Henry has turned out to be one of the funniest cats I’ve ever had! He falls asleep on his back, with one leg sticking out! When I do yoga, I look up and his head is hanging over the bed! And, I love the “old man” position he sits in!
Kudos to Adopot-a-Pet.com! It’s the most amazing site for finding your “Furever Friend.”
Cheers!
Laura Numeroff”
Laura-Numeroff-Henry2
Laura-Numeroff-Henry

Thank you so much Laura Numeroff for sending us your Happy Beginnings adoption story and photos, and helping promote how wonderful pet adoption can be!

We’d love to hear your Happy Beginnings story too! Send your pet adoption story to info@cms.adoptapet.com with a photo or two, and tell us how Adopt-a-Pet.com helped you with your adoption. Thank you for adopting a pet and saving a life!

Essential Winter Pet Safety 101

Winter is coming around the corner quickly, which means it’s time to start planning a winter warmth strategy for your pets. Here are some tips to keep your pets safe and secure through the frigid months ahead:

 

#1 Stay inside!

Keep your pets inside as much as possible. Dogs will need to go out to do their business from time to time; otherwise, keep them warm and cozy inside. When taking your dogs outside, bundle them up in warm clothing — sweaters, mittens, hats, etc. — just like you would your children. Many pets are sensitive to the cold — and more susceptible breeds are prone to hypothermia and frostbite.

 

#2 Protect paws from salt and other damage.

Sidewalks and roads will sometimes be covered in salt, which your pets will likely trudge through as well. This chemical can irritate the pads of their feet. Be sure to wipe it from their paws as you’re coming into the house, before long-term damage can occur. Also check their paws for other cold weather injuries, such as bleeding or lameness caused by ice. Cut risk by clipping the hair in-between their toes.

 

#3 Know pet limits.

Dogs’ limits will vary depending on their coat, body fat, activity levels and general health. Dogs — especially older dogs — require shorter walks in the cold weather. Long-haired dogs can handle the cold better than short-haired pets, just like long-legged pets can get through the snow faster than short-legged pets. Pet suffering from any kind of disease will have a harder time regulating their body temperature and should not remain outside for long.

 

#4 Look for signs of cold-related diseases.

If your pets:

  • Whine
  • Shiver
  • Slow down or stop moving
  • Seem anxious
  • Try to burrow

 

They are probably starting to show signs of hypothermia and need to be taken inside immediately. It’s harder to detect frostbite in dogs, but if you suspect it, head to the vet right away.

 

#5 Provide choices

Just like during the summer, your pets will look for comfortable places to sleep — and it may not be on the bed that you gave them. In the winter, they’re going to search for places of warmth. For dogs, consider putting a blanket on the floor near a screened in fireplace. Remember to make sure the fireplace is well-guarded by a screen and that pets do not get too close. For cats, consider placing a plush blanket or towel on the couch or atop the mantel, depending on its height and width.

 

Written contribution by Andrea Davis, Home Advisor.

From heartworm to heart-warming – grant winner!

CAA-grantLook at those happy faces! Those are some lucky dogs because thanks generous donors like you and our wonderful sponsors, Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Veterinary Care Fund is able to help these dogs and other pets like these get the veterinary care they need to get healthy and adopted! From left to right in the photo above is Astro, Brody, Azalea, and Buddy. They are all dogs who were rescued by the amazing Companion Animal Alliance of Baton Rouge, Louisiana who goes the extra mile to care for so many dogs in their parish. Their grant application calls attention to a whopping 28% of their adult dog intake being heartworm positive. The grant they received from Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Veterinary Care Fund will allow them to treat 30 dogs so they can find the loving forever homes they deserve!