Determining whether or not a cat is male or feminine isn’t as straightforward as you would possibly suppose. This is very true if the cat has but to achieve maturity, is already neutered, or isn’t social sufficient to allow you to take a more in-depth have a look at their genitals.

Coat colour, coat sample, and even habits gained’t assist. Taking the cat to a vet shall be your finest technique to get a straight reply, however you too can take an informed guess by contemplating the dimensions of the cat’s head and different outstanding facial options.

Male cats, particularly these that aren’t neutered, have noticeably bigger heads than females. Their snouts, cheeks, and whisker pads are additionally often greater and extra distinctive. Here’s why.

Male Hormones

Hormones are the principle purpose why male cats have huge heads. The male intercourse hormone, testosterone, does the identical factor for cats because it does for people.

In phrases of physique measurement, testosterone is liable for muscle growth and energy. As cats mature, their our bodies produce extra testosterone, and this permits them to develop greater muscle tissues throughout their our bodies.

Testosterone additionally triggers the discharge of different progress hormones that contribute to bone progress, bone density, and excessive ranges of bone marrow.

An intact (not neutered) grownup male cat’s cranium is noticeably bigger and thicker than that of a feminine as a consequence of all of those hormones working collectively to immediate continuous progress. When you mix huge muscle tissues with a thick cranium, you get male cats with markedly massive heads.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. There are actually feminine cats that develop as much as be particularly massive. Their measurement is extra possible a results of genetics and life-style habits than testosterone, nonetheless. A cat’s measurement may also rely on their breed.

Also Read: When Does A Cat Reach Full Size?

A feminine Maine Coon will nearly at all times be greater than a male Scottish Fold. And as a result of head measurement is expounded to total physique measurement, the feminine in that pairing may also have the bigger head.

Are There Advantages to Big Heads?

Hormones don’t solely make a cat’s head further massive, additionally they contribute to the general measurement of a male cat. In common, males are bigger than females.

Their bones are longer and denser, they usually usually have extra muscle. All that brawn is helpful when a tomcat must seek out dinner and defend itself from different cats and predators. But are there particular benefits to having a very massive head?

When you have a look at an intact male cat, you’ll discover his huge head, and he may additionally have massive cheeks that look extra like jowls, a outstanding snout, puffed-up whisker pads, and a blocky-looking brow.

It’s inconceivable to know for certain whether or not these facial options developed for a selected objective, however most researchers theorize {that a} male cat’s massive and full-looking face is supposed for cover.

Erin Katribe, the medical director at Best Friends Animal Society says, “We generally assume it’s for protection from fighting. The face is definitely a commonplace for fighting wounds or abscesses.”

Those huge cheeks that contribute to a male cat’s huge head are a type of armor to assist shield him throughout fights. And as a result of intact male cats are territorial and usually unwilling to coexist with different males that threaten their standing, that safety is useful.

What Happens When a Cat is Neutered?

If a male cat is neutered earlier than he reaches maturity, his head and cheeks may not be noticeably bigger than a feminine from the identical litter.

This is as a result of neutering utterly removes the principle supply of testosterone–the testes. Neutered male cats have considerably much less testosterone than their intact brethren. Less testosterone means they don’t develop up and develop further muscle tissues, and their skulls and different bones don’t change into further thick.

When male cats are neutered particularly younger, analysis exhibits they do have a barely larger danger of fractures in comparison with intact grownup males as a result of their bones aren’t as dense. The total advantages of neutering at an applicable age, nonetheless, outweigh any long-term considerations.

Neutering a male cat will possible stop them from rising these adorably spectacular chubby cheeks, however it’s going to additionally scale back the inhabitants of undesirable cats, stop territorial spraying, scale back inter-cat aggression, and scale back the danger of testicular and prostate most cancers.

When adopting a kitten that’s already neutered, don’t anticipate him to develop up and have a noticeably bigger head. If you discover an grownup feral, nonetheless, the dimensions of the cat’s head shall be an enormous assist in figuring out whether or not you’re a male or feminine.