Should I Adopt a Male or Female Kitten and Why?
Originally post Mar 16, 2017
This is a question a lot of people interested in adopting a Ragdoll cat ask. Many people say that male Ragdolls tend to be sweeter, but plenty of owners of female Ragdoll cats would say the opposite. A good rule of thumb is that it’s not about the sex of the cat, but the personality in general, so the best question to ask is whether the Ragdoll cat breeder has any insight into the kitten’s personality. Here are a few thoughts Ragdoll cat owners have shared on the male vs. female kitten question:
- Sometimes female kittens take a little longer to transition.
- Visit with kittens of both genders and have some playtime with them, then choose a kitten you have a connection with.
- Female kittens can be a little more aggressive in play, but still strongly bond with their owners.
- Since females can become protective mothers, they might be a bit more careful and aloof.
- Often breeders want to sell male cats first because males can breed as young as 5 months, so this is why it often seems like the females are the last to sell.
- Males are usually bigger, which is what a lot of pet owners are looking for in a Ragdoll cat.
- Females might have fewer issues with UTIs and blockage than males. Do keep in mind though that a proper diet will eliminate the UTI problem entirely. Please read catinfo.org for more info.
- While some believe that male cats have better temperaments than females, many owners find that there isn’t much difference once they are altered.
- Try to get a pair of kittens if possible. Ragdolls are very social and need company, so a sibling or another kitty might prevent behavior issues caused by loneliness
KEEP READING! Click below for discussions we have had on Facebook about this topic!
- Should I Adopt a Male or Female Kitten and Why?
- Is there a difference between the temperament of an altered male or female rag doll?
Overall, the Ragdoll cat temperament tends to be friendly and affectionate in both genders, though it really just depends on the personality of the individual cat and the love and trust they develop with their owner. Try to focus on getting to know a kitten’s personality when you’re thinking about Ragdoll kittens for adoption, rather than relying on gender as an indicator of what they will be like.
What experiences have you had with male vs. female Ragdoll kittens?
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
Sir,
I had a Himalayan cat (female). She passed away years ago. Until I found your story and feedbacks about the Ragdoll cats. It is pretty interesting. I am thinking about getting one Ragdoll cat next year? I was wonder …do the Ragdoll cat have deaf born? (I am deaf born also.)
Thank you.
I am not sure about Ragdoll cats being born deaf. I do think that can happen in cats, so if it can happen in cats, it can happen with Ragdolls. You can always email a breeder to ask that question and see if they know? I am sorry about your Himi.
It’s interesting to see peoples opinions on here. I have recently adopted brother and sister ragdoll kittens and I find a lot of the things here align with the experiences I have had in the first week of having these two.
First of all the girl cat is the more outgoing and adventurous of the two. She generally leads the way with regards to new experiences and the boy follows! I’ve noticed that she has a lot more energy than the boy and is generally more agile and runs around and jumps in the air a lot more. She likes to sleep near you and will generally perch behind you, they will slowly move closer as she adjusts during her nap. Another thing to note is that the girl is a lot more vocal when she needs something. I barely hear a peep from the boy, apart from when his sister is out of sight and he makes cute little meows to let her know where he is.
The boy is a little bit shyer than the girl. However, is ultimately a lot more affectionate and a total sweetheart how loves to be in my company. I can really see him growing up to be a real lap cat. He loves to sleep by you whilst hugging or resting his head on your arm. There have been a few times in the past week where I have been napping, only to wake up and find him nuzzled into space between my armpit and arm. He is generally heavy and the larger cat out of the two. But that just makes him all the better for snuggling with. I can see him growing up to be a big cat!
All in all, they are great kittens and I wouldn’t change them for the world. Their personalities compliment each other and they are very closely bonded. It’s nice to have the traits of both genders and I would definitely recommend getting a boy and a girl kitten if you were are getting Ragdoll kittens.
Thank you for sharing!
I find this interesting. We requested a male believing they would be more affectionate but due to a mistake we got a female. I dont know if cats just like me (my male cat who passed away was intensely bonded to me) but my female ragdoll loves me to bits…..and isnt over affectionate, if that makes sense?
When I spoke to the breeder, I told her “I want a cat that loves to be with his people….but not all over his people.” She said “That’s what you’ll get. A cat that wants to be in the room but not climbing all over you and in your face.” And Kirby is exactly that. She’s just there. And you can go over there and pet her and pick her up and embarrass her but she doesn’t need to be in your face.
I call her “Little mum” because when my daughter is sick and resting on the couch, Kirb-nerd will sit with her and not leave until my daughter wakes up.
With that being said, she is VOCAL. She NEEDS to know where you are all the time if she cant see you. I have to shower with the bathroom door ajar or she gets upset. If I leave to go to the gym she gets vocal about her perceived abandonment. If my daughter and I are coming down the hall of our apartment complex, Kirby will hear us and start crying for us to hurry up and see her. She KNOWS it’s us, and not some neighbor or cleaning staff. She’s fascinating this way. Is the vocal aspect a female ragdoll or female cat thing? Because my male rescue only chirped!!
Thank you for sharing your experience – don’t think the vocal thing is male or female. My Charlie is VERY vocal:
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjZ4vAUQsTM%5B/embedyt%5D
How interesting. I have two beautiful Ragdolls: a male and female. Both 11 years old and totally silent. The female one, Fibi is extremely affectionate – a lap cat. Lex, the boy, is super friendly as well, but prefers to be next to you not really that much touched at all. In my experience our female is way more affectionate than the boy. I have heard from someone that vocal cats are often the only cats. Getting them a company fixes that.
Great re-post chock full of great info & guidance (as usual), Jenny honey!!! I know there are lots of older and newer Floppycatters who will appreciate seeing this info! 🙂 <3
Big hugs & lots of love & purrs!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3 <3 <3
Having been both sides of the fence in this topic, I would definitely say that the boys are far more affectionate than the girls. My Ragdoll girl Nemes’ affectionate side never really came out until the last four years she was with me, but my Ragdoll boy Peachy, has been affectionate with me right from the get go, and he gets more and more affectionate with each day that passes … in short, he is glued to my side … my siamese twin you could say. I have spoken to many Ragdoll owners of both boys and girls, and they have all said the same thing … that the girls are really hard work!!! At the end of the day though, we love them regardless. Their purrsonalities, and everything that they are, are just so precious and truly wonderful. Where would we be without our Raggies :):):)
I have had both and concur. My boy sleeps with me sits with me stays under foot. My girl could have cared less about where I was or what I was doing. He is extremely affectionate even as a kitten.
My experience is with both. My first female Ragdoll was an only cat for a while and was very social with us. When we asked our vet about what to get next, she said male, because females are “catty”. We got a male, and they became close. Our third Ragdoll was another male who immediately bonded with our first male, leaving our female alone, poor thing. Roxie was never a lap cat until she was older. After all 3 of our babies passed, we got a male kitten. He is very outgoing, a real character, as his breeder said. He bonded with our 3 year old orange boy. On the whole, I would say that males are more affectionate.
Great post, Jenny! I haven’t had any experience with male Ragdolls (except for holding Miss Pink Sugarbelle’s big ol’ lurvely daddy when we picked her up from the breeder). He was super floppy and very affectionate and lurved to be held. But, if we ever are able to afford to get a second Ragdoll (and live someplace where we can have more than one pet) I would definitely like to get a male. 🙂 <3
Big hugs & lots of love!
Patti & MIss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3
I wanted to get a boy but the mum got out and now the kits are ginger and rag doll would this affect much about temperament do u think