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This one’s for the boys! That’s right, believe it or not, there are many interesting things about male cats that are unique to their sex. Even if you already know a few male cat facts, some of these might surprise you. So, without further ado, here are 12 surprising facts about male cats.
Male Cat Facts
1. They Are More Likely to be Left-Pawed
We all know that humans can be left or right-handed. But did you know that most cats also have a dominant paw? Now, obviously, cats can’t write. And even if they could, they’d probably leave that work for the dogs. But cats can have a dominant paw when reaching for food, walking stairs, stepping over an object, and stuff like that. What is even more interesting is that paw preference differs by sex. Females usually prefer their right paws, and, you guessed it, males tend to prefer their left paws. In fact, a study found that about 52% of male cats had a left-paw preference and 16% showed no paw preference. This left only 30% of male cats with a right-paw preference.
2. They Have a Shorter Life Expectancy
On average, male cats live one to two years less than female cats. If you have a male cat, this isn’t a reason for you to panic. Remember that this fact is based on an average, not a firm rule. Although the exact reasoning for this shorter life expectancy isn’t totally clear, what we do know is that other factors are much more likely to determine a cat’s life expectancy. One example is whether a cat is indoor or outdoor. According to WebMD, outdoor cats live an average of 2 to 5 years while indoor cats typically live 10 to 15 years. And also, whether or not a cat is neutered is a big deciding factor, which leads us to the next fact.
3. Neutered Males Live Longer
A study found that neutered male cats live 62% longer than unneutered males, and the reasons are pretty clear. For one, a neutered male cat is completely excluded from the risk of testicular cancer. What’s more is that a neutered male is much less aggressive, meaning he is not as likely to get in catfights. Fewer fights also mean a cat is less likely to contract deadly diseases such as FIV (feline aids), FeLV (feline leukemia), or feline distemper (feline panleukopenia virus). This is because these diseases are often spread from being bitten or scratched during fights. Needless to say, the less likely a cat is to catch a disease, the more likely they are to live longer.
4. They’re Not Fatherly… With One Exception
Most father cats don’t show any interest in their newborn kittens. Instead, they leave the love and affection to the mother. However, the Siamese seems to be the exception to this trait. Siamese males are said to be more likely to show affection towards their kittens than any other breed. This is because there have been claims of Siamese males that have laid with and groomed their young. These claims shouldn’t surprise anyone who is familiar with the Siamese because this breed is known for being extremely affectionate. The Siamese is also one of the few breeds that crave constant attention.
5. They Have a Mating Call
Many cat enthusiasts have heard of the distinct yowling that an unspayed female cat does when she’s in heat. But it turns out that unneutered male cats have their own unique mating call known as “caterwauling.” They make this sound to tell female cats they’re available. Male cats also make the noise to let the ladies know they heard their mating calls. Finally, they do it to warn other male cats of their presence in their territory.
6. They Are Sometimes Called “Tomcats”
Unneutered male cats are sometimes referred to as “toms” or “tomcats.” It’s believed this nickname came from the popularity of a book called “The Life and Adventures of a Cat” (1760). This book tells the story of a cat named Tom who is very promiscuous. Due to the popularity of this story, people started calling their male cats “toms,” and eventually the term just stuck. It’s also believed this is where the term “tomcatting,” came from, which is a slang word for promiscuous behavior.
7. Male Maine Coons are Supersized
In case you are unfamiliar, the Maine Coon is the largest domesticated cat breed. A male Maine Coon can weigh as much as 25 pounds while still being considered healthy. That’s over TWICE the average weight of 10 pounds for a healthy domestic cat (with male cats averaging 11 to 15 pounds). The average full-grown male Maine Coon weighs 15-25lbs and is 19-40+ inches long. In fact, a male Maine Coon holds the Guinness World Record for the World’s Longest Domestic Cat. The cat, who’s named Barivel, lives with his owners in Italy. He measures 3 ft 11.2 in which is longer than a baseball bat!
8. Most Orange Tabbies Are Male
Orange tabby cats, also called “ginger cats” are far more likely to be male than female. In fact, up to 80 percent are male, making only 20 percent female. This is because the gene that produces orange fur is on the X chromosome. As a throwback to Biology 101, females have two X chromosomes and males have one X and one Y chromosome. Since females have two X chromosomes, female orange tabbies need two copies of the gene to become ginger, while males need only one.
9. They Have Been Known to Kill Kittens
This is the most disturbing male cat fact on this list, so if you’re squeamish, feel free to skip past this one. Although uncommon with domestic cats, wild male cats have been known to kill other cats’ kittens and even their own kittens, and the reasons vary. One reason is that the male cat can confuse kittens for prey due to their small size and squirmish movements, which can trigger a cat’s natural hunting drive, resulting in tragedy. Another reason is to reduce the competition in their territory. This behavior stems from the instinct to kill a rival’s young to keep the competition from taking over. A third possibility is because the kittens are not his and he wants to mate with the female so that she will have his kittens.
10. Male Cats Are More Solitary
This is another fact that applies more so to wild male cats than their domesticated brothers. But in the wild, male cats are usually more solitary than females. This is because males remain on their own to avoid having to compete for females and food. This solidarity is usually not the case for male domesticated cats because we neuter them which takes away their desire to mate. We also provide their food which takes away the need to compete for dinner.
11. The Most Popular Male Cat Name is “Oliver”
Now I must admit, this is one of my favorite male cat facts. A report based on the database records from Nationwide Pet Insurance found the most popular cat names. When comparing the Cat Fanciers Association, registry of pedigreed cats, Nationwide Pet Insurance’s policyholder database, and FindCatNames.com’s list, the most popular male cat name in 2021 was discovered to be “Oliver.” There must be something special about this name because it was also #1 last year in 2020. If any of you have a cat named Oliver, let us know in the comments!
12. A Male Cat’s Temperament Influences His Kittens
Studies have shown a male cat’s temperament can influence his kittens’ temperaments even if they have never met! These findings suggest that bold and confident fathers produce bold and confident kittens while timid male cats can produce timid kittens. This suggests that the genes of the father may have a lot to do with the kittens’ temperament.
Resources
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/
https://www.thehappycatsite.com/
https://www.mainecooncentral.com/
Disclaimer: The Purring Journal is not in the medical field. This post is made for entertainment purposes only. Use the information presented in this article at your own risk. Always seek medical advice from licensed veterinarians.
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