Does a male cat travel further than a female?

[Tara1984]

Hi all,

I am looking to get a kitten but I am undecided whether to get a boy or a girl. I was wondering if a boy is likely to wander more than a girl? A few people have said that a girl wont go far but a woman from the RSPCA has said to me today that girls will wander as well and girls are more likely to wander than boys. She said her 2 boys stay in at night where as her girls like to go out.

I was hoping to get a kitten from a rescue centre but RSPCA gave me a no as they said I am on a busy road and also the fact that I dont have a cat flap. It seems to be a struggle to find a kitten at the moment. My cat died almost 4 weeks ago and I would really love to find a kitten to have those special moments with again!!

[Jacks]

There are typical ranges and then there are individual differences... Feral cats will have a much wider 'territory' than domestic; domestic unneutered males have the widest domestic territory, neutered males roam less. Unspayed females have a wider territory than spayed; males generally have a wider range than females.

But individual differences abound and if you've been watching the TV programmes about domestic cats in the the UK recently you will have spotted that some barely go more than one house away and others roam for miles. You have no way of knowing your cat's individual roaming habits until they are allowed to roam, but neutered females are least likely to roam than any other category.

I have 5 cats - one newbie not allowed out; one spayed female who has a wide territory, one with a small territory and one who barely goes out the back garden. Their characters are all different too - the roamer is extraverted, generally non-neurotic and a keen hunter. The 'garden girl' only catches butterflies... My male lived rough for years and has a fairly wide territory, but less so since he was neutered.

[bobbys girl]

RSPCA gave me a no as they said I am on a busy road and also the fact that I dont have a cat flap.

Hang on a minute, can anyone else see the flaw in this logic? You don't have a cat flap (neither do we) you are on a main road. I'd feel more worried if you lived on a main road and did have a cat flap! Perhaps it's just me.

That aside, we were once turned down for re-homing a dog - for the same reason. Not that we had any intention of letting her roam. I know dogs are different, but don't be put off. I am sure that there is a kitty out there just waiting for you. You had a cat before and you managed fine then?

As for your original question, Jacks is right, it is all down to the individual. All our cats are neutered and that does help with wandering. Willow has never ventured far. Purdy is out a lot but again stays close to home. Tommy was a wanderer in his youth, but spends most of his time in (or on) the car or caravan. Bob and Grace (the Youngsters) are more adventurous.

Good Luck

[Crewella]

Personally, I'm not keen on cat flaps and am home a lot to let my gang in and out - I'd try other rescue centres and see what they say.

A busy road is a bit more of a problem - it might be worth considering a young adult cat, as you wiill have more of an idea of the cat's character and whether or not he or she is likely to roam. I agree with the other posters - you can generalise but every cat is an individual and there are no guarantees on how likely a kitten will be to roam when it grows up. There is also the fact that adult cats find it harder to find a home than kittens do, so you would be doing such a lovely thing in offering one a home.

[Themogfather]

If you are on face book try https://www.facebook.com/groups/Pets2nd ... l/?fref=ts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
This is a group that helps people find homes for pets. They usually have kittens on. Make sure if you go with someting of there to visit kittens first and see mom.
Also check the rehoming section on here.
I would also consider getting a pair of kittens if you can afford it as they will settle in quicker and have company.
Also have you considerd a older ( not necessary old) cat or a indoor cat both have more trouble being homed.
Once a cat is no longer classed as a kitten there chances of rehoming plumite.
Good luck finding a cat and thank you for chosing to rehome
Adrian

[Diana]

I can only agree with what others have said...it depends on the persona of the cat. Typically male cats that are neutered do wonder more then spayed females but this isn't always fact. Obviously if you adopt a male kitten its best to not let him out til he has been done. And same goes for a female kitten.

Busy roads to tend to put all of rescue centres off as the chances are higher of the cat being knocked. Have you considered an indoor cat?

[Tara1984]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies. I know its hard to know if a male or female goes further. I have had a few people say to me that a girl wont go far but then a woman from the rspca said that her 2 boys dont go far and stay in at night but her girls like to go out at night.

The thing is there is no way I can have a cat flap as my door is made of glass and I rent the property. I dont really want a cat flap as I dont want other cats coming into my home. I managed 5 years without a cat flap with my previous cat so there is no reason why I cannot continue like that? To be honest I am worried about letting out my next cat. I have thought about keeping it indoors but I feel thats a bit unfair as cats should be allowed to go outside. It looks like I had no joys with cat shelters so I have emailed a few private sellers and I am going to see a little kitten tonight. I hope I will be bringing him back home with me!

[Diana]

Be weary of 'private sellers' please.

I would always opt for a Cat shelter/rescue then buy a cat from a private seller. Yes cats love the outdoors, however there are cats that enjoy the home comforts of indoor life and do not have the feeling to wonder outside.

[Tara1984]

Why are you weary of private sellers? I tried going down the cat shelters route but that didnt work out, they wont rehome a cat/kitten to me! I have gone through private sellers before and its not been a problem.

[Podsy]

I think you just have to be wary of some private sellers, but if you visit someone's house you can usually get a good feel for them. It's a shame that the rescues wont help you, especially as with a kitten and winter coming you will probably want to keep the kitten in for several months anyway. I know when we were trying to adopt I nearly gave up with the rescues because they were so picky. Luckily I found the perfect pair at the RSPCA, but a lot of them didn't make it easy, and made me feel guilty for wanting kittens. Personally in my experience the boys do wander more, but as everyone else has said it does depend on the individual. My boy wanders a lot more than my girl (who is always around) but then I sometimes wonder if that is because my girl is sometimes a bit mean to him! Good luck with your kitten search tonight; exciting!

[Tara1984]

Yes I guess you do have to be careful of some private sellers. As long as the kitten is well and has been looked after then thats what matters to me. Yes I am going to visit the kitten at their home. I did hope to get a kitten from RSPCA but it seems to be too much hassle and they seem rather picky. They said without a cat flap then they arent able to let me have a kitten. I told her that a cat flap is a no go as the door is made of glass and my landlord said a cat flap isnt possible. You always see that cat shelters have cats and kittens that are dying for a home, I am desperate for a kitten and can offer it a great home and yet they arent interested. Yes I am quite excited about going to see the kitten, just hope I end up bringing him back home!

[bobbys girl]

I'm still having trouble with the RSPCA's insistence on a cat flap. I just don't understand.

I do agree with the others about buying a kitten. We had a similar problem when my OH wanted a pup. The homes turned him down - because of the main road. So he bought a Lurcher pup from a small ad.
We did get to see her mum but it was a very strange set-up and left a lot to be desired. We felt like we were rescuing her from a very uncertain future. We know now that we were VERY lucky. Katie was a smashing dog. But others have not been so lucky.

You might be buying a whole load of trouble. A sickly kitten that will break both the bank and your heart. Buying this way also encourages unscrupulous breeders who are only in it for the money - not the welfare of the cat.

This is why we say don't give up on the cats homes. There are so many cats needing a home. Kittens are very appealing, but they don't stay kittens for long!

Whatever happens I do wish you all the best.

Sue