The tip off for me on a short coated long-faced cat like that is that males have substantial cheek ruffs - neutered males less luxurious ones but still decent. Sleek cheeks = unambiguously female, intact or neutered. This doesn't work so well on teenaged cats and not at all on kittens, but so far I'm pretty dang good at sexing adult cats from the front based on the head and face.
long-coated short-faced cats (persians >.>) are nigh impossible for me, and the other combos are a little more ambiguous, but usually facial features are a good back up to go with the cheek ruffs.
... and now I'm mentally comparing cats to orangutans.
That's my girl Abby. She is 17, and that picture is her scarfing kitty treats at her annual checkup on Wednesday.
Last time (when she was 16) the vet did a double-take, checked with reception, and then asked me WHO this cat was and why I had told them it was the cat on file - because, when she saw the cat, she'd guessed 4-6 years old, maybe.
Abby's in great shape for an ancient kitty. She's slowing down - it now takes her TWO jumps to get from the floor to the top of the fridge, and she'd much rather if we just lifted her, and beating up Angus is something she outsources to the dog these days - but she's healthy and still totally willing to yell until anything that goes wrong is fixed to her satisfaction.
That's great. My Minnow also loves going to the vet--her anxiety response is to purr and issue hugs and kisses (actions she usually doesn't bother with around her regular monkey slaves). Which has the effect of charming the vet and staff and ensuring a continuing stream of adoration. She's a year-old rescue, and such a constant source of activity and mischief that sometimes I despair of keeping her alive before she kills herself through mischance. Right now she's recovering from a very bad bump on the head, when another cat startled her and she jumped upright under a window frame that was only slightly open and almost cleaved her skull in two. I love both my cats, but I have to admit I love this one with particular fierceness.
Ah, cats. I love dogs too but cats are alien visitors and have a special fascination.
17. Purebred Abyssinian, tattoo and all, adopted as a kitten in 1994 by a family who had all four of her paws declawed, DID NOT spay her, discovered that their new toy was actually alive and annoying, and dumped her at the Ottawa Humane Society at an approximate age of 3 months with the "cause of surrender" being "she walks on the counters".
My family adopted her, and she chose me as The Least Annoying Human, and I've had her since.
My mother actually found her original adoption papers just before Christmas, including the original surrender papers. Apparently, I learned this year, her name was originally "Sauterelle" - French for "Grasshopper" - because she jumped a lot.
More "I will continue to eat these 'kitty treats' for now but as soon as that container runs out you must TAKE ME HOME THIS IS A VET AGH AGH AGH I WILL PEE IN YOUR EAR THIS IS WORSE THAN DOGS"
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(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 07:01 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 06:31 pm (UTC)The tip off for me on a short coated long-faced cat like that is that males have substantial cheek ruffs - neutered males less luxurious ones but still decent. Sleek cheeks = unambiguously female, intact or neutered. This doesn't work so well on teenaged cats and not at all on kittens, but so far I'm pretty dang good at sexing adult cats from the front based on the head and face.
long-coated short-faced cats (persians >.>) are nigh impossible for me, and the other combos are a little more ambiguous, but usually facial features are a good back up to go with the cheek ruffs.
... and now I'm mentally comparing cats to orangutans.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 06:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 07:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 08:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 11:12 pm (UTC)My cat also has the sparkly agouti coat. I haven't seen many cats like that.
She's a beauty. What a lovely face.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 11:21 pm (UTC)Last time (when she was 16) the vet did a double-take, checked with reception, and then asked me WHO this cat was and why I had told them it was the cat on file - because, when she saw the cat, she'd guessed 4-6 years old, maybe.
Abby's in great shape for an ancient kitty. She's slowing down - it now takes her TWO jumps to get from the floor to the top of the fridge, and she'd much rather if we just lifted her, and beating up Angus is something she outsources to the dog these days - but she's healthy and still totally willing to yell until anything that goes wrong is fixed to her satisfaction.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 11:27 pm (UTC)Ah, cats. I love dogs too but cats are alien visitors and have a special fascination.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 11:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 11:25 pm (UTC)My family adopted her, and she chose me as The Least Annoying Human, and I've had her since.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 11:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 11:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 11:39 pm (UTC)My mother actually found her original adoption papers just before Christmas, including the original surrender papers. Apparently, I learned this year, her name was originally "Sauterelle" - French for "Grasshopper" - because she jumped a lot.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 08:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 11:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-08 02:00 am (UTC)