Cats do possess a sense of gender. They have the ability to distinguish between sexes, and as mammals, they engage in mating behaviors, seeking suitable partners during their estrus cycles. While cats may not understand if their human companion is male or female, they can certainly recognize who their owner is.
Cats have an estimated intelligence level similar to that of an 18-month-old human infant. While this is just a comparison of their logical thinking, reasoning abilities, and ability to distinguish objects, some behaviors are instinctive. For instance, as mammals, kittens instinctively nurse from their mothers. They begin grooming themselves within a couple of months, instinctively forage for food, and learn to use a litter box around two to three months old. Because they also engage in mating behaviors, it’s natural that they possess a sense of gender. This self-awareness of their own sex is, in fact, an innate ability driven by the need for reproduction and propagation. They must clearly understand their own gender in order to identify suitable mates based on scent cues during their estrus cycle.
Do Cats Know a Human's Gender?
Cats do not understand the concept of human gender. However, they can identify their owner and develop a strong bond of trust with that individual. For them, gender is irrelevant. Not only do cats not understand human gender, but there are also some colors they can't see. Cats can see blue-green light, which allows them to see blue, green, yellow, and purple. However, they are unable to see colors that do not reflect blue-green light, such as red. The fact that cats don't recognize human gender or see certain colors doesn't diminish our love for them, or their trust in us.