Ciao a tutti!

Sorry if this is a bit of a dumb question, but I did some searching and couldn’t find a solid answer. I’m very new to Italian learning, and find it helpful to try to learn about words and topics that interest me personally, in addition to regular study.

Anyway, I know that cane is dog and gatto is cat. My questions is about using masculine and feminine versions when referring to male or female animals.

I have a boy cat and a lady cat. Are they gatto and gatta? And if I had a female dog, would she be cagna? I’ve seen that word but it seems to have the same negative connotation as the English bitch. Should I refer to female dogs as cagna or just stick with cane?

I’d also appreciate any random phrases you’d like to suggest for talking to my dog and cats. I love learning new ways to practice my Italian.

Grazie mille!