In RL we have ultrasound, so yes, we could know the gender before the birth, of all the kittens in the litter. Its not a surprise in RL unless you choose to keep it that way. There are ways around it.
I, too, have heaps of boxes piling up that I would very much love to open and breed, but am too afraid they will be the wrong gender. On nearly every occasion my partner and I have attempted a birth to breed back, its been the wrong gender. And then we are stuck with a kitten going "what now?". Its really frustrating to have to alter your current breeding strategy or routine to squeeze in a cat you weren't quite expecting.
I agree with all of Saga's points about the benefits to the market, as well. It would be wonderful from all aspects. In reality we probably wouldn't know most of what a box tells us before birth, but we *would* know the gender.
A bit backwards, when you think about it!
Eye color? Nope, don't think I could see that before it popped out. Or fur, either. Granted, I am not saying I want those taken out as trade for gender, but my point being, if you say "you can't know gender before birth in RL," well, you can't know most of the kitten's traits.
