Hi, I'm new to singing and I have just started the beginner course. The files that we can use to practice are different whether you are a contralto or soprano etc. How do I determine what am I? I try to hit the high notes and I feel like I can reach them, however when I listen to the recording, I just sound like a dying cat. Is it because I'm new to singing so need to practice more or because I can't? How do I determine what my voice is?

Start by reading this article I wrote on finding your range + voice type: https://www.30daysinger.com/blog/finding-your-vocal-range.

You can also use the "find my range" tool on this site: http://www.myvocalrange.com/yourvocalrange.php and check that you're singing in tune using https://tuner.ninja/. 

SingSharp (for iOS and Android) also has a range finder function with a chromatic tuner built in: https://www.singsharpapp.com/.