The Best Cat Breed for Your Lifestyle

Alright, pet people, we recently shared with you the best dog breeds for certain living situations. This time, we’re turning our attention to cats! If someone in your home is allergic, if you have kids or other pets, or if this is your first foray into feline companionship, you’ll want to do your research on which breeds are genetically predisposed to be a good fit.

Most housecats and those in shelters are given the label “Domestic Shorthair”—meaning they’ve got short hair, have mixed ancestry, and don’t belong to any particular recognized breed. Trying to predict how one of these will get on in any particular situation is about as easy as trying to predict a mutt’s behavior. There are so many factors, like the cat’s age, personality, and whether they’ve been socialized to humans or other pets. But just ask most of the cat people of the world, whose cats are DSH—and they’ll tell you these guys and gals make wonderful pets for all kinds of situations. If you ask a shelter or rescue org about any cat’s history and temperament, and be patient and sensitive about getting them comfortable in your home, you should be golden.

But that being said, if you want to do a little more research and pony up what’s sometimes a premium chunk of change, there are breeds whose DNA do make them great fits for the aforementioned situations. Here they are!

Best Cat Breeds for Allergies

If you’re allergic to cats, what you’re actually allergic to is a protein in their dander, urine, and saliva. All cats produce it, but those that don’t shed much are less likely to leave the stuff behind. Male cats in general produce more of the allergy-causing protein. But here’s a list of breeds (you’ll notice it includes both long-haired, short, and hairless) that are low shedders and lower allergy-causing-protein producers:

• Sphynx: These are expensive but hairless, so no shedding!
• Peterbald: This Russian breed looks similar to the Sphynx, but is a little bigger and has whiskers unlike the Sphynx. Also no shedding, but also can cost around $1,000.
• Cornish Rex: These cats have a unique wavy, short coat that won’t shed.
• Donskoy: Aka the Don Sphynx or Russian Hairless.
• British Shorthair: Aka the British Blue, these have a cute, distinct face and an often blue-gray coat. They don’t produce much of the protein that causes allergies.
• Javanese: These resemble a Siamese and have beautiful coats that don’t shed much. Can cost $900.
• Bengal: These popular dog-like cats won’t bother allergy sufferers and can cost $1,000-$5,000.
• Devon Rex: Has a short wavy coat that does shed, but people with allergies have little reaction to them.
• LaPerm: Like the Poodles of the cat world, they’ve got non-shedding coats.
• Russian Blue: Has a coat but produces lower amounts of the allergen that bothers sufferers.
• Siberian: A beautiful non-shedding cat.

Best Cat Breeds for Kids

The best cat candidates here are ones that are sociable, playful, and patient. Ones that will enjoy your kids, not fear them. And it’s important too to ask yourself whether your kids can respect boundaries and be gentle with a cat so life will be good for both parties. Here are a few breed options:

• Abyssinian: They may bolt from toddlers, but they’re playful cats that enjoy human companionship, and are great for kids beyond the toddler phase.
• Burmese: These Siamese-looking cats are outgoing, don’t like being alone, and enjoy kids.
• Birman: Very sociable.
• Ragdoll: They enjoy being held!
• Maine Coon: They make good therapy cats and are generally friendly with everyone.

Best Cat Breeds for Multi-Pet Homes

Generally, cats are at their most adaptable when they’re kittens. Getting one when they’re young and introducing them to your dog or other pets will probably go better than getting an adult cat and trying to get them to live nicely with a house full of other pets.

Here are some breeds that tend to be dog-friendly:

• Norwegian Forest Cat: They’re big, they play fetch, and they have a dog-like demeanor.
• Birman: Super playful—they’ll play with your dog and also enjoy fetch!
• Japanese Bobtail: They’ll enjoy many of the same activities as your dog.
• Turkish Van: They share the same traits as those above, however they can be very alpha, so think about whether your dog’s personality will jive with theirs.
• Maine Coon: They’re gentle giants who can hold their own against a dog and might even do dog-like things like come when called or follow you from room to room.

Best Cat Breeds for First-Time Cat Owners

Cats can be an acquired taste—in a great many cases their aloof, finicky reputations are well-earned. If you’re in the market for a cat whose personality will be predictable, with a genetic predisposition to being loyal and affectionate, look into these:

• Ragdoll: These big beauties are calm, sweet, and somewhat trainable. It’s allegedly one of the most well-behaved breeds.
• Maine Coon: They’re dog-like, in that they’re playful and smart. It’s also the biggest cat breed there is!
• American Shorthair: These easygoing, low-maintenance cats can entertain themselves. If you’re a single person who’s often away working long hours, or your family’s a busy one, this cat that can entertain itself might be the one for you.
• Abyssinian: Very affectionate.
• Scottish Fold: Incredibly affectionate as well.
• Burmese: Very dog-like, they can develop the same kind of loyalty to you a dog can.

And don’t forget, when getting ready to invest in a high-dollar feline friend, that one in three pets need emergency care every year. Set aside less than $1 a day for Bivvy’s affordable pet insurance, to get some financial assistance if there’s an emergency.

Pet parents love Bivvy for its cat insurance because it doesn’t come with expensive monthly premiums with large deductibles for any condition. It’s simple! Happy cat shopping!