Do you remember the last time you petted at a cat? I remember my experience, petting a cat had a calm and positive effect on my mood, and it purred at me. Felt like that, feline beauty had a little motor inside of him. A dog is indeed man’s best friend, but a cat can also bond with its owner. You can also read 10 Best Dog Breeds for families and Kids. Surely, they don’t wear it on their sleeves, but we’ve got to accept that they are sociable only to a point.
In this article:
Cats can be a healthy and incredible companion for your child because they are low-maintenance and easy-going. Here are 10 child-friendly cats for your household:
10 Best Cat Breeds for Families and Kids
1. Abyssinian
This gorgeous breed is intelligent, athletic, and affectionate towards humans. They thrive on human attention, especially in the form of grooming and petting. Abyssinians are very friendly to kids and dogs as they match their energy, but generally, they tend to get jealous of other cats. Their life expectancy is 9–14 years and typically adorn shades such as blue, cinnamon, fawn, red, and ruddy. They have a low tendency to shed.
2. American Shorthair
This round-faced breed is friendly, gentle, and affectionate cats that are excellent for households with children because of their easy-going temperament. They get along with dogs very quickly.
They can live up to 20 years and typically adorn shades such as black, blue, blue-cream, brown, cameo, chinchilla, cream, golden, red, silver, tortoiseshell, and white. They have a moderate tendency to shed.
3. Bengal
This breed is highly intelligent and can be identified by its beautiful, wild, and leopard-like appearance. They have an affectionate and gentle temperament. They are very talkative.
Their life expectancy is 14–16 years. Generally, Bengal cats are healthy, but they are more susceptible to some illnesses due to their genetics. They have a low tendency to shed and typically adorn shades of brown and seal.
4. Tabby
They are the ideal cat for the first owners. Tabby cats make excellent pets for young owners because of their friendly, cuddly, and social personalities. They distinctively have ‘M’ shaped marking on their forehead, and stripes across the rest of their body.
Their life expectancy is 15–20 years, and just like humans, their life span also depends upon the diet and physical activity. So, in a way, a tabby cat can live for more than 20 years with proper diet and lifestyle.
5. Manx
This tail-less breed is loyal, playful, and highly intelligent. Just like dogs, they enjoy fetching and love to play. Some Manx will give all their love to a single person while others will shower the whole family, even children, with affection.
Their life expectancy is 8–14 years and typically adorn shades such as blue, blue-cream, black, brown, cream, red, silver, tortoiseshell, and white. They have a moderate tendency to shed.
6. Maine Coon
This intelligent and friendly breed is the biggest domestic cat. They make great companions for families with small kids because of their sensitive and tolerant nature. They get along with dogs very quickly. They are also called American Longhairs.
Their life expectancy is generally 10–13 years, but, they can live up to 15 years with proper diet and lifestyle. They have a high tendency to shed and typically adorn shades such as black, blue, blue-cream, brown, cream, golden, red, silver, tortoiseshell, and white.
7. Ragdoll
Often referred to as a “puppy-cat”, this breed loves to follow its owner around the house. They enjoy being picked up and carried around. Their docile personality makes them perfect for families with children and other pets. They can be trained easily. Their life expectancy is 15–19 years and typically adorn shades such as blue, blue-cream, cream, chocolate, frost, lilac, red, and seal. They have a high tendency to shed.
8. Burmese
Being known for their playfulness, mischievous, and affectionate nature, they entertain everyone around them with their shenanigans. Just like a Ragdoll cat, they too follow their owner around the house and love to be involved in any work. They will always be ready to cuddle and warm you up, and this makes them a perfect lap cat.
Their life expectancy is 9–13 years and typically adorn shades such as blue, champagne, chocolate, cinnamon, cream, fawn, lilac, platinum, red, sable, and tortoiseshell. They have a low tendency to shed.
9. Siamese
This blue-eyed, long, elegant, and exquisitely beautiful cat breed is energetic and playful. They can tirelessly converse with you all day and are known for being the most vocal cats. Their life expectancy is 8–14 years and typically adorn shades such as blue, chocolate, cinnamon, cream, fawn, lilac, red, and seal. They have a low tendency to shed.
10. Cornish Rex
An extremely affectionate cat that loves to be around its owners. They enjoy playing fetch, catch/throw toys. They always love to interact with people and is best suited to a home where they can receive love and companionship.
Their life expectancy is 9–13 years and typically adorn shades such as black, blue, brown, champagne, chestnut, chocolate, cinnamon, cream, fawn, frost, lavender, platinum, red, seal, and white. They have a low tendency to shed.
Cat essentials Checklist
Before you bring your feline companion home, make sure you have these items at your home to make sure that they are comfortable with you:
- Cat bed
- Litter box / tray
- Grooming equipment
- Cat carrier for transportation
- Cat toys
- Food and water bowls
