Pets make your house complete, and almost every pet owner will nod their heads in agreement. They light up your home with their overflowing energy and quirkiness, and if you are feeling sulky and grumpy, just take a look at them and catch yourself smiling and feeling good in no time. If you keep reading you will find a list of the top most friendly calm cat breeds.
Moreover, if you have little kids growing up in your household, having a pet will be the best decision you will ever make. They act like their best friend, companion, and confidante. A pet will never cease to steal your heart, whether you identify as a cat or a dog person.
10 Most Friendly Cat Breeds For a Household With Kids
Cats often make great pets as they do not require lots of maintenance and are relatively easy to take care of. Additionally, cats play a significant role in teaching kids crucial life skills, such as responsibilities, patience, and respect. Thus, cats as pets are great to have, particularly when you have children. There are a variety of breeds of cats available out there.
Even though they are all friendly and enjoyable to own, you might want to carefully pick the breed that is most suitable for your kids. While you train your cat in a certain way, it is also equally important to teach your kids how to handle and respect them. Gradually they will be able to acclimatize to each other’s presence.
This article will take you through the 10 best family-friendly cat breeds for a household with kids. So, read on and find the perfect feline friend for your family.
1. Abyssinian Cat
Abyssinians top the list of friendliest cat breed and for all the right reasons. They are active, playful, intelligent, affectionate, and loyal. They show signs of curiosity, which makes them an excellent company for kids. You will always find them exploring every nook and corner of the household.
Abyssinians are sometimes lovingly called Abbygrabbys, for they will take anything that grabs their interests. Although they are highly active for most of the day, they will never miss a chance to curl up next to you. Thus, they get along really well with kids.
Some of the pet care guidelines for this breed include weekly grooming and frequent bathing and brushing sessions during shedding months. Each of the breeds is unique in its own way and hence demands a unique diet too. To maintain the ideal body of your darling Abyssinian, read through the feeding guidelines in detail based on age, health, and lifestyle, or your vet will be able to help you in this regard.
2. Manx Cat
What makes a Manx cat popular is the lack of a tail. And perhaps that is one of the favorite reasons among parents to have them as a pet. Kids won’t have to work on resisting the temptation of pulling the tail. They are fun to have around as they are mostly even-tempered, affectionate, and playful.
Try to introduce them to new activities from a very early age. It will enable them to adapt and enjoy a meet and greet new people, animals, and kids. They are also known to fancy attention and thus will love to spend lots of time with you and your little ones. Manx cats are pretty smart when it comes to learning new tricks and activities.
You can teach them to fetch and put your worries to rest about entertaining your kids as they can spend most of the time playing with their feline buddy. Also, Manx cats often shed a lot, so make sure you regularly brush their double coats to remove the loose hair. These and other traits make the Manx cat top in our calm cat breed lists.
Pro Tip: An automatic pet feeder can help you maintain your feline’s weight on point.
3. Maine Coon Cat
Maine Coon Cat breeds are known to be child-friendly as they are quite loving and affectionate. They are particularly perfect for families that lead a busy lifestyle, for they adapt well to the schedule.
They love to snuggle up next to someone, are very playful and curious, and stay kitten-like throughout their lives. Although they are quite easy-going, they might take up some time in opening up and warming to strangers. But once they do, your house will literally echo with their yowling, meowing, chirping, and all sorts of speech.
Maine Coon cats are known to be very vocal. They are also great lovers of water, and so you might just find them in your shower, bath, or pool. Also, Maine Coon cats usually have shaggy and smooth hair, which are known to be shed moderately. Frequent grooming and brushing are required.
4. Burmese Cat
Burmese cats make great pets for families with kids. They are the nicest when it comes to companionship, humans, and other pets alike. Their overall personality is defined as playful, curious, and energetic. Quite like the Manx, you can teach them a handful of tricks and stay entertained by their shenanigans.
Moreover, they love to play and fiddle with interactive toys, something your little one will enjoy. However, make sure you give them enough attention as they thrive on it. Surprisingly, their attitude is similar to that of a dog, which makes having them all the more fun. Also, Burmese cats shed only minimally, so only weekly brushing will do the needful.
5. Persian Cat
Persian cat stands out for their adorable features. They are docile and have a cute face that is hard to resist. The feline is known to like a quiet and relaxing environment and is usually a very calm and lazy cat. They are lap-nappers; however, they equally enjoy independence and observing the activities in the house.
Persian cats are generally very selective when it comes to getting along with someone. However, they do reasonably well with kids that are well-mannered, and cats and dogs are a bit laid-back. Overall, they are worth keeping as a pet. However, you need to keep an eye on what cat food you purchase.
This breed sheds a lot, so with the right grooming, you can stop them from messing up. Albeit, it might give you a hard time since they often do not entertain grooming. Go for bathing once a month that will keep the coat and skin clean and healthy.
6. Siamese Cat
Siamese cats are exceptionally social, interactive, vocal, and intelligent, making them one of the best kid-friendly cat breeds. They always look forward to having a great companionship, and thus having them for your kids make sense.
Most of the time, they are active and curious, exploring their surroundings and always up on their feet. However, you will find them curling up on your lap or snuggling up with your little one. Siamese cats have a soft and short coat, so shedding happens minimally.
Combing the coat weekly will help in maintaining the shine. Cats make for great pets. However, just like any other animals or beings, they also suffer from ailments, and regular care is necessary; in which case, seeing a veterinarian near you is necessary.
7. Bombay Cat
If you are looking for an exotic shorthair cat with lots of personality traits, then the Bombay Cat could be a perfect fit. This particular cat breed is acquired by breeding black shorthair cats with sable Burmese. We love the exotic black coat that gives this feline a panther look and feel.
The Bombay Cat is very playful and loving. They are considered to be extremely smart, but at the same time, they depend a lot on their owners. Also, their high intelligence allows them to blend in with their families. Most of the time, they will be calm until the moment they need attention.
8. Russian Blue Cat
The Russian Blue cat is considered among the top quiet breeds out there. Just like the Norwegian Forest cat, try not to let them overheat because they like to be in cold climates. However, you should keep a cat toy available because they love to play a few times a day.
Most Russian Blue cats are very vocal, and most of the time will use their voice to communicate. Also, they are super smart, so you won’t have any problems training them to use a cat litter box. Regular bathing and grooming are recommended for this cat breed.
9. Scottish Folds Cat
Just like American Curls, the Scottish Folds are known for their folded ears to look. Although they are born with straight ears, with time, their gene will kick in after 21 days of being born, and their ears will start to fold. Also, their known to have lots of ear problems according to their overall cat health history.
The Scottish folds are loving companions that thrive for the attention of their cat parents. As an indoor cat, they love to play fetch and other indoor games. Also, a common trait is their ability to adapt to new people.
Overall a very sweet-tempered and calm cat to own. Although they are leading the top lazy cat breeds list, a pet insurance policy might be good to have to save money on veterinarian bills. Overall a very happy and healthy cat breed.
10. Japanese Bobtail Cat
The Japanese Bobtail cats are very soft and sweet. They are known for their muscle capabilities and their ability to jump from high places. When it comes to food, you have to avoid giving them a taste of human food. Stick to low carb kitten food to keep their weight in good shape. Also, they are known to be “lucky cats” and usually bring happiness to your household.
When it comes to their personality, the Japanese Bobtail love to play with their parents and family. You won’t have to worry much about pet safety since their Bobtail personality will come into effect and make them feel like they are in charge of the house. Not much of a lap cat, but they adapt to their cat parents routine and will search for affection.
Tip: Owning a cat litter box would drastically change your feline’s hygiene.
Article Summary
Other great calm cat breeds to look for are the Havana Brown, Ragdoll Cat, and the Kurilian Bobtail. When it comes to pet parenting, a cat most of the time requires less affection and time than a dog. We love all cat breeds with American shorthairs mixes due to their great genetics.
However, if you own an oriental shorthair male cat with health problems and you ask yourself – Where can I find the best vets near me ?- We recommend the GreatVet site, and they make it really easy for you to find a vet for your loved one. For example, if you live in Kansas, you can find the best vets in Kansas City.
Unlike cats, dogs eat lots of human food. We encourage all our readers to acquire knowledge about the pet food they purchase for their loved ones. I hope the article will help you in getting the best feline buddy for your little ones. For more pet care or kitten food tips or advice on dog breeds, follow our post.
Last Updated on 03/06/2020 by Karen Snow
Hi! I’m Karen and a certified dog lover. As a freelance writer and blogger, I do my best to squeeze in some time with my dogs, learning more about the way they act and how I can make sure that they continue to stay well-cared for by yours truly.
My dogs have helped me through a lot, and this is my way of giving back to them! Besides animals, I also love to travel and cook, having explored my country’s restaurants and unique places. Follow me as I show you all the amazing tips and bits of information I learn along the way about our furry friends!