5 Best House Cat Breeds

The time has come to get a cat. Now to answer the age-old question: “How do I choose a cat breed?” How do you choose just one cute kitty to take home?

What are the best house cat breeds?

While there’s no bonafide rulebook for how to choose a cat, there’s probably a breed that best suits your current lifestyle and habits. House cats are known for being happy indoors.

With more city dwellers living in apartments or small houses and spending most of their time working, many are on the market for laid-back, friendly companions that are content indoors. 

Here are our top choices for best breeds:

Himalayan

Also called “Himmies”, these gentle giants gaze at you with large, deep blue eyes. They also have long, full, dense coats - perfect for petting.

Himalayans can express their energy in kitten-like burts - one minute they’ll be snoozing in a sun beam and the next, they’ll be up and scampering through your living room to the next adventure. Excellent companions, assuming their owners give them enough interaction and exercise, and tend to nutrition.

Ragdoll

These are at the top of apartment dwellers’ lists. Ragdoll cats’ strikingly beautiful, long bodies feature long, silky coats (which also tend to shed).

With loving, sweet, cuddly personalities, their intelligence allows them to pick up tricks easily with positive reinforcement and remember to greet their humans as they arrive home.

Scottish Fold

These active mousers are named for their unique folded ears and are known for being expressive, sensitive, and playful. Their striking, orange-yellow colored eyes are one of their most noticeable features.

Devon Rex

The pixies of the cat world are a fun-loving, loyal and relaxed breed. These mischievous felines peer at you with large eyes. They also have high-set cheekbones, long legs, and slender bodies.

A natural best friend and playmate to young animal lovers, Devon Rexes are kittens at heart with intelligence and energy to spare. They’ll need stimulation such as learning new tricks or playing with toys that provide treats as a reward.

Burmese

Athletes at heart, these playful golden-eyed felines love showing off their acrobatic skills and are up for hours of cuddles. Their exceptionally social nature also means they keep up their end of a conversation!

Bonus: they are easy to groom (with only weekly brushing requirements) and shed less than other breeds.

How to keep your indoor cat happy

If you choose to keep your cat indoors, there are some almost universal tips for keeping them happy:

• Give them high areas in the house, where they can observe their people and surroundings (and avoid them if they feel threatened or overwhelmed).
• Invest in an easily accessible, durable scratching post so they can amuse themselves, keep their claws in good condition, and save your furniture.
• Provide lots of cuddles, interaction, and companionship. Don’t forget about exercise and stimulation - a variety of toys and games work well for this.

Consult your vet for advice about best house cat breeds

It's a good idea to consult your veterinarian before choosing a house cat. Our vets at Sharon Lakes Animal Hospital can offer sound advice on which breed would suit your home and lifestyle, which health conditions and needs to consider, and more. Contact us today.