What Breed of Cat Should I Get?

One of the most common questions we get asked from clients is what breed of cat we think that they should get. However, they should be asking what kind of cat should I get? It is much better to look at your lifestyle and the temperament of a cat over a specific breed.

Here are some things that you need to think about before you stop and get the first cute kitten that you see.

You should consider the size of the cat that you are going to get. Though most cats are between ten and fifteen pounds, there are many females that are much smaller than that! There are also some giant breeds, like Maine Coons, which can weigh up to twenty-five pounds.

You may also want to consider their hair type. Though many domestic cats have short hair, you can find long-haired cats and even ones that are hairless. Don’t forget about all of the cats who have coats in between short, long, and hairless.

Just remember that, if you get a long-hair cat, you are going to need to spend plenty of time grooming him or her. A hairless cat may also need some extra attention to keep his or her skin as healthy as possible.

Because of that, one of the most important things to consider is how active you want your cat to be. Are you going to want a young kitten who wants to be played with all of the time? Do you have the time and energy to play after a long and hard day at work?

Or is an older cat who is happy to be sitting beside you on the couch at night a better fit? If you are thinking that you don’t want to go through the kitten stage, you may want to look at a shelter for a cat that is a little (or a lot) older. I recently wrote an article about adopting older cats. If you are interested, you can check it out here.

This also brings up whether or not you have a lot of time to spend at home with a cat. There are many cats that would be happy to have the house to themselves, while others need more attention and companionship. Young kittens need even more attention if you want to train them up right.

If you have frequent guests over, you may want a cat that is as social as you. If you get a cat that runs scared when you have company, he or she is going to spend a lot of time hiding. If your cat enjoys greeting everyone and spending time in the same room as him or her, you should be just fine.

Choosing the right cat for your lifestyle is more important than the breed that he or she is. You have to figure out whether or not a new kitten will fit into your lifestyle. Do you have the time to train a new kitten? And play with him or her all of the time to help with the extra energy a kitten has?

If you are always on the go, you might want to get an older cat who would be happy to be home alone. That way, when you do get home, he or she would be happy to sit beside you on the couch instead of needing all of your attention.

If you are always having friends over, you don’t want a cat who is going to be scared to come out when you have visitors. That will be way too stressful for him or her (and you)! Take your time, figure out what you really want, and then go find the right (perfect) cat for you and your family.

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Previously published on Medium and/or Newsbreak.