How to Choose the Right Cat Breed for You and Your Home

It's not the most popular cat that's best, it's the one that's right for you and your family, your home and your schedule. This is not a match made in heaven: a high-energy Bengal in a flat with a full time office worker could be a mismatch – perhaps a calm British Shorthair would be ideal. This guide will assist you to find a breed you can live with before you bring one home.

Look at the points outlined below to determine which characteristics are most important to you, and then visit a few breeds that are likely to come through in them.

Before you choose

• Match energy level and grooming needs to the time you actually have.

• Consider your space — apartment vs. house with outdoor access.

• Factor in children, other pets, and hours the cat will be alone.

Remember: a well-matched mixed-breed rescue can be the best fit of all.

Match a Breed to Your Lifestyle

Start here — find the row that sounds like you:

Your situation

1. Apartment / small space

2. Busy family with kids

3. First-time cat owner

4. Want low grooming

5. Cat alone during work hours

6. Want an active, playful cat

Breeds that tend to fit

1. British Shorthair, Ragdoll, Persian — calmer, less roaming

2. Ragdoll, Maine Coon — patient and sociable

3. British Shorthair, Ragdoll — easy-going and forgiving

4. British Shorthair, Siamese, Devon Rex — short/low-shed coats

5. Consider two cats, or an independent breed; avoid Siamese

6. Abyssinian, Bengal, Devon Rex — high energy and clever

Key Questions to Ask Yourself

How much time can you give?

Siamese are social creatures and may become irritable if not handled as such. When you're away for extended periods of time, consider a more independent cat (or a cat pair to keep each other company).

How much grooming can you commit to?

Mats are a problem on long coated breeds like the Persian, and the dog must be brushed every day to prevent this. If not, a short haired cat such as the British Shorthair will be much more tolerant.

What's your space like?

Active breeds that are active want vertical space and enrichment. An active cat will be happier in a large apartment or with lots of shelves, and a calm cat will be happier in a small apartment.

Who else is at home?

For young children or other pets, consider patient, sociable breeds (Ragdoll, Maine Coon) over shyer cats and those that are more territorial.

A Quick Adoption Checklist

• Match energy and grooming needs to your available time — honestly.

• Meet the individual cat, not just the breed — personalities vary within any breed.

• Consider adopting from a shelter; mixed breeds are healthy, loving, and often the best match.

• Prepare food, litter, scratching posts, and a vet before bringing your cat home.

Set Them Up With the Right Food

A good beginning, whatever the breed, is a species-appropriate diet. Meals are prepared at PawPots using human-grade ingredients and are freshly cooked in our Lebanon kitchen and personalized fresh meals for cats needs — it's a simple way to help ease their transition into a new home.

Want to Compare the Breeds First?

For side-by-side profiles of the year's favorites, see our companion guide: The Most Popular Cat Breeds of 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best cat breed for a first-time owner?

If you're a first-timer, you'll want to get a breed that's easy-going, forgiving, sociable, relatively easy to care for, and can acclimate to a new home — breeds like the British Shorthair and Ragdoll are perfect for you.

Which cat breed is best for an apartment?

Breeds like the British Shorthair, Ragdoll and Persian are better-suited to apartment living because they are calmer, and less prone to roam, which is a problem with some breeds. With plenty of enrichment and up time, any cat can adapt.

Is it better to adopt a specific breed or a rescue cat?

They can be great! While the temperament and grooming requirements can be a good indication to you by breed, Mixed Breed rescue cats are healthy, loving, and are often the best breed match. Never meet a cat alone with a dog.

What's the best cat breed if I work full-time?

If adopting two cats, keep them together; or breed more independent cats. Don't keep very social breeds, such as the Siamese, in isolation for extended periods of time.