Calmest Cat Breeds

Affectionate, loyal cats are good family companions. Although quiet, low-energy cats still can be friendly and somewhat playful. You’ll likely opt for a cat that can adapt to a variety of situations and environments. Popular picks for calm cat breeds include the Birman, British Shorthair, Exotic Shorthair, Japanese Bobtail, Persian, Ragamuffin, Ragdoll, and Selkirk Rex. With her marvelous, social personality, the Birman doesn’t like being the only animal in the house. She is active and playful but quiet if you are busy. This healthy, long-lived breed has an outstanding semi-long silky coat that does not mat and a luxurious, long bottle-brush tail. Brilliant blue, almost-round eyes are prominent features of her sweet expression. The British Shorthair is affectionate without being clingy and enjoys curling up beside you rather than being a lap cat. The Brit is a healthy, hardy feline that matures slowly in three to five years. Playful, alert and intelligent, this cat loves children. Though reserved with strangers, this breed quickly warms up when love is given in return. The British Shorthair is compact, well-balanced and powerful, with a short, dense, plush coat. Known as the lazy man’s Persian, the Exotic Shorthair has the body type and easygoing nature of the Persian but without the coat length and need for daily grooming. With her thick, dense, plush short hair and round face, the Exotic Shorthair has a soft teddy bear look. This sweet feline is affectionate and loyal. The breed is athletic, fun-loving, yet also quiet and sensitive. One of the oldest cat breeds, the Japanese Bobtail is believed to bring good luck and prosperity. The two coat varieties, longhair and shorthair, are exactly the same except for coat length. This delightfully mischievous feline enjoys a good game of fetch and likes to carry things in her mouth. A healthy breed that lives an average of 15 to 18 years, the Japanese Bobtail is social and particularly good with children. A gorgeous longhair breed with a pansylike face, the Persian looks like a fluff ball but under the coat is a muscular, sturdy body. With her sweet personality, the Persian is a charming pet for all ages. The breed features solid, bicolor, calico and tabby varieties, which include a multitude of colors and patterns. The Persian Solid may be colored white, blue, black, red, cream, chocolate, and lilac. All have brilliant copper eyes, except the pristine white solid color, which may be copper, deep blue or a combination of blue and copper. This breed requires daily brushing and occasional baths and should strictly be an indoor pet. A gorgeous, massive breed with large, expressive eyes, the RagaMuffin is sweet and loving, often described as being like a teddy bear. This feline thrives on attention and is a wonderful family pet that gets along well with other cats and cat friendly dogs. The RagaMuffin has an easygoing, calm temperament and can be trained to walk on a leash, play fetch and sit up to beg. This healthy breed reaches adulthood at 4 years old. The Ragdoll is one of the most popular longhair cat breeds. Social and loving, this cat enjoys people and gets along well with children and dogs. The desire to be near her family has earned her the affectionate nickname “puppycat.” The Ragdoll can be taught to fetch and come when called. Playful throughout their lives, these cats mature slowly in three to four years. The naturally curly Selkirk Rex is one of the newest natural breeds. With a large, dense body, similar to a British Shorthair, this cat has two coat varieties: shorthair and longhair. A wonderful, people-oriented breed, the Selkirk Rex also gets along well with other cats and cat friendly dogs. Patient and tolerant, the Selkirk Rex adapts easily to most living situations. This healthy, sturdy breed is clever, intelligent and entertaining.