Best Beginner Friendly Cat Breeds for First-Time Owners

For beginners wanting to own a cat, many thoughts most likely cross through their minds.

Certain questions are silently asked, from wanting to make sure they do not make mistakes in selecting the best breed suited for them. And for some, they’d want to be sure the breed they would be settling for has little to no hereditary medical conditions. 

Other beginner owners might just want a breed that requires less grooming and general cat care.

Some first-time owners most likely want to know how certain breeds react to family, their social personalities, and their activity levels, and how welcoming they are to children, pets, and even strangers.

Irrespective of the numerous reasons, it is quite clear that first-time cat owners have one or more concerns that need to be addressed before finally picking that cat breed to take home. 

With the cat fanciers association recognizing 42 breeds of cats and the international cat association recognizing 71 cat breeds in all, it is obvious why first-time cat owners can be in a state of dilemma.

Fasten your seat belts as we take you through the amazing journey as a first-time owner, the best cat breed suited for beginners.

Maine Coon cats

Maine Coon

Native to the state of Maine, the United States, known for its large size and exceptional hunting skills, is the Maine coon cat.

They have had quite a history in North America, and the Maine coons are among the oldest breed of cats there. 

This breed is not only large but has good social personalities, especially with family, kids, and even pets. Hence they are often called gentle giants.

Maine coon cats are characterized by long, water-resistant coats, making them survive harsh weather conditions.

As regards intelligence, you have a breed of cat with an above-average intelligence level. They are not so known for seeking the owner’s attention all the time. However, this does not stop them from being vocal to get owners to attend to them.

Although they can eat what almost all cats would take, they require a few more meals due to their demanding energy levels. When it comes to grooming, be rest assured they only require moderate grooming regularly compared to the haircoat size.

For first-time cat owners who love their felines large, get yourself a Maine coon cat, you’d find yourself a trusted gentle giant companion.

Siamese cats

Siamese

Originating from Thailand, which was formally called Siam. The Siamese cat is one best suited for first-time owners. Known for their charming looks, the Siamese has a characteristic long, lean and slim body frame that is muscular with a colored point facial appearance.

The Siamese cat is also one of the most intelligent breeds of domestic cats.

They are social and friendly and love to have human interactions. There are also friendly toward children as well as other pets at home. 

This cat breed loves human interaction and would show their owners they are great at having a lot of conversation or lap time. 

The Siamese cats still have their playtime where they leverage their high activity levels and energy. They should not be left for long because they could turn their owner’s space upside down out of curiosity.

Siamese cats usually have a non-shedding short hair coat, and they don’t require serious rooming time; hence are a low maintenance breed. This doesn’t mean they should not be taken care of adequately. 

Ragdoll cats 

Ragdoll kittens
Ragdoll kittens

Making it into our list of cats best for first-time owners is the Ragdoll cats. Like the doll in their names, the Ragdoll cat is known for its gentle plus affectionate personality and could appear limp, like a doll, when picked up.

This cat breed is native to California in the United States and is born from a Persian and Birman cats cross.

The ragdoll cat is characterized by a fairly long silky and soft haircoat with colored points and a large, sturdy body frame with a muscular appearance.

Because of this appearance, the Ragdoll cat breed happens to be one of the largest domesticated cat breeds known. As a result of their extremely docile temperaments, some cat fanciers have tagged this cat to be pain resistant, but this is not true.

Ragdoll cats are intelligent and social but remain quite calm in their environments. They are never demanding but would love to be given some attention and lap time once in a while.

They always show how truly loyal they are to family members, including children, as well as other pets at home.

Because this cat breed lacks an undercoat, they are not known for shedding their hair and would require low maintenance as well. Consistent and regular grooming should be provided to prevent their haircoat from getting tangled. Because they are not demanding, it doesn’t mean the Ragdoll cat should be left for long as they would always be by the door waiting for their owners to arrive. 

If you look for a noiseless cat with docile temperaments, then get a ragdoll cat because they would make good companion cats for beginner cat owners.

The Scottish fold cats

scottish fold

Another breed that would do exceptionally well with first-time cat owners is the Scottish fold cats.

Native to Scotland, United Kingdom, this breed of cat is known to have a genetic mutation that has affected the cartilages of their body.

This is seen in the characteristics appearance of the breed’s ear, folding downwards and backward, giving the Scottish fold cat an owl-like facial appearance.

Asides from the folded ears of the Scottish fold cats, this breed is popular for their round heads, large eyes, and sturdy body appearance, with short hair coats. Some Scottish fold cat breeds have been selectively bred to avoid the ears folded, and they are often called the Scottish straight cats.

The Scottish fold cats also have easy-going and gentle temperaments with good social and affectionate personalities.

The cat breed are independent and quiet, although they’d still appreciate some lap or playtime together with their owners. They are social with children and would do fine with other pets within their household.

Scottish fold cat breeds also have a high intelligence level, making them easily trained to perform some tricks and learn to play with interactive toys, among other mentally stimulating activities.

They are low on maintenance as well as do not require high-level grooming, but this should be done regularly as well as combining their hair or cleaning their ears with moist clothes.

This is another Excellent breed for first-time owners that do not love their cats being too demanding or beginners who love feline companions with gentle temperaments.

The Sphynx cats

The fifth cat on our list of best cat breeds for beginners or first-time owners is the Sphynx cat. This cat breed is native to North America and Canada.

Sphynx

One striking physical characteristic of the sphynx cat is the lack of a hair coat. This is a result of a genetic mutation that eventually causes the Sphynx hairlessness and makes them have a chamois leather appearance.

Another striking body feature of the Sphynx cats, asides from the baldness, is that their body displays a lot of wrinkles, while whiskers may be present, shortened, or completely absent. The Sphynx cat is quite an athletic and muscular cat breed despite all these.

The hairlessness of the Sphynx does not in any way affect the social personalities or traits of this special cat breed. They are quite energetic and extroverted. The Sphynx cats would always show a high level of curiosity while displaying their above-average intelligence.

They would crave their owner’s attention as well as that of family members and are quite comfortable with children and other pets at home.

In getting your attention sometimes, the Sphynx can get a little noisy while following you around the home to serve as a full-time companion. Because of the hairlessness of the breed, it is important to protect them from extreme or harsh weather conditions.

Although this breed has no hair, it is important to groom them regularly to prevent excessive oil accumulation on their skin, which could trap dirt in and around the wrinkled area. However, this does not in any way take much of your time.

The Sphynx cats are a special type of cat breed and would be a fantastic addition to homes that want to own a cat for the first time.

Persian cats

Persian

The list of cats best for first-time owners wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Persian cats.

This cat breed is native to Persia, just like their name, and was brought to Italy.

According to the cat fanciers association, the Persian cat breed is the fourth most popular cat breed globally. The Persian cat sometimes referred to as the Persian longhair, is characterized by a long flowing haircoat and a short-muzzled round face with large eyes and a stocky body.

The Persian cats are quiet, have docile temperaments, and are an easy-going cat breed. They love to be around their owners and would appreciate some lap time with them. Despite their gentle temperaments, Persian cats can be quite curious as well, but they don’t go overboard with their curiosity.

Once socialized at a very early age, the Persian cats would get along with other pets at home and even with children. This breed of cat is never shy of strangers but would keep to their space when not called upon.

Because of their beautiful and long flowing haircoats, Persian cats require regular grooming to keep their beauty alive and to prevent the hair from matting and tangling. This includes bathing, combing, and, most importantly, cleaning the ears regularly. 

For beginner cat owners, who’d love to own a cat that’s not only glowing with beauty but also has gentle and super-affectionate personalities, then the Persian should be top on your list.

American shorthair cats 

For first-timers who would want to own a cat, the America shorthair cat is another breed that would be fine.

Native to America but brought in from Europe to serve as mousers protecting cargo on ships.

It now comfortably sits as the eighth most popular domestic cat breed globally. They are known for their short, dense hair coat.

They are also characterized by their well-developed muscular and sturdy body frame, short ears, and round faces.

The American shorthair cats are a gentle, fairly athletic, and easy-going cat breed.

American Shorthair pair
Two American Shorthairs

This breed has a friendly temperament and would show this towards family members in many ways by showering them with lots of affection.

The American shorthair has high tolerance and patience levels. This can be seen in how they interact with children and other pets at home.

This breed also loves to be attended to and pampered, but they are not demanding. Most times, they are just quiet and enjoying their playtime with their toys or games. The American shorthair cats do not require a high level of maintenance for their upkeep.

Owners of this breed must adhere to regular grooming and health care tips. American shorthair cats should be monitored to prevent them from growing obese.

The American shorthair cat breed is another breed that would do excellently well if acquired by first-time or beginner cat owners.

The Russian blue cats

The Russian blue cat is the last cat on our list of best cat breeds for first-time owners or beginners.

Russian Blue kitten

Also called the Archangel blues, this cat breed is native to Russia.

The Russian blue cat breed is known for its distinctive green eyes, with bluish-grey short hair coat on their body, giving them a puffed-up appearance. 

The Russian blue cats have a calm and friendly temperament and want to be with their owners most of the time. This translates to why you will always find the Russian blue cats by the door waiting for your return when you are away from home.

Although a little curious and highly intelligent, the Russian blue cats are cautious and sometimes show up with their shy sides when they see strangers.

Once they have built enough confidence around the home, they are quite comfortable with strangers, children, and other pets.

The Russian blue cats are outspoken and expect them to become a little noisy when they crave attention or their needs. Because of their high energetic traits and hunting instincts, this breed should be provided with toys with play areas.

Russian blue cats are not high on maintenance. They would do fine with regular grooming, including baths, nail clipping, cleaning of ears, and weekly combing their hairs. 

People who would love to have a high energetic cat breed that is easy to train and super smart, then the Russian blue cats are a serious contender.

Conclusion

Cats are starting to get high attention as companion pets,  which in turn has led to an increase in first-time owners who’d love to have them in their homes. However, beginners have various thoughts crossing through their minds. From wanting to know which breed suits their lifestyle, to wanting to know how much attention they’d be giving their feline companion.

We have carefully selected and dissected the best breed of cats for beginner or first-time owners that would not only serve as a pet companion but would fit into their daily needs and activity.