Not all cats are smart but that’s OK because we are not all Einsteins either. Also some people like dumb cats. So, here are the dumbest cat breeds of all.
Although it is hard to measure the inteligence of an animal, there are some indicators that show how smart or intelligent they are. For example dumbest cat breeds (or least intelligent cat breeds) don’t understand some simple concepts such as where to pee or find it hard to obtain new behaviors.
It is important to note that “dumbest cat breeds” doesn’t mean that they are half-brained zombies. They are just dumb compared to other cats. So, they are still pretty cunning considering they are still carnivorous hunters, no matter what!
There are so many criteria to determine how smart a cat is and there are always exceptions so having one of these breeds doesn’t mean that your kitty is necessarily dumb. Some of the brightest cats I have seen were from these breeds. One of them even graduated from an Ivy League College with his human. True story!
1 – American Shorthair
Personally I believe that the American shorthair is not dumb but just playing dumb. These are very efficient hunters and that’s why they were so popular among the first settlers in America. These laid-back kitties don’t really listen to their humans’ commands or do whatever they feel like doing.
If it was just listening to commands or hunting skills, they wouldn’t be considered dumb but that’s not all. Some of the dumbest things I heard from American shorthair parents are:
- Forgetting how to use the litter box
- Walking into walls or windows
- Getting stuck in tight spaces (you have your whiskers for God’s sake!)
2 – Persian Cat
Persian cats are great companions because they are loving and affectionate friends. They prefer laying on your lap to almost anything. They seldom have any interest in hunting but they can be playful. They are very good with children and other family members and they are the masters of grooming so it can easily be said that they are low-maintenance.
On the other hand they are really slow learners and deserve to be among the dumbest cat breeds. It can take months before a Persian cat even starts to understand a very simple command. You may call me cruel but I enjoy someone trying to train a Persian. It is so much fun!
3 – British Shorthair
British shorthairs don’t really require a lot of attention. They are lazy and sleep more than your average feline. But they are calm and quite, and they love human attention but not over-demanding it so they make amazing companions even for families with small children.
They have been in Britain for a long time but their roots are in Egypt. They travelled all the way from Egypt to England with Roman soldiers when they invaded the island. Since it is not an active breed, its diet need to be watched carefully. Otherwise, they may easily gain weight.
4 – Scottish Fold
Don’t let the popularity of Scottish Fold fool you. When you look at their eyes you immediately realize they are one of the dumbest cat breeds. Those huge eyes always look as if they are trying to figure something out.
I am not saying they can’t be trained but you really need to be patient with them because sometimes they can’t even understand the simplest commands.
On the other hand, they are really good around children and generally calm in nature. They tend to be a little vocal but some people just likechatting with their cats, so it is not a bad thing depending on your perspective.
Also, their natural genetic mutation that give them their ear shape is what makes them susceptible to some health issues so make your research before adopting a Scottish Fold.
5 – Ragdoll
Ragdoll accepts anything you do to it. It just doesn’t care what you do. Some people even think that they don’t feel pain which is not true at all but Ragdoll’s behaviors lead people to such an urban legend. In my opinion they are one of the most docile and calm cat breeds ever.
Ragdoll just doesn’t listen to people. If it wants to do something, it does it and you don’t have a say in it. They are not praticularly hard to train or anything because I have seen Ragdolls playing fetch with their humans but when they don’t listen to their humans, they can out themselves in some very dumb situations.
