Families with children have an extra criteria when they adopt a cat. They need to make sure that the cat is among the best cat breeds for kids.
One of the most important issues for a family with kids when choosing a cat is the cat’s compatibility to children. This is not only crucial for the kids but also for the cat’s wellbeing and we listed the best cat breeds for kids because we want your family to enjoy the company of a new member of the family rather than a pet that needs to go away.
Most of the children injuries related to pets are not actually due to the aggressiveness of the pets but rather the children’s lack of knowledge and experience around pets because especially small kids sometimes don’t know if they are hurting their little friends. Since most cats are sturdier than kids and better equipped for a physical attack, when they defend themselves or retaliate, the consequences are more painful for the kids. In this respect, both kids and the cats need to be set some boundaries early in their lives.
Also, best cat breeds for kids are the ones that are well-known for their playful nature and good manners around children. These breeds need to be not only gentle towards kids but also be patient with them. Because as we all know, training a cat or teaching it not to do something takes only a few months but a kid needs years to grow up to the age when s/he can think straight.
When the environment is right cats can quickly become the children’s best friends and can teach them how to be responsible and patient. They can even teach them to be more loving individuals who are respectful to other life forms around them.
Let’s check the cats in our list and take a look at their qualities to make sure you choose one of the cat breeds for kids or in some cases best cat breeds for babies.
1 – American Shorthair
American Shorthair cats are one of the best cat breeds for kids because of their laidback and easygoing characters. It is not a coincidence that these felines are one of the most popular cat breeds in the US. They are low-maintenance, sturdy and healthy cats that get along well with children, adults and other pets. They also have long lifespans which is important especially if you have a kid because you don’t want your kid to have a trauma after losing their best friend only after 6 or 7 years.
2 – Birman
Birman is a easygoing, gentle and curios breed with a lot of love in their hearts. These gentle kitties are so sociable that they love following members of the family around the house and try to be a part of every little thing they do. They play with the kids, show their affection to them and even respond with a soft voice when they are talked to.
These kitties are low-maintenance and don’t shed much. Grooming them twice a week keeps their amazingly beautiful furs even more silky. They can live more than 15 years so having a Birman as a member of the family is a long term commitment. Speaking of long term commitment, Birman is also a good choice for the seniors and retirees.
3 – Ragdoll
Ragdolls are known for their laidback, gentle, patient and puppy-like personalities. There are a number of reasons why they are on the list of the best cat breeds for kids. First of all kids like to pick-up and carry animals or give them hugs. Ragdolls like being picked up and carried around hence the name. They get along well with almost everybody and they even meet you up at the door when you come home.
They play fetch and other games with kids and being smart cats, they can be trained with ease because they also love learning new tricks. They also love curling up by their humans side at night and follow them around by day.
4 – Maine Coon
Maine Coon is called gentle giant because it can weigh up to 20 pounds but no matter how old they are, they keep their kitten-like personalities. These not so little kitties are playful, relaxed and laidback with hearts of gold. They love to be around humans but are not very demanding or overly dependent on humans so we can say that they are one of the independent breeds.
Maine Coon can get along with anyone and is intelligent. Their huge body, combined with their thick coat and their tendency to shed makes them high maintenance cats.
5 – Manx
The Manx is a tailless, gentle, playful, loyal and devoted breed that has a dog-like personality. They so dog-like that they love playing fetch, burying things such as their toys and are fascinated by water. They are active cats but not overly active.
Their sweet, affectionate, gentle and even-tempered personalities make them one of the cats that enchant people who get to know them. With all these good qualities they of course have some traits that need the human attention, for instance their double coat needs daily grooming to be in good condition. But this is a small time to spare for a good friend that only wants your love and affection.
So this is our list of 5 best cat breeds for kids, Wise Kitten wishes a healthy and delightful life with your kids and new best feline friends.