All cats are clean but we as humans have some additional factors in mind when we say “clean”. Let’s look at the cleanest cat breeds from human perspective.
Almost all cats are self-cleaning. According to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine cats spend 30 to 50% of their awake time to cleaning themselves but a cat’s own cleaning habits might not be enough for you because unlike people (or in some cases just like people 😹) cats don’t pick up their hairs when they groom themselves. The cleanest cat breeds can not be examined without determining what our definition of clean is because it definitely changes from person to person. While for some people a clean cat means a cat licking its fur more frequently, for some other people shedding is a big no, no!
Most cats shed and the first picture that comes to mind when someone talks about adopting a cat is clothes that are covered in cat hair. This is one of the factors us humans consider under cleanliness but it doesn’t mean anything to a cat. So from the cat’s perspective it is absolutely clean, but having a bunch of cat hair all over your black shirt might not be your best looks.
Another issue is the scratching. We have to admit that cats are not as destructive as some dog breeds destroying the entire furniture and scattering around the fillings of the pillows but they may as well cause some havoc if they don’t like the way things are going such as being left alone for long periods of time. For some people this issue is also under the “cleanliness” category.
The factors to consider under being clean can be as much as the number of people thinking about this issue therefore we considered the cats that need little to no grooming and does not get depressed or aggressive when its on its own.
1 – British Shorthair
The British Shorthair is known for its undemanding but affectionate personality. It is an easygoing cat that amuse itself and can stay alone and out of trouble while you are away. It has a dense and short coat that is easy to maintain and just combing it weekly is enough.
If you are worried about your cat sleeping on your lap and spreading its hair all over your clothes, British Shorthair might be the kitty you are looking for because it prefers laying beside you instead of on top of you. With all these traits, British Shorthair deserves its place in our list of cleanest cat breeds
2 – Russian Blue
Russian Blue is an independent cat and is happy to amuse itself when you are doing something else or even when you aren’t at home. But it is not distant or cold either. It is actually a very affectionate cat that follows its human everywhere. It even greets you in front of the door when you arrive home and when it wants to sleep it seeks out a quite place where it can be left alone for a peaceful nap.
Russian blue has a thick, blue-gray coat that is easy to groom. They are really low-maintenance cats that need minimal grooming as long as they are healthy because they shed very little which is only three weeks once or twice a year. What else can you expect from one of the cleanest cat breeds?
3 – Maine Coon
Maine Coon may be big and it may have long hair but surprisingly they have minimal grooming needs because their silky fur doesn’t mat easily. Combing them once a week is enough. These kitties have dog-like personalities and can be trained to walk on a leash.
Maine Coon is smart, playful and loyal. Although they like physical affection, they are not lap cats so you don’t need to worry about hairs on your clothes. They can easily amuse themselves and are not considered needy cats however they also enjoy human company. Not just the biggest cat but also one of the cleanest cat breeds.
4 – Scottish Fold
Scottish Fold is a calm and adaptable cat with lots of tolerance for kids, other cats or dogs. They are affectionate and loving but they always have one favorite person in the family whom they follow around. However, they are also laid-back cats that don’t need constant attention so they don’t get aggressive or destructive for being alone at home when you are at work.
Scottish Fold can come in long or short hair. Longhaired Scottish Fold needs 3 to 4 times grooming every week but the shorthair version requires very little grooming and running a steel comb once a week would be enough because of its plush and dense structure.
5 – Sphynx
Sphynx is known for being hairless but in reality it has a very short coat that feels like peach-fuzz when you touch it. Naturally, Sphynx doesn’t really shed. Of course, this doesn’t mean no-maintenance. Being one of the cleanest cat breeds, it needs regular baths to remove the excess oil on built-up on its skin. What breed is better to have than a cat needing a bath every once in a while for people who want a clean cat?
Sphynx is laid-back but super-loving towards its humans. Due to being “hairless” it always seeks some place warm and human laps are excellent warmers for such a cat. But this is not the only reason why it wants to be on your lap. They are loyal and affectionate cats. However, they don’t want to stay alone for half of the day so it is always wise to get another pet to keep it company if there is nobody at home the whole day.
