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Tvaryny › Cats › Best cat breeds for beginners
Ranking · 10 breeds

Best cat breeds for beginners

In short Novices do best with easy-going, even-tempered and healthy cat breeds that forgive care mistakes. Topping the list are low-maintenance, friendly cats.
How we rated

Scored on being low-maintenance, even-tempered and easy to care for. A high score = the breed suits a first cat.

1 American Wirehair American Wirehair Intelligence 4.0 Affection 4.5 Health 4.5 5.0 2 Ragdoll Ragdoll Intelligence 3.5 Affection 5.0 Health 3.0 5.0 3 British Shorthair British Shorthair Intelligence 3.5 Affection 3.5 Health 3.5 5.0 4 German Rex German Rex Intelligence 4.0 Affection 5.0 Health 4.5 4.5 5 LaPerm LaPerm Intelligence 4.0 Affection 5.0 Health 4.5 4.5 6 York Chocolate Cat York Chocolate Cat Intelligence 4.0 Affection 5.0 Health 4.0 4.5 7 Brazilian Shorthair Cat Brazilian Shorthair Cat Intelligence 4.0 Affection 4.5 Health 4.5 4.5 8 Australian Mist Australian Mist Intelligence 4.0 Affection 4.5 Health 4.0 4.5 9 European Shorthair European Shorthair Intelligence 4.0 Affection 4.0 Health 4.5 4.5 10 Chartreux Chartreux Intelligence 4.0 Affection 4.0 Health 3.5 4.5
How the ranking is built

order: Beginners → Intelligence → Affection → Health → breed · list composition as on the site, order by this rule

FAQ

Which cat is best for a first-time owner?
British Shorthair, Scottish Fold, European Shorthair — easy to care for, calm and robust.

Which breeds should a novice avoid?
Very active, demanding ones (Bengal, Sphynx, Oriental) — they need more attention and experience.

Is caring for a cat hard for a novice?
Basic care is simple: feeding, litter box, brushing; the key is consistency and attention.