Looking for a breed of cat that doesn’t want to roam? Take a look at this list of the best indoor cat breeds that don’t look to leap through every open door. Their idea of a good time is occupying the windowsill, soaking up the sun, or finding a comfy sofa and hogging all the soft pillows.
Many people cannot let their cats out of their houses for various reasons. If you are in this position – living in a high-rise building, for example – it may be best to find a cat breed that is happy to live indoors. And this doesn’t have to be one of the most expensive cat breeds.
Of course, there are loads of good reasons why you should rather keep a house cat over a free roamer. It’s important to remember that not all breeds of cats are suited for crib life.
So, let’s take a look at some of the best indoor cat breeds to make your decision easier.
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11 Best Indoor Cat Breeds
If you’re thinking about getting a feline – assuming you are – why not choose an easygoing, relaxed cat breed known to be happy living indoors? There are a variety of breeds to choose from, including family-friendly breeds. So your options won’t be limited.
Here are just some of the benefits of having an Indoor cat:
- They have less chance of becoming ill from eating infected foods while roaming the open road or picking up illnesses from other cats.
- No chance of getting hurt on the road. Cats who roam often get into fights or may get hurt by cars and other things along the way.
- No unwanted pregnancies if your cat hasn’t been spayed. Kittens are a lot of work.
- No need to worry about aggressive animals in the neighborhood
- You won’t get calls from your neighbors about your cat wandering into their yards or homes or interfering with their animals.
Let’s take a look at the best house cats for your home, with cute and cuddly personalities, purrrfect for seasoned cat ladies, first-time pet owners, and everyone in between.
1. Scottish Fold Cat Breed
Scottish Fold cats, named for their unusual folded ears and striking, yellowish-orange eye colors, these kitties love to be around people. These easy-going cats have great personalities and get along with anyone, which makes them great companions for kitty-friendly road trips.
Just ask seasoned cat lady Taylor Swift, who owns two famous Scottish fold cats, Meredith and Olivia. As active mousers, Scottish fold cats are playful, sensitive, and expressive. These joyful felines have a habit of posing in odd positions – sitting upright as if they were a meerkat (which we’ve seen plenty of times from Meredith and Olivia), lying flat on the floor, or their backs with their paws in the air.
They are moderately active and enjoy toys that test their agility and challenge their intelligence, like puzzle toys. Scottish fold cats crave attention and make great companions, so expect to play with them when you get home from work or school.
Plus, their super cute little ears are adorable; of course, if you’re into cats with big ears, there are a few breeds to consider too.
2. Burmese Cats
The Burmese are a friendly breed of cats. They’re personable, and kind kitties. With Siamese ancestors, these felines are playful, affectionate, but not clingy. Burmese cats are often characterized as a “rock wrapped in silk” due to being much heavier than they appear to be.
Their coats are short, silky, and low-maintenance, requiring a weekly brush or combing to remove dead hair.
Younger Burmese cats are curious and active, and as they get older, they become placid and prefer to watch rather than get involved in activities. You’ll often see them curled up in their favorite sleeping positions on a windowsill or at the corner of a sofa, snagging the sunlight.
Burmese cats are excellent jumpers and climbers and should have cat perches or something to climb on.
3. Ragdoll Cats
With bewitching blue eyes and relaxed personalities, Ragdoll cats are adorable, loving, placid cats with sweet-natures natures, even though they’re one of the largest cat breeds. These docile felines have semi-long coats and may require grooming two to three times a week.
They love their human families, including other pets and children. You’ll find them coming when called and following you around the house. Ragdoll cats enjoy frequent attention. They’ll happily retrieve toys thrown for them or just settle down in your lap for some love, although they are a little large for “lap cats”.
Ragdoll cats adjust well to living indoors and are ideal for anyone with a hectic lifestyle, as they are easy-going and well-behaved. They learn quickly, as well as learn good behaviors such as using a scratching post.
4. Siamese Cats
Siamese cats are one of the most adored and famous cat breeds. They are intelligent, talkative, and lovely-natured felines, making ideal family pets.
These unique cats have short coats, light-colored bodies and silky smooth fur. Their face, paws, and tails are darker than the rest of their bodies. While they are great indoor cats, they seek companionship from their owners, including sitting on laps and snuggling in bed.
Siamese cats are often labeled as “dog-like” because they enjoy following their humans around and enjoy playtime, like fetch, so stock up on active cat toys. Although they are loving cats, this breed should not be left alone at home or in an apartment for extended periods.
5. Devon Rex Cats
The mischievous Devon Rex cat, or the pixie cat, is a loving and loyal feline breed. They make the ideal companions, welcome family and friends’ attention, and are great with kids and other pets.
These felines are intelligent, active, and require regular stimulation. Devon Rex cats are jumpers, and their favorite place is at head level, so perches and cat trees should be provided.
The moderately active cat enjoys learning and playing fetch, so interactive toys will also help keep him occupied while you’re out earning money.
This indoor cat breed has slender bodies with long legs, large eyes, and high cheekbones. They shouldn’t be brushed as their fur is prone to breakage; instead, gently rub the Devon Rex cat with a cloth to keep them well-groomed.
6. Persian Cats
Persian cats, one of the fluffiest breeds, are affectionate, docile, and gentle kitties. This breed is quiet; they plop down on any soft surface and pose for your appreciation. These elegant cats are not very active, which makes them one of the best indoor cats.
A Persian cat’s grooming schedule can be intense; they need to be groomed at least once a day and enjoy being pampered. Try to find a comb or cat brush appropriate for your Persian Cat’s coat length. You’ll find, with these bundles of joys, the more you groom them, the more lovable they’ll become toward you.
Although affectionate, Persian cats are discriminative and reserve their attention for family and a few trusted guests.
This beautiful flat flaced cat breed gets along with children and other household pets; however, they aren’t fans of loud environments but rather serene homes with little changes.
7. Sphynx Cats
The Sphynx, one of the most recognizable cat breeds, is famous for its bald body. These medium-sized cats have a striking appearance with hairless, wrinkled skin and large ears.
Though Sphynx cats look bald, they may be covered in a small amount of peach fuzz, giving them that velvety texture. However, they do require moderate grooming to care for their hairless bodies as they do not have fur to absorb the natural oils their body produces.
What the Sphynx cat breed lacks in fur, they make up for in their personality. These hairless kitties are sociable, energetic, and love to play. The curious kitties are mischievous and fond of teaser and puzzle toys to challenge them.
Because of their extraterrestrial appearance, they are considered one of the weirdest cat breeds around, but they’re also one of the most loving house cat breeds.
8. British Shorthair
The British Shorthair cat is a medium to large-sized cat breed with large gold, orange, or copper color eyes, a short, broad nose, and a short to medium coat. Daily grooming of these felines is necessary, especially during seasonal changes.
These lovely kitties are highly intelligent but are still happy to stay inside and play with toys and people. The breed’s famous cat influencer is a calico British shorthair named Papaya the Cat, who went viral for her impressive Halloween costumes.
This indoor cat breed has an easygoing personality and provides great companionship. While these cats love to play, they don’t require hourly attention, making them an easy contender for the best indoor cat breed. Get some wand-like toys and start a game with your British Shorthair cat; it can be great fun.
9. Russian Blue Cats
The Russian Blue cat, like its name, has a unique, striking bluish-grey coat with deep bottle-green eyes. These beautiful cats with grey coats are curious but quiet, elegant but muscular, and are often called the Doberman Pinscher of cats.
They enjoy following you around and trying to assist you with what you’re doing. Russian blue cats are not overly active but enjoy a playful game or two like one of the other popular Russian breeds the Siberian cat, making them the best cat for home.
Although Russian Blues are known for their dense blue-grey coats, they don’t require too much grooming, which is always a welcome bonus. They don’t shed as much as you’d expect either. A simple brush or comb once or twice a week will do the trick and keep them looking stately.
They may have quiet and reserved natures but enjoy jumping and climbing to high places. While these felines love company, they can entertain themselves while you’re at work.
10. Singapura Cats
Singapura cats have captivating little spirits, ready to steal your heart away. These lovely felines are a playful, cheeky, and friendly cat breed. You’ll often find them under a duvet cover or lying in the sunshine.
With a similar temperament to the Burmese cat, they are full of mischief, affectionate, and extremely inquisitive. Singapura cats enjoy chasing balls down the hall or tap dancing on keyboards.
These fun-loving cats love people and get along easily with other pets in the house – making them ideal for the indoors.
Singapura cats have interesting faces, their heads are on the smaller side while their ears and eyes are adorably large, they’re absolutely irresistible. They also have unique colored coats that are almost white on their undercarriage and almost black on the top of their bodies.
11. Himalayan Cats
These gentle cats boast lovely, deep blue eyes and long, dense coats. The Himalayan cat is medium-sized, with a similar appearance and features to the Persian cat.
Though, they differ in blue eye color and have white or cream color coats, with a variety of color points resulting from crossing with the Siamese cat.
The Himalayan cats, or Himmies, are beautiful and often exhibit kitten-like bursts of energy. They can go from snoozing in sunlight to zipping around through the living room. Himalayan cats make great companions and thrive on interaction, exercise, and grooming.
As with any long-haired breed, Himalayan cats require an intense grooming routine. You’ll need to brush your Himmie daily to prevent their fur from matting and help distribute their natural body oils throughout their dense fur. Wipe your cat’s face with a damp and warm washcloth to prevent staining around its eyes.
Frequently Asked Questions about Indoor Cat Breeds
1. What Is the Calmest Indoor Cat?
From this list, it would be the Ragdoll cats, Scottish Folds, and Persian cats. They’re calm and independent breeds who aren’t too needy but still enjoy attention from their humans. These breeds are very intelligent so it’s best to keep them stimulated or they can get rowdy.
2. What Breed of Cat Is Best for Apartment Living?
Which cat is best for home? Persian cats. They’re excellent indoor cats who don’t move around too much, so they’re great for apartments. Ragdolls, Russian Blues, Sphynx cats, and Scottish Folds also do well in apartments but generally need a little more space to roam than Persian cats.
3. Can a Cat Be 100% Indoor?
Yes. Although cats are innately curious and love having space to roam around, keeping them indoors won’t be detrimental to them. There are plenty of ways to make your home interactive and beneficial to your cat. Getting a few interactive toys and a cat tree will do the trick.
A Footnote on the Best Indoor Cat Breeds
There are plenty of reasons why pet owners decide to have indoor cats. Cats can happily adapt to an indoor lifestyle if you meet their specific needs and create a happy environment, such as introducing cat climbers, freeing space on shelves, or placing scratching posts around the house.
Indoor cats require physical and mental stimulation to keep them entertained and reduce stress. Kitties love to pounce and chase. Find some toys for cats to play with and encourage exercise.
Now that you’re familiar with all of the best cats for home, all you have to do is narrow down your breed options and find the perfect cat to suit you.
For more tips on getting a cat take a look at these posts:
Watch my Indoor Cat Breeds Web Story
Amanda created and owns The Discerning Cat. A lifelong cat lover she is the proud parent of two Siberian cats, Alexei and Vladimir. She is passionate about understanding cats and different cat breeds.