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Cat Breeds by Temperament

While every cat is an individual and has his own unique personality it is possible to categorize, very generally, cat breeds by temperament. There are plenty of different adjectives that could be used to describe the temperaments of cats, and many breeds of cat fit into more than one “type” of temperament. We can generally classify some popular cat breeds by temperament as social, active, or aloof temperaments.

Cats with social temperaments like to be around people and, in some cases, even other pets. They enjoy the attention and affection of others and can even be quite unhappy when they feel they are being ignored. A few breeds that fit into this category are Bombay, Color point Shorthairs, Ocicats, Burmese, Japanese Bobtails, Scottish Fold and Sphynx. Some breeds of cat, like American Wirehairs, Singapura and Turkish Angora, like to be around people but will often appear to be running the show; these breeds like to be in charge.

Some cats are extremely active animals, and some breeds may hardly ever seem to stay still. These cats need active humans around them, too, to keep them engaged and challenged. Balinese and Cornish Rex, as well as Maine Coon Cats, Peterbalds, and Exotic Shorthairs, tend to be playful and outgoing. Color point Shorthairs, La Perms and Egyptian Maus also fit the category of very active cats.

Other cat breeds are much more aloof, preferring to observe rather than interact. Some of these breeds include Bengal, British Shorthairs, Russian Blues, and Somalis. The fact that these breeds tend to be described as “aloof” does not mean they are unfriendly. Rather, these breeds are not the types of cats who tend to curl up with their owners for long cuddle sessions. They may like to be around people, just not craving attention the way some more social breeds do.

Discussing cat breeds by temperament is an inexact science at best. Each individual cat, like each individual person, has his own personality. Cats can be greatly influenced by their early upbringing, especially when it comes to early socialization. Many animal behaviorists believe that the socialization a cat is exposed to between the ages of 2 to 7 weeks of age will greatly influence the cat’s personality and temperament. While knowing the typical traits of a cat breed can be very helpful, do not expect the temperament of any particular breed to be an absolute.

 

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