Sassy, playful, loyal, aloof … feline personalities come in all shapes and sizes, but today we’re focusing on the friendliest cat breeds. The felines on this list of friendliest cat breeds clamor for the chance to turn a frown upside down and go the extra mile to comfort their humans with constant cuddles. So, who are these purrfect picks? You’re about to meet seven of the friendliest cat breeds right here!
1. Sphynx
In a 2012 study conducted by the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour, 129 cats from 14 breed categories were ranked based on geniality, and the Sphynx came in as the #1 friendliest cat breed! Not really a surprise when you take into consideration the fact that the Sphynx lives to please his humans. If he’s not acting wild and crazy to keep his owners entertained, you can find him helping with household chores — and even snuggling up to strangers who stop by for a visit.
2. Ragdoll
With a name like ‘Ragdoll,’ it’s no wonder that this feline comes in toward the top for friendliest cat breeds! Known for keeping her kitten-esque nature well into old age, the Ragdoll thrives on attention and affection — allowing her body to go completely limp in the arms of a loved one. While many cats have a curious side, the Ragdoll is a bit more chill, preferring to follow her pet parents around the house, ready for a quick kiss or cuddle at any moment.
3. Burmese
If the Burmese had a slogan, it would be “living for loving.” This feline makes our list of friendliest cat breeds since he will charm the socks off of you with his friendly nature … and gladly accept hugs, kisses and cuddles from humans and other animals alike! He’ll happily spend hours languishing in your lap, talking about his day and purring like a motor. He’s also known for grooming — not just himself, but you, and his feline and canine companions. Hey, we told you he was friendly!
4 & 5. Abyssinian and Somali
Fun fact: The Somali is simply a long-haired, fluffier version of the Abyssinian (aka Aby), so we’re calling it a tie for these two in terms of friendliest cat breeds! High in energy and crazy curious, the Aby and Somali aren’t typically found lollygagging in your lap. Why? They prefer entertaining you with their agility and intelligence. But what really lands these two types of felines on our list of friendliest cat breeds? Acceptance and adoration of all! There’s no stranger danger here — both of these breeds will mix and mingle with anyone they meet!
6. Siamese
The Siamese earns a spot in this roundup of friendliest cat breeds because she’s the life of the party and a furry friend to all. She’s one loud lady and has no qualms about voicing her opinions (or complaints) for the world to hear. The Siamese is also sassy, sociable and affectionate — traits that help her win admirers wherever she goes. She’s so affectionate and easy to get along with, in fact, that some compare her personality to that of a canine.
7. Maine Coon
Dubbed America’s Gentle Giant, the Maine Coon is the largest domestic cat breed — and his heart is every bit as big as his size! This breed loves everyone he meets — from children to other animals, and adores long, quiet cuddle sessions or a rambunctious bit of playtime. A few other personality traits that make him a no-brainer on our list of friendliest cat breeds? He’ll give frequent head butts, and play shadow with his favorite humans to let them know how special they are!
A friendly reminder on the friendliest cat breeds
While the felines above make our friendliest cat breeds round-up, every kitty has his or her own personality. Therefore, you may come across an aloof Aby or a standoffish Sphynx. It doesn’t mean that they’re any less special … it simply indicates that they like to pussyfoot to the beat of their own drum. And really now, who can resist individuality like that?
To be more positive about the personality of your future feline, you may consider adopting an older cat, whose demeanor is already developed. But if you’d like to mold your cat’s character, a kitten may be in the cards. The choice is yours!
Tell us: Do you share your home with any of the friendliest cat breeds? Do you have a super-friendly kitty? Tell us all about your friendly felines — and their personalities — in the comments section below!
Thumbnail: A Somali cat. Photography ©grase | Getty Images.
This piece was originally published in 2018.
132 thoughts on “7 of the Friendliest Cat Breeds”
The Orange (or Ginger) Tabby is an extremely friendly cat. I know as I have one.
One of ours is the orange and he's so mellow. 18 years old and more active than our others.
You left out the friendliest cat breed, Manx!
I have a ragdoll and he is so friendly and loving. The breed was made for being a human companion. I love my kitty. He is less than six months old right now but he is my buddy and shadow. The breed are compared to dogs as they like being around dogs and follow their owners around just like a dog does. My cat is the friendliest kitty.
My sister owns a ragdoll breed cat and so far very friendly. I'm not a car person, but the ragdoll types may convert me.
I have a pair of shorthair cats who are not clingy, but sweet and loving. When they're hungry, they'll come right up to me and love to cuddle in bed with me when they wanna sleep. lol
I have a 12 year old Abby,she is very selective about the people she likes but she is the most loving animal I’ve ever had.
She is quite playful for her age and very intelligent.She spends most of her awake time in my lap and following me around the house.She is very affectionate and loves to be brushed and she allows me to brush her teeth after dinner, she doesn’t like it but she allows it because she knows it’s good for her.
Best little kitty I’ve ever had.
She sounds like a great cat! Yes, I have heard that Abbys are highly intelligent. It’s fortunate that she’s selective about people, too.
I’m impressed that she allows you to brush her teeth-wow! Did you start brushing her teeth when she was young? I really wish that my mixed Main Coon/American shorthair old boy would let me brush his. Do you have any tips/ suggestions you can share on brushing kitty teeth?
L.B
I have a Russian White and he is so loving and funny but takes a bit of time to get to know strangers
Totally agree! They are endlessly entertaining but also soo affectionate. Bengals are the best!
What happened to the Bengal people’s ? my sweet heart Amber is the most loving and affectionate cat i have. Ever had…. So guys lets not for about these loving felines ….
I have a 10 yr old Maine Coon mix. He was a rescue at approximately 8 weeks old. As a kitten he was definitely a rambunctious fur ball. He has been by my side ever since. He is definitely a keeper. He has MANY personality traits of the Maine Coon, I couldn’t have been more Blessed to jave him as my fur baby. ????????
The past thirty five years, I have had nine cats including two Main Coon.
I think the Exotic Shorthair should be on this list. They love sitting on your lap while you rub them and are really clever kittens, and they’re so friendly.
I totally agree I have a rescue black cat and he is the most loving gentle little boy so friendly with us I love black cat’s they are by far the best ????
I know i had my psy kitty for 16 years and i miss him so much. love my black kittys
I had a gorgeous half Aby cat for twenty years. I adopted her when she was only four and a half weeks old. She was the best friend I ever had. Every where I went, she rode on my left shoulder, (in a harness for safety). She took the subway, accompanied me to the bar, and was welcomed where ever I went. If there was no litter box she’d go over the bathtub drain. She died of a stroke (her second) in my arms. My point is that A: Aby’s are amazing and B: any cat can be a wonderful companion if you are willing to take the time to teach them.
I have a male seal point siamese named Norman, and he is by far the sweetest and most loving cat I’ve ever owned. Super smart and fully leash trained before a year old, loves all his people, new people other cats and trail walks lol. Highly reccomend a siamese if looking for a trainable friendly and devoted cat
I have my fourth Siamese cat who is now 10 years old. Of all the kid is she is the friendliest when a stranger comes in I say Annie say hi and she comes out to do just that.
I have a beautiful Birman kitten, nine months old and she craves attention, talks to me when I speak to her, loves cuddles especially at bedtime. Only problem like all cats she can be aloof when she chooses. I would certainly put her in the top eight as adorable both in looks and nature.
I have a big cat his name is Sam and he is a lover.Does not. Like to be picked up but he weights 17 lbs. He was a rescue and likes to go outside but stays close to home he is a lap cat he is orange and white tabby. He is very verbal likes to tell everything.
RagaMuffins need to be added, wonderful breed, I have 2
How is it no has mentioned the British Shorthair? My cat is a sweet wonderfully tempered male “teddy bear”. He just turned 1 year, and is my best friend. His coat is beautiful, and although very clingy, he is very loyal. I recommend this breed to families or older retirees like myself.
My friendliest cats were my gray tabby, Moko, my Maine Coon, Koneko, and my Angora, Anya. As for the cats my friends have that have been the LEAST friend, I have to say Siamese. I’ve known some that would attack anyone coming in the house, including the owners. My experience with that breed has not been good. As with any domestic animal, there are many factors that can affect their behavior. Breeding, how they were raised, and simply their own personality. If you give a cat love and attention, you can help bring out the best in them.
I have a cat named Sam he is a orange and white tabby, very verbal and loves to be on my lap. He won’t let you pick him up. He is a rescue and was abandoned. He is 8 yrs old. He loves to be close. He likes to go outside but doesn’t wander very far ,he is family.
I have a female calico cat that is so mean I can’t even pet her. She was left by a neighbor and she adopted me. I take very good care of her, in fact, give her special diet food. I don’t dare pick her up because she will claw me to death. I simply respect her and leave her be. She always comes in to sleep during winter months when it is very cold, but mostly spends her time on my porch. I have no idea how old she is. I somehow got her in a carrier to take her to the vet to get a rabies shot and he had to put her to sleep to handle her. She is still my baby, as strange as she may be. I have had cats all my life and I have never had one like this girl.
On my last birthday, my best friend got me a Scottish Fold, although she is a very sweet-tempered and calm cat to own, she craves attention. I was planning to get another cat but I am not sure if these two will get along or not. I read in some blog that Persian Cats are very friendly, now after getting a second opinion from you I think I am gonna go for it. Thanks for the recommendation.
I had many cats some with long tails and some with no tails every time one of my females would have a litter she would have to win tails and two without and they come in many different colors and I would not place them unless I knew it was a very good home I kept 20 cats myself and if you walked in my house you would not know that I had one because my house was very clean and they used to sleep with me most every night not all 20 but many of them they were all very very friendly.
Where is the Russian Blue?
My Russian Blue is VERY friendly.
Cuddly. Loving. Friendly.
He’s my first cat.
I highly recommend people get a Russian Blue.
I had a Russian blue in the 70’s. Great cat. Enjoy
I agree,why Russian Blue Cat not #1 on the list people?
I have a Russian Blue Cat!
He’s a wonderful cat that I have!
He’s very affectionate & friendly & loyal,gives me lot’s of cuddles & love & is a sweetheart!
He’s cheer’s me up when I’m feeling sick!
He’s let me know when someone comes to
the door!
And loves to sleep with his Brother,a Ginger Cat(Orange & White)& his Mommy!
That’s right ! I have a Russian blue as well such a friendly and loving cat I’ve had her for 15 years…
I really think it depends on the cat. Ive been raising them over 50 years now. Shames are one person felines and usually only friendly with the human they’ve chosen. My ragdoll was a sweetheart but dumber than a box of rocks. Female Maine Coons tend to be friendlier than males. As far as pure breed vs mix breed, ill take a mixed bread anyway! They tend to be smarter and appreciative and easier to train too. Just my personal thoughts.
I have a beautiful 8 month old Male Maine Coon named Faith. He is the best.
If I’m crying he comes running. A knock at the door he is right there. When I sit in my high back chair, he is on the back combing my hair with his claws.
He’s the sweetest loving boy, talks his head off and he loves his big sister, a Domestic short hair, Bonnie. They are both solid black. Have a Blessed day.
my cat is a mixed Siamese ,Persian, Turkish Angora with light blue-green eyes she is a cuddle bug who goes where ever I go????
My Serengeti boy is the most loving cat. He either sleeps on top of my legs, under my duvet or snuggled up to my neck. This is after several minutes of kneading & head butting.
I’m not sure who he loves the best. Me or his Bengal “sister”
My russian blue is incredibly smoochy and loving, preferring to stay around humans.
Mine too! She is ridiculously smart too.
I think it depends on the cat. I have 2 rag doll mixed cats and a black cat and the black cat is the most loving of them all!
I totally agree I have a rescue black cat and he is the most loving gentle little boy so friendly with us I love black cat’s they are by far the best ????
Wow! Sounds like you are describing my kitties. I have a black and white Tuxedo and an all black (chocolate) with yellow eyes, but mine is a Chantilly Tiffany.
I have siamese seel point. She is beautiful with ice blue eyes. She’s my baby girl. She’s my companion. She loves company and is very vocal. I would be lost without her.
Hey! The Cornish Rex should be on this list. They are loving social party animals. Very attuned to their humans emotions at all times. Never met a stranger. One of the longest living breeds around.
We have a Maine coon mix, Rocky, that we adopted from our local SPCA, when he was 2 months old. He is the most loving, sweet, vocal, friendly, “acrobatic-gymnast “, cat, that we’ve ever had!! That is not to say that our other cats, past and present, weren’t as cute, cuddly, or friendly. Since Rocky became part of our family, he has had his very luxurious long tail, in the air! When he first came here, he had a habit of snuggling under your neck, while kneading his paws and sucking on your neck!! My husband and I used to have little kitten “hickies”!!
Now, 2 years later, he sucks on the space between your thumb and forefinger, of your left hand when he wants to cuddle and have his belly rubbed, while his motor runs, loudly and contentedly. Sometimes he will just jump in our lap, give us a few head bumps and jump down. To me, that’s his way of saying “by the way, I love you “
He loves to play hide and seek with me, and gets so excited when he knows we’re going to play it. He runs so fast and head bumps me whenever I “find “ him. Rocky has made a huge impact on our lives, and while I do agree that Maine coons are very very friendly, I also believe that all cats are friendly, in their own way. What can I say, after all, it’s pretty obvious that I AM a cat person/lover, right?
Of course we didn’t want Rocky to be our only cat, so we adopted another cat from a different local cat shelter, a few months later. She was 6 months old at the time, and came from an overcrowded kill shelter in the South. She’s a sweet, domestic shorthair, ginger and white, with bright orange eyes and a heart-shaped, ginger colored mark on the side of her nose. We named her Sweetheart, and she is sweet and petite. She has a “chirpy”-like meow and a very loud motor, and a talker. She has this thing where, she’ll just lay down on her side, then roll on her back, all four petite legs up in the air, and she will chirp at you like she’s saying “look, what I can do “ Sweetheart and Rocky get along very well. We feel lucky to have them.
We also have a Maine Coon mix named Rocky. He was born on 4/20/18, so I named him Smokey, but after seeing the size of his paws and arms, I changed it to Rocky. He does head butt you. At 5 months old he taught himself to play fetch, now he’s learning to ‘shake’ paws. He likes to throw his mousie up in the air and tries to catch it. Once I saw him throw the mouse in the air, turned 180* and it hit right in his paws, but it bounced out!! He’s my puppycat!!
I have a family of Seal Point Siamese, female, her sister, her husband and their 2 sons. They are so loveable and great companions. I have had Siamese my whole life. I love them as if they were my children. As I write this the mommy is in my lap head butting me. Very affectionate.
I have had many cats my whole life and have loved them all! Every cat ???? I’ve ever had has been my favorite. I will say my 2+ Maine Coon cat is the most amazing cat I’ve ever had. Loyal, loving, super smart and funny,!
All cat lovers out there thank you for loving souls and giving them great homes and understanding them. Cats are unique and have raised cats since I was 3 years old! I had Burmese siamese males and females Persian and others. I understand cats and seek to learn about them every chance I have. Cats are very smart sensitive and protective of you but due to their physical limitations that trait doesn’t show but to the person’s who has a cat he loves and understands.
My Maine Coon definitely lived up to his reputation! Now with my 2nd calicos (both were rescues) I find them to be as loving as any of the breeds mentioned. I don’t if I’m a cat whisperer….but I seem to have a posse always following. My husband calls them ‘my peeps’.
I agree, my Sphynx is the most affectionate cat I’ve ever had.
Norwegian forest cats are very friendly intellgent beautiful cats. Include this cat breed in your list. They are very similar to main coons.
My best friend has a Norwegian Forest cat named Jazz that I pet-sit sometimes. He is very smart and communicates well with his humans. For example when he is outside and wants inside he will call out but if that doesn’t work he will then go to a door and jump against it, sounds like knocking on the door. Jazz gets along well with the the other cat & labradoodle in the house. He likes us to groom him, the georgous long black fur catches stuff when he’s outside. If I am on the couch he will jump on the back of it and surround my head like a fur collar until invited into my lap. Jazz is the only cat I know of this breed but it’s all good. Oh yes, when stretched out he takes up half the couch.
I have a Norwegian named louie very vocal and not shy at all. Very social even have to drag him away when the maintenance guy comes over even though he loves Louie, louie is very persistent on his pets and very vocal lol. But he likes to talking about what he wants and his meows are very different and you can tell based on them on what he wants. I’m looking for another.
I have a sweet tuxedo about 3 yrs old. I got her from a work college who was expecting her 1st child. I re-named her Precious and she loves her belly rubs. But I have my baby who was brought to me by a neighbor on a rainy Friday evening in August 2818. When I took her to the vet the next day I was told she was an orphan kitty…she weighed just .3 ounces. So began our journey. Syringe feedings, special formula. The vet said she was less than 10 days old. I wouldn’t name her because I didn’t want to get attached in case she didn’t make it. Well AKHNN (a kitten has no name) and we are almost 2 yrs now and going strong. I think she is a Burmese.. solid black with yellow eyes. She snuggles and talks but grooms herself, then Precious and then me. I am her favorite toy and I wouldn’t have it any other way. She is the Sunshine of My Life…
My sweet seal point meezer is my best friend! Granted her chatty nature can get annoying at times, it’s hard to stay agitated when she head bunts me or climbs under the cover for an afternoon map. I love her!
I Have a Siamese named Bezzy or Beez. Mezzer is a Kool Name as well.
I have had the friendliest, most loving , sweetest Devon Rex for almost 20 years now. Also in that time, I’ve had two English Shorthairs who have been the biggest lovers ever known. I’m stunned neither of these made the list before Maine Coons who, while being very loving, are typically one ( or two) person cats. We have a gorgeous Maine Coon also. Just LOVE my kitties!!