What Cats Are Good With Kids & Shed the Least?

When your family is ready to adopt a cat, it is important to select the right breed for your needs. Some cats shed more than others, and a few breeds shed very little, or not at all. Another consideration is whether a breed of cat is good around children. Since children may not understand how to be gentle with a cat and since cats are capable of scratching or biting children, it is best to find a breed that can tolerate some rough handling.

  1. Hair Shedding

    • Almost all cats shed their hair, in between periods of hair growth. In the wild, cats shed their hair in the fall and in the spring, to adjust to the changing temperatures of the coming seasons. Because the climate is controlled in homes, house cats tend to shed hair all year long. Outdoor cats shed less than indoor cats for this reason. To minimize shedding, brush your cat regularly and feed it quality food and vitamins.

    Cats That Shed Less Hair

    • The Sphynx cat has a thin coat of downy fur over its soft skin, but does not have much hair.

      Three breeds are known for shedding less hair than most cats. These are the Cornish Rex Cat, the Devon Rex Cat, and the Sphynx, which is almost entirely hairless. They do not require frequent brushing, will not get hair all over clothing, furniture and floors, and are less likely to cause allergy problems in their owners.

    Cats That Are Good With Children

    • Cats such as the Ragdoll, Abyssinian and Persian are all considered wonderful with children because of their attention-loving natures and playfulness. Abyssinians and Persians do shed, but the Ragdoll is known for shedding very little and requiring infrequent brushing. Ragdolls are very faithful and affectionate, which might aid in bonding with children.

    Ragdoll Cats

    • Ragdoll cats are gentle, even-tempered, sweet and shed little.

      Ragdoll cats typically weigh between 10 and 20 pounds, and have bright blue eyes and light fur with dark spots. They are affectionately called "puppy cats" because of their dog-like devotion to their owners. They are known for happily coexisting in families with children and other cats or dogs, and they tend to have a fascination with water. A cat breeder named Ann Baker developed this breed in the 1960s by breeding a long-haired white cat with Siamese and Persian cats.