Family cat suggestions

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Hello,
I always had cats growing up, just rescue ones. They were a bit of a mixed bag, some absolutely amazing ones and a couple of pretty feral ones who occasionally acknowledged us but made it clear they’d prefer we weren’t there 🤣
we have 3 kids (8,5,3) and they’re desperate for a cat. They adore the neighbours who is now becoming a little too comfortable in our garden as they lavish it with attention.

could anyone suggest a breed which would be good with kids and enjoy the attention rather than despise it!

thanks

That is not how the cat allocation system works. They pick you. Go visit a rescue yourself first narrow it down and then let the cat pick the children.

My 16 year old still talks of the day our resident overlord picked him. Overlord sitting beside me purring.

Mau cats are amazing. They are incredibly friendly and people centred. Ours wants to be with us all the time and lives for cuddles. They are also playful, athletic and vocal. They take themselves very seriously, so aren't clown cats, but they are real characters. They aren't really available in the UK ( they are from the Emirates usually) but can be adopted through rescues who will also put a lot of time into finding the right one for you. Plus you'd be doing something amazing!

Our Mau taking himself very seriously despite being wedged inside a box

I'd also suggest an older rescue. We got a 6 month old tuxedo cat. Old enough to assess personality, young enough to still be a bit kitten like. Especially good if you can find one from a rescue who uses fosterers as they'll have a better idea of personality in the home.

Just the age to get overlooked during kitten season. He is the best cat ever. We were told he was a people cat and really loved company and he absolutely is. Loves all of us equally, just wants to be around people. If he hears the door goes he runs to it to see if someone might like to admire him. Makes friends with every tradesperson who enters our house.

We had a grumpy cat before and the kids did not know what to do with themselves when they suddenly had a cat who sat on their laps and purred. They were in heaven.

I would honestly just get a moggy and try to pick an affectionate kitten

We have Birmans and have had them before, they do have certain traits, like being very affectionate, head bopping, love bites, being gentle, they are great for families but not many people breed them as they won't make much money (only have been 1-5 kittens per litter usually)

We got a beautiful adult cat from a rescue centre a few years ago. A gorgeous black fluffy boy full of love, we adore him.

Yep, they pick you. We currently have a rescue boy who’s had a really rough life and has taken a lot of work to start getting comfortable and normal. He’d been overlooked as he was so nervous but when we went to see him, the fosterer said she’d never seen him even attempt to be friendly before, but with me and DS in particular he really tried with the headbumps and rubs. He definitely chose us.

I’d also get a slightly older mog. Give a rescue a chance. There’s nothing better than seeing them suddenly realise they have nice people to be with and showing you some love.

Moggie. Ours was free from my works "for sale/for free" intranet site.

I concur on the older rescue cat, ours were two when we got them and are brilliant.

Don't underestimate how hard much hard work kittens can be!

i find ginger and tortoiseshell moggys quite friendly but traditional Siamese are very good with kids also

@rosydreams love the Siamese cats. Though the only one I had was afraid of the wind, she was a character. She also had a habit of getting in the bath with the children 🤣 the little minx.

Siamese are such characters very chatty they love being talked to and hate being encored lol

Quite against the grain here, but I have always had kittens because I think you can train them. All my cats have been moggys, male, neutered, and chose us. Always take the ones that come up to you and are outgoing. Our current cat is a Bengal cross tabby. He's fabulous. The best cat we ever had was a black and white farm cat, he was just the most benevolent, lovely, family member ever. Still miss him!

Isn't that the truth. For a first cat OP, definitely go to a rescue, and see who you connect with. Don't overlook the shy ones. Getting a breed might be more tricky, as some breeds do have issues.

The absolutely only way to be sure that you’re getting a cat with the temperament you want is to get an adult rescue, which is also the best thing to do.

Shelters know their cats, you can visit and should have no problem finding one who will be the perfect fit.

We got two from Celia Hammond, mother and daughter, feral. The kitten was friendly and loving straightaway her mum didn't speak to either me or partner for around 2 years but started to trust us then became my absolute best friend ever. So clever and so beautiful, they also adopted a stray tabby cat who came into our garden.
They literally held a meeting without us stupid humans, and he was welcomed as a new household member. He is currently sleeping on my bed.
Cats are really very remarkable and your children sound very advanced to be so interested in them already. You must be a good parent OP.

Ah I don’t agree at all. Friends have always had kittens, they’ve had some good, some tricky - one boy cat they have now is difficult, hates kids, turned out to have a delicate stomach and is grumpy as hell. You barely see him tbh. He was the first choice friendly head of the litter kitten! His brother is totally different and a real lap cat.

partly because of their experience we stuck to rescues when we had kids, you just never know what the adult personality of a kitten is google to be.

I'm inclined to agree with this. Nine out of ten of our cats prefer Felix came to us as kittens, and I think we must have brought them up quite well as they've all been real characters but have all been friendly affectionate lap cats.

Adult rescue moggy that chooses you every time. I've always done that, and every cat has been a Best Cat. Also, adult cats find it harder to find homes.

Having said all of that...we spent an awful lot of time with our vet last year, when our darling senior stateswoman was in decline, and my kids met a 4 week old kitten on one visit (she was being hand reared by one of the vet nurses, as she'd been found on her own on the side of a road). When my darling girl died our vet suggested we think about the kitten...there were a lot of things pointing to her being the right girl for us at the time, even though I was getting an adult tortoisehshell months down the track, and this one is a tabby with white and was a kitten and far too soon. Yeah... She's kind of nuts, which means she fits right in. I think your cat will find you.

Any domestic shorthair ie moggie has the ability to love being friendly. I'd rather that than a breed cat as they don't live as long and sometimes have health issues relating to their breed.

"he comes and puts my daughter to bed" 😂😂

Ok I’m definitely convinced by an adult rescue cat - thank you. I will contact some local shelters and get our name down waiting for the right one. We’re not in a rush so would definitely rather wait.

our next door neighbours cat is a rag doll so I had been researching them as it is so friendly and patient with the kids and adores the attention - but the costs are crazy and I don’t know enough about breeders to pick a good one.
we will definitely have doors windows open all the time in summer as kids are constantly in and out so that will help decide.

ill post a pic when we get one whenever that may be!!

Dont get a long haired cat. They are a great deal of hard work to brush, and spray fluff everywhere.

They are cute though 😻.

Another vote for a rescue. I used to foster, rescues try to match the cat and owner.