If you’re thinking of purchasing or adopting a cat, here are the five top cat breeds most commonly welcomed into Aussie homes that you may want to consider.
Cats make wonderful pets. They’re affectionate yet independent, and because they don’t need a daily walk, they’re a manageable option for families on the go. Looking for your very own feline friend? Here’s our list of the five top cat breeds most commonly welcomed into Aussie homes to help get you started.
Abyssinian
Originally from Ethiopia, the Abyssinian was introduced to Britain around 1868. Their coat is close-lying to the skin with bands of colour along each hair, creating a distinctive pattern referred to as ‘ticking’. They have dark-rimmed, expressive eyes of amber, green or hazel, a long slender body, wedge-shaped head and large ears with a tuft of hair at the top.
Loyal and loving cats, they attach themselves to their human and command affection. They enjoy being the centre of attention and are active and noisy. They’re intelligent and curious pets with a particular love of climbing. They’re also highly social, so don’t be surprised if your dog and Abyssinian cat become best friends after you make the proper introductions.
Australian Mist
Perfect for those who live near the bush and have children, an Australian Mist is a sweet, loving and affectionate cat, specially-bred in Australia to be gentle with little ones and native wildlife. They have a short, dense coat with multi-coloured dark spots on a light, ‘misted’ beige background.
Super affectionate, they love playing games with their humans and, while trainable, often remain kitten-like for life. Highly tolerant of handling and not inclined to scratch, they thrive on human interaction and love to nestle in laps.
Persian
Hailing from Turkey and Iran, regal Persian’s have a luxurious, long coat, enjoy spending their days grooming themselves and sitting prettily somewhere they can be admired.
They have a calm, sweet temperament and are not overly active, which makes them perfect for quiet households. While generally placid, at times they’ll have short bursts of kitten-like energy before falling asleep in the sunniest corner of the room. Keep a vacuum cleaner handy, as they’re known to shed heavily.
Siamese
Legend has it that Siamese cats are sacred and used to guard Buddhist temples in Thailand where it was considered a great honour to be given one. Their distinctive short, fine, close-lying coat sheds little and is mainly pale in colour with darker paws, tail, face and ears. They also have striking blue eyes.
Expect long conversations with your Siamese as they’re known for being vocal! They relish attention and prefer not to be left alone during the day, so shower them with affection and they’ll be happy. Full of energy and intelligence, a Siamese loves to play games and can even be taught to retrieve toys.
Burmese
With a light-coloured, glossy coat and wide-set yellow or golden eyes, the Burmese is a medium-sized, long-living breed that often reaches the ripe old age of 20. Spirited and intelligent, a Burmese can be taught to fetch toys and will love playing games with the family. They enjoy being the main attraction and prefer not to be left alone for long periods of time.
Wonderful companions, they’re gentle with children and will even befriend other cats or dogs in the house. Expect some noise as they tend to be quite vocal, but they’re fantastic lap-warmers and love nothing more than being cuddled – a trait that earned them the nickname of ‘cat dog’.
These are some of the most popular cats in Australia that make wonderful family pets. If you’re interested in these breeds, or others, Petbarn’s adoption services make it easy to bring home a new family member.