Sara D asked:
My husband and I have been thinking about getting our first cat. What we wanted to know is, are there any breeds of cats that stay small even after they are older? Like a poodle for dogs. We would love to have a cat that would be the size of a kitten it’s entire life, and are wondering if such a cat exists. Thank you in advance.
My husband and I have been thinking about getting our first cat. What we wanted to know is, are there any breeds of cats that stay small even after they are older? Like a poodle for dogs. We would love to have a cat that would be the size of a kitten it’s entire life, and are wondering if such a cat exists. Thank you in advance.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:14 am
the dwarf cat
August 10th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
There is a small cat,a dwarf cat.
Here are some photos of them:
August 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Obviously, you don’t want a Maine Coon or Norweigan
Forest cat. They are huge.
Most cats aren’t huge when they grow up. My son’s
Bengal is at most 12 pounds, and that’s after she’s
eaten.
Our black cat is not big, and it’s odd, but most who
have black cats say they don’t grow very large. And they
have lovely personality.
I’d think you’d want temperament, personality, and
appearance, in that order, before size, but to each
their own. Hope you find your very own furperson.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
In reality the only thing that makes these cats small is the size of their legs. They have short legs and it makes them appear to be small. If you want a cat that is guaranteed to be small, you should adopt a petite adult cat. I have seen some smaller adult domestic cats that appear to be about 6 months old still.
August 15th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
My husband and I have had two cats that have stayed small; a tonkinese (female) who was about five pounds (and also the “runt” of the litter), and a burmese, (female) who has stayed six pounds, both fully grown. These related breeds are very friendly, sweet and playful kitties.
August 18th, 2008 at 11:24 am
I have a russian blue, and I consider him to be small. Not kitten small, but still pretty tiny. He’s barely 8 pounds and is all muscle, so he’s only that heavy because of that. Most russia blues don’t get too big, so might be worth looking into if you think that’s an attractive cat.
August 21st, 2008 at 5:34 am
There is one breed of cat that’s known for being rather small - the Singapura - but it’s quite rare - starting at about $1,000 for a pet quality cat and THOUSANDS for a show quality cat.
And for other “teacup” or “mini” cats - reputable breeders do not breed these animals. Their diminutive size opens them up to a myriad of health issues including heart failure since their hearts are so tiny. Reputable breeders breed to BETTER a breed and for the love of a breed. They don’t do so at the expense of the health of the animal and solely to make a buck on idiots wanting something “trendy”. These mutant tiny animals tend to live very, very short lives. Please do not support the breeding of animals at the compromise of their health.
If a regular sized cat is too big for you just don’t get one - get a hamster.
August 24th, 2008 at 4:07 am
My perisan cat is the size of a ktten. Look at the parents and you will be able to get a good idea of how big they will be when they are older.
Also females tend to be smaller than males.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:38 am
There really isn’t the size difference in cat breeds that you’ll find with dogs. Some breeds do have smaller adults, but they tend to be the rare or show-quality ones. Singapuras are very small cats, but that’s a rare breed. The modern style Siamese show cats also tend to be small (little females might only weigh 5 pounds) but these are also pricey. Many of the new “dwarf” breeds like Munchkins are regular sized cats with short legs, so those don’t sound like what you want. The best bet for you might be to go to your local shelters, and look at the adult cats there. Just like people, cats are different sizes depending on genetics. With a kitten it’s going to be impossible to tell their eventual adult size, but with an adult you can see exactly what you’re getting. Even adopting a runt kitten isn’t a promise that they’re going to stay small - the runt kitten from one of my litters I fostered (Siamese mixes) grew up into a large and lanky adult weighing over 12 pounds.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:36 am
Yes, miniature and dwarf breeds (also called “teacup”). Here are some links about them: