A question to all you cat people

[Corjha]

I'm going to buy a kitten soon. I've never had a cat before. I know that it all comes down to the temperament of the cat but, what breed is notorious for being cuddly and lovey? I've had golden labs all my life and they love to cuddle.

What is a good first cat breed that loves to be loved?

[Deleted]

Any shelter cat.

[Corjha]

Any shelter cat.

I've always gotten my pets from a breeder. I'm timid about adopting a shelter animal; never done it before.

[smelltheglove]

my 2 were barn cats. i picked the 2 that came up and wanted attention, most gentle and affectionate cats i've ever had

[xsistor]

Getting a cat? Then you'll need this.

[Corjha]

my 2 were barn cats. i picked the 2 that came up and wanted attention, most gentle and affectionate cats i've ever had

My sister's cat is a barn cat... She is a little devil, but a sweety. She nips a lot. But I guess she is a kitty still. 2 years old.

[Lothaeryn]

Cat's dont develop like Dogs, a Cat will only imprint on one or two people (rarely) who they consider their pseudoparents, they will come to them when they want affection instead of going to anyone else in the family, the only way to really make a bond like that is to show them lots of love while they are young.

I have two Orange tabby's that were born from a stray, I showed love to both, but I found that the one I interacted with the most imprinted on me, whereas the other cat almost runs away from me every time i go near him, and is imprinted on my mom.

Cat's don't have the personality bred into them either, they will have some characteristics from their genetics, but the way they act towards you and strangers are all dependent on how much affection you show them while they are young.

I was lucky enough to pretty much raise my cats and they are friendly with everyone who comes in the house, they literally will go belly up at a person's feet if they are comfortable around a stranger.

[Dhurn]

Rescue cats are great, I got mine when it was 10 months old and she's awesome. And you'll save a cat's life. At the shelter I went to they had personality profiles of the cats, some were cuddlers, others were more independent, etc.

[Shakadam]

Maybe a Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest Cat, those are usually very "cuddly" cats

A Tabby Cat (many different versions but they all have a "M" mark on their forehead) is also a very common choice, they have a wide range of personalities so it mostly depends on the individual cat in that case.

[MissCleo]

Maybe a Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest Cat, those are usually very "cuddly" cats

Yeah, but... man, you've got to be ready for the shedding. So much hair, everywhere, all the time. You'll have to brush them fairly often, and even so you'll end up with hair on all your clothes, hair in your soup, hair everywhere you sit.

If I was getting another cat I'd definitely get a short hair. Get it young and show it some love and you've got a good chance of it bonding to you and being cuddly... there's no sure formula, nature or nurture based, that will guarantee certain "personality" traits in your animal, but I'd wager that if you pick a kitten that is outgoing and shows affection to you, and you return that affection in kind, it will be as cuddly as you can handle.

[Jackmoves]

We got 2 normal house cats/barn cats/whatever you want to call it, 1 we picked up at a shelter, both are very affectionate, but also very different, the cat we got from the shelter is very much in love with the outdoors, she will wake us up in the morning wanting to go out, and then she spends most of the day outdoors, even now, when we got snow/cold weather, when we get home in the afternoon and she wants in she is very cuddly, our other cat hates the outdoors this time of the year, she goes out in the summer/spring but never in the winter or autumn, she is more "temperamentful and demanding", but still very affectionate.

edit: one thing, I did not think it was a brilliant idea to get another cat, but my gf found that shelter add and could not resist, reason I thought the idea was bad at the start was because our older cat has always been a bit of a loner(though she was brilliant when she had kittens, she had 4 kittens before we got around to "fix" her), she avoids other cats if she can, so I wasn't sure she would accept another cat at home, now, 14 months later our two cats are best buddies, our older cat seems to have kind of adopted the shelter cat.

[Divineknight13]

over the many years and many countries ive stayed in ive had a wide range of cats tbh ive always found the more time you spend with your animal the more your personality will rub off on your cat

cats are very self sufficient animals but they show love when they want it

at this current time i have 2 pedigree Persians the family is trying to breed : these cats i would not recommend for a first time cat owner ( They need SUPER amount of loving and they will die of a broken heart your away from them for even a few days if you leave them in a home )

[MatadorMedia]

Breeds are not as important as the kitten's social interaction. Kittens need to be with other kittens or cats for the first couple months or they will have no social skills (ie: be a douche to you). I got a 6 month half-siamese from the humane society and he is a sweetheart; he was living with a bunch of kittens and was the oldest. If you have enough money for a breeder and want that, check out "Cats 101" from Discovery.

[Borzo]

Over the years I've been with many cats. Shelter cats - however - are BY FAR the most cuddly and dependent and attaching. I've had 3, and they've all been the same.

Word of warning: Don't go to a shelter and pick out the crazy shelter cat that hides in the corner. Get the shelter cat that runs up to you and attaches himself to you immediately.

[Orist]

Gotta have to agree with the Shelter cat. I got both of mine from a shelter and they are both very affectionate (almost dog like) but i got them years apart and from different shelters. Also different breeds as well. So thats my suggestion.

[Jarek771]

I've always gotten my pets from a breeder. I'm timid about adopting a shelter animal; never done it before.

breeder cats tend to have terrible temperaments just an fyi.

[Lightwysh]

Maybe a Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest Cat, those are usually very "cuddly" cats

You need to have a talk with my Norwegian. You talk about the most spoiled self-centered animal. If Bowl = half full, constant screaming until it's filled. Affection to her is the occasional "you will pet me now while I bite the shit out of you" and random pace pawing while we sleep. I maybe get 1 hour per week of real cuddly affection and its usually while I'm at the computer.

IMO Male cats tend to be more cuddly.

[Swampfox2223]

You can probably look in your local paper and see adds for free kittens. At least when my families' cat had it's litters (think she had 4-5 before we got he spaded) we would just put an add in the paper for free kittens, they were gone in a couple days. You should never really have to pay for kittens/puppies unless your looking for a pure-breed. Shelter animals would also be a good idea, but go for the ones that are 6-8 weeks old as they are more likely to take your family as their parents and grow attached to you.

[Corjha]

what age should i go for? i've heard 6-8 weeks and 6-10 months

[Legolasgirl]

I would recommend getting one as young as you can. As soon as it's old enough to be away from it's mother approx 8 weeks. This way you will have an easier time in creating a bond.

Also a couple things about breed. Siamese tend to be loud (not always the case, but it's true for many of them). Maine Coon/Norwegian Forest cats get VERY large. They will need a lot of space to wander, and don't do well in small apartments. Even after being "fixed" they tend to spray if their perceived territory is too small. This is especially true for males. Female tortise-shell cats (dark fur, with splotches of red and other colors) can be particularly rude and antisocial. They tend to bond with 1 person at the most and don't interact with others well. I would personally recommend a rex or ragdoll breed. Both extremely affectionate if raised in a loving home, and don't present much of a challenge.

That all being said, I would also encourage you to check your local shelter. These cats are all in desperate need of a loving home, and the people that run the shelter know enough about their temperament to help you make a good match. Though less important I personally advise getting a male as your first cat. Once they're been neutered, it's been my experience that they end up being friendlier than female cats.

While I am not an expert, this is all spoken with years of experience as an owner of multiple cats. I wish you the best of luck in finding a new furry friend.