Short-Haired Cat Breeds

Coat & grooming — Short, dense, plush coat; brush weekly

Suits — Families, busy owners, calm multi-pet homes

Coat & grooming — Short, fine, close-lying coat; minimal grooming

Suits — Attentive owners, interactive families, multi-pet homes

Coat & grooming — Short, dense, glossy coat; low-maintenance, brush weekly

Suits — Active families, experienced owners, enrichment-rich homes

Coat & grooming — Short or long dense coat; brush weekly

Suits — Families, calm homes, other pets

Coat & grooming — Short, fine, ticked coat; minimal grooming needed

Suits — Active owners, interactive families, multi-pet homes

Coat & grooming — Short, thick, dense coat; brush weekly

Suits — Families, children, first-time owners, other pets

Coat & grooming — A short, fine, close-lying single coat with a satin sheen and almost no undercoat, available in well over a hundred colour and pattern combinations. Shedding is low and grooming needs are minimal; a weekly stroke with a soft brush or grooming glove keeps it glossy. With so little coat, these cats can feel the cold and appreciate warm sleeping spots.

Suits — Best suited to attentive owners and households where the cat will have plenty of company, interaction and mental stimulation. Orientals are wonderful with engaged families and other sociable pets, but they bond intensely and can become stressed or unhappy if left alone for long hours. They adapt well to flats provided they get vertical space, toys and daily play, and they suit owners who enjoy a talkative, interactive cat.

Coat & grooming — A very short, soft, wavy 'rexed' coat with fragile, curled guard hairs, giving a suede-like or rippled texture. Shedding is low and grooming needs are minimal, but the delicate coat means brushing should be gentle, ideally just stroking by hand or with a soft cloth to avoid breaking the hairs. Devons can build up skin oils, so occasional gentle bathing and regular ear cleaning are often needed.

Suits — An outstanding companion for households that want a highly interactive, affectionate cat, including families with children and homes with other pets. Devons crave warmth and company, often seeking laps and shoulders, and dislike being left alone for long. They suit flats well thanks to their small size, but they are energetic, agile climbers that need toys, climbing space and daily play to stay content.

Coat & grooming — An exceptionally soft, short, wavy coat consisting only of the fine undercoat (down), with no coarse guard hairs, giving a texture often compared to crushed velvet or astrakhan. Shedding is minimal and grooming is very low-maintenance, but the delicate coat should only be stroked gently rather than brushed firmly. Like the Devon, Cornish Rex cats can be prone to oily skin and benefit from occasional gentle bathing and ear cleaning.

Suits — A superb match for active, attentive homes, including families with children and households with other cats and friendly dogs. Cornish Rex cats are sociable, playful and people-loving, disliking long hours alone, so they suit owners who are often home or can provide a companion. Their small size makes flats workable, but their high energy and love of climbing and fetching mean they need plenty of play, vertical space and interaction.

Coat & grooming — Short, fine, satin-like coat that lies close to the body with a glossy sheen. It is very low-maintenance: a weekly stroke with a rubber brush or chamois keeps it gleaming, shedding is light, and bathing is rarely needed.

Suits — Excellent for families, children and homes with other pets, as the Burmese craves company and dislikes being left alone for long. Well suited to flats provided there is play and attention, but it is a poor choice for people who are out all day. Friendly enough for first-time owners.

Coat & grooming — Short, soft, close-lying coat with a fine, silky texture and a mink-like sheen. Grooming is minimal: a weekly brush or hand-stroke removes loose hair, shedding is light, and bathing is seldom required.

Suits — A wonderful family cat that enjoys children, other cats and cat-savvy dogs, and is happy in flats as long as it gets plenty of attention. Like its Burmese and Siamese ancestors it hates being alone, so it suits busy, sociable homes rather than people who are out all day. Fine for first-time owners.

Coat & grooming — Short to medium, dense, soft and plush, standing slightly away from the body like teddy-bear fur. It needs far less work than a Persian's, but a quick comb two or three times a week reduces shedding and matting; facial folds should be wiped to keep them clean.

Suits — A gentle, easy-going companion that suits families, quieter children, flats and homes with other calm pets. Its placid, undemanding nature makes it ideal for first-time owners and people seeking a low-energy lap cat. Because of its flat face it should be kept indoors or in safe, temperate conditions.

Coat & grooming — Short, dense, plush double coat that stands out from the body and has a distinctive silvery, shimmering blue-grey sheen. It is low-maintenance: a weekly brush keeps it healthy, shedding is relatively light, and bathing is rarely needed.

Suits — Best suited to calmer homes, gentle older children and people who can offer a quiet, predictable routine. Reserved with strangers but devoted to its family, it tolerates flats and being alone better than many breeds, making it manageable for first-time owners. It gets on with other respectful, low-key pets.

Coat & grooming — Short to medium, dense and notably soft with a slightly coarse guard layer; the bold dark spotting on a warm gold, silver, smoke or black background needs little upkeep. A weekly brush and the occasional bath keep the coat glossy, and shedding is moderate.

Suits — Best suited to experienced, active owners who can offer space, tall climbing furniture and plenty of interactive play; not a quiet lap cat. Confident Savannahs often live happily with cat-savvy dogs and respectful older children, but their drive and size can overwhelm timid pets or very young toddlers. Daily enrichment is essential to prevent boredom.

Coat & grooming — Comes in shorthair and longhair (the Cymric) varieties, both with a plush, dense double coat that feels padded to the touch. The shorthair needs weekly brushing, while the longhair benefits from two or three sessions a week to prevent matting. Shedding is moderate and rises during seasonal coat changes.

Suits — A friendly, adaptable choice for families, including those with gentle children and other pets, and manageable for attentive first-time owners. Manx cats form strong bonds, follow their people about and often greet visitors at the door. They suit both houses and flats provided they get play and company, but tail-touching should be avoided as the area can be sensitive.

Coat & grooming — Short to medium, silky and dense, carrying distinctive natural spotting in silver, bronze or smoke. The coat is low-maintenance, needing only a weekly brush to keep it gleaming, and shedding is light to moderate. The spots sit on the hair tips, so the markings are a true coat pattern rather than only skin-deep.

Suits — A devoted, family-oriented breed that bonds deeply but can be shy with strangers and sensitive to change. It suits calm, stable homes with patient owners and considerate older children, and generally lives well with other cats and gentle dogs introduced slowly. Active and playful, the Mau needs daily interaction and enrichment; nervous individuals dislike chaotic or noisy households.

Coat & grooming — Short to medium and remarkably dense, with a woolly, water-resistant double coat that stands slightly away from the body and breaks like sheep's fleece. The blue-grey colour ranges from ash to slate, always with copper eyes. A weekly comb keeps it healthy, with more frequent grooming during heavy seasonal sheds; brushing rather than a stripping comb preserves the texture.

Suits — A gentle, easygoing breed that suits families, first-time owners, older people and multi-pet homes alike, and adapts well to flats. Chartreux are quiet, undemanding and patient with children and other animals, attaching firmly to their family while tolerating time alone better than many breeds. They enjoy calm companionship and play but are rarely loud or pushy about it.

Coat & grooming — Comes in both longhair and shorthair, with loose, soft curls that are most pronounced around the neck, belly and tail; even the whiskers may curl. The dense, slightly woolly coat sheds and benefits from gentle weekly combing rather than brushing, which can straighten the curls. Over-bathing or heavy grooming relaxes the curl, so a light touch keeps the texture.

Suits — A great all-rounder for families, children, multi-pet homes and first-time owners thanks to its easy-going, affectionate temperament. Its moderate energy suits both flats and houses, and it is content to be a relaxed lap companion rather than a demanding athlete. Like all cats it appreciates play and climbing options, but its exercise needs are modest.

Coat & grooming — Short, fine, close-lying and very glossy, often likened to polished patent leather, in solid black to the roots. Low-shedding and easy to care for, it needs little more than an occasional rub with a hand or chamois, or a weekly stroke with a rubber brush, to keep its shine. Bathing is rarely necessary.

Suits — An excellent family cat that suits children, other pets and both first-time and experienced owners thanks to its sociable, adaptable temperament. It is content in flats or houses and is more of an affectionate companion than a high-octane athlete, though it enjoys play and games. Its main need is company; it does not like prolonged solitude.

Coat & grooming — Semi-long, soft and notably water-resistant with a cashmere-like texture and no woolly undercoat, so it resists matting and is largely self-maintaining. The coat is shorter in summer and grows a fuller winter coat with a plumed tail and neck ruff. Weekly combing suffices, increasing during the heavy spring moult; bathing is seldom needed.

Suits — Best suited to active homes that can give it space, height to climb and plenty of play; it enjoys families and older, respectful children. Its strength, energy and independent streak make it more rewarding for owners who appreciate a busy, interactive cat rather than a placid lap pet. It can live in a flat but needs ample enrichment, and not every Van tolerates being picked up or crowded.