Devon Rex

Devon Rex are one of the better choices for a family with children. Expect a small cat that is high-energy, barely sheds and needs very little grooming. It is a committed lap animal, so expect company whether or not you asked for it.

How long is that, really? Cats live longer than most people expect — about 11.7 years on average across every breed, and a well-looked-after Devon Rex can reach 20 years. A kitten you bring home this year will still be curled up somewhere warm long after you have finished school.

Sources: VCA Animal Hospitals · PDSA breed guide · Teng et al., Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (2024).

Day to day. High-energy — this is a cat that needs height to climb, things to hunt and someone to play with. A bored one of these gets into everything, and that is not naughtiness, it is boredom. Ten minutes with a wand toy in the evening covers most of what it is asking for.

The coat, honestly. This breed barely sheds and needs very little grooming. Next to nothing to do either way — the odd brush is a treat rather than a chore, and this is about as easy as a coat gets.

Company and noise. This one is a committed lap animal and fairly chatty. Expect it on your lap, your keyboard and your chest at six in the morning — a cat bred for closeness does not negotiate. Give it a warm, high place to land in whatever room you are in; where you put things matters more with this one than what you buy.

• You want a cat that will put up with being picked up by a child
• Someone will actually play with it every day, and it can climb high
• You would rather brush and pay a groomer than vacuum every day
• You want a cat whose coat looks after itself
• You are short on space and want a cat that fits your home

• Nobody has ten minutes twice a day to play with it properly
• You want a pet that entertains itself while you get on with things
• A surprise vet bill would be a real problem this year
• A shelter cat would do everything this one does for a fraction of the price

Rough running cost: $$$ (one of the pricier cats on our list) — because it eats very little, which keeps food costs down.

Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.

Picked for this breed’s coat, size, energy and known health issues, not a generic list.

Rescues do have Devon Rex and Devon Rex crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.

Sphynx

Hairless, warm, wrinkled and outrageously affectionate — and more upkeep than a coat, not less.

🐈 Average⚡ High energy✨ Low shed

Burmese

A compact, glossy, surprisingly heavy cat that is about as dog-like as cats get.

🐈 Average🙂 Moderate✨ Low shed

Siamese

Sleek, clever and extremely talkative — a cat that expects to be part of the conversation.

🐈 Average⚡ High energy✨ Low shed