Living in an apartment or small space doesn’t mean you can’t share your home with a furry feline friend. With the right cat breed, cats can thrive in compact homes as long as their needs for exercise, play, attention and enrichment are met.

When choosing a cat breed for an apartment, look for cats with calm, friendly personalities who aren’t overly demanding of attention. Highly intelligent cat breeds may become bored or destructive in a small space that doesn’t provide enough mental stimulation. Avoid very active breeds that need lots of room to run and play. Also be mindful of potential noise issues with vocal breeds if you live in close quarters with neighbors.

With the right breed match, cats make wonderful apartment companions. Here are the top 10 cat breeds well-suited for apartment living thanks to their compact size, laid-back personalities and low activity levels.

1. Persian

• Weight: 7 to 12 pounds
• Height: 10 to 15 inches
• Personality: Gentle, quiet, calm

Persians are loving lap cats with sweet personalities. Their long, lush coats require regular grooming to prevent matting and tangling. Persians are content to lounge around the house and provide companionship. Their quiet voices and small size also make them ideal for apartments. Just be sure to give them daily play sessions to meet their moderate activity needs. Their pushed-in faces also put them at risk for respiratory issues.

2. Exotic Shorthair

• Weight: 6 to 12 pounds
• Height: 8 to 11 inches
• Personality: Affectionate, gentle, playful

Exotics are the shorthaired version of the Persian. They have the same sweet, gentle personality as Persians in a compact body with a short, dense coat that requires less grooming. They’re very adaptable to small spaces as long as they get affection and playtime from their owners. Their health issues are also less severe than Persians.

3. American Shorthair

• Weight: 6 to 14 pounds
• Height: 8 to 10 inches
• Personality: Friendly, intelligent, playful

Known for their longevity, good health and adaptability, American Shorthairs thrive in apartment living. They’re moderately active and love playing fetch and other games with their owners. With affection and playtime, they’re content to curl up on laps when at home. Their short coats also don’t require intensive grooming.

4. Birman

• Weight: 6 to 12 pounds
• Height: 8 to 10 inches
• Personality: Gentle, loyal, social

Sometimes called the “Sacred Cat of Burma,” Birmans are loving companions. Despite their long silky fur, they don’t require extensive grooming and are moderately active. They’re happy to play or snuggle up with their special humans. Their soft voices make them ideal apartment cats.

5. British Shorthair

• Weight: 7 to 17 pounds
• Height: 9 to 11 inches
• Personality: Calm, easygoing, affectionate

British Shorthairs are adapted to indoor living and apartments. They’re easygoing cats who enjoy playing and interacting with their families. With a dense, plush coat that comes in many colors and patterns, they require weekly brushing but are otherwise low maintenance. Their calm demeanor and quiet voices add to their appeal as apartment cats.

6. Burmese

• Weight: 6 to 12 pounds
• Height: 8 to 11 inches
• Personality: Affectionate, social, playful

Lively and loving, Burmese cats thrive on companionship and do best when they can spend plenty of time with their owners. They enjoy playing games like fetch and learning tricks. With regular play sessions, they’re content to cuddle up in laps or nearby. Their short, silky coats require just weekly brushing.

7. Maine Coon

• Weight: 8 to 18 pounds
• Height: 10 to 16 inches
• Personality: Intelligent, playful, loyal

Don’t let their large size fool you – Maine Coons adapt well to any home. They’re active and playful but don’t require as much space to roam as some breeds. Provide cat trees, scratching posts and interactive toys to keep them entertained. Their loving personalities and plush coats make them great apartment companions.

8. Ragdoll

• Weight: 10 to 15 pounds
• Height: 10 to 15 inches
• Personality: Affectionate, gentle, easygoing

Ragdolls are best known for their endearing trait of going limp when picked up. They love spending time with their families and snuggling in laps. Despite their large size, they’re moderately active and don’t require extensive space. Their long fur does require regular brushing to prevent matting.

9. Russian Blue

• Weight: 8 to 15 pounds
• Height: 10 to 12 inches
• Personality: Intelligent, playful, affectionate

Russian Blues have sparkling green eyes and short, shimmery silver-blue coats. They’re highly adaptable to small homes as long as they get daily playtime and interaction. They enjoy learning tricks, playing fetch and using puzzle toys. Russian Blues bond closely with their owners and make ideal apartment companions.

10. Siamese

• Weight: 8 to 15 pounds
• Height: 8 to 11 inches
• Personality: Social, affectionate, vocal

With their striking coats and vocal personalities, Siamese cats thrive on being close companions to their owners. They do best with lots of interaction and playtime daily. With an outlet for their energy and affection, they’re content to snuggle up when at home. Their short coats require minimal grooming.

Choosing the Right Cat for Your Apartment

While these breeds tend to do well in compact spaces, every cat has their own unique personality and preferences. When adopting a cat for an apartment, spend time interacting with potential pets to get a sense of their activity levels and temperament. Shelter staff can also help match you with laid-back cats used to confined spaces.

Consider your apartment layout and amenities when choosing a cat. Even mellow cats need exercise and enrichment. Cat trees, perches, scratching posts and interactive toys provide important environmental stimulation. Make sure to budget for litter boxes, food, vet care and other essentials too.

With a little research and preparation, sharing your apartment with the perfect feline companion can be extremely rewarding. These affectionate, adaptable breeds help make small spaces feel like home. Their companionship adds comfort, fun and unconditional love to apartment living.

Cat Breeds Well-Suited for Apartment Living

Cat Breed	Personality Traits	Good for Apartments Because
Persian	Gentle, quiet, calm	Loving lap cats, small size, quiet voices
Exotic Shorthair	Affectionate, gentle, playful	Sweet personality, compact body, adaptable
American Shorthair	Friendly, intelligent, playful	Longevity, good health, moderate activity
Birman	Gentle, loyal, social	Long fur but moderate grooming, soft voices
British Shorthair	Calm, easygoing, affectionate	Adaptable, easygoing, quiet voices
Burmese	Affectionate, social, playful	Thrive on companionship, short coat
Maine Coon	Intelligent, playful, loyal	Adaptable despite large size, loving personalities
Ragdoll	Affectionate, gentle, easygoing	Moderate activity, love to snuggle
Russian Blue	Intelligent, playful, affectionate	Highly adaptable, short coat
Siamese	Social, affectionate, vocal	Thrive on close companionship

Frequently Asked Questions About Cats for Apartments

Are male or female cats better for apartments?

There’s no significant difference between male and female cats in terms of adaptability to apartments. The individual personality of the cat is much more important than gender. Both sexes can make excellent apartment companions.

Should I get an adult or kitten for an apartment?

Adult cats are usually already settled in their personalities and habits, so you can better gauge if they will adapt well to apartment living. Kittens also need more space and exercise. However, kittens may more readily adjust to the apartment environment if raised there from a young age.

How can I exercise my cat in an apartment?

Regular play sessions with interactive toys that allow cats to run and pounce are important. Cat trees, scratching posts, catnip, and food puzzle toys provide mental stimulation. Take cats outside on leashed walks or let them watch birds from a screened patio or window perch.

Are certain cat breeds better for allergies in apartments?

Yes, breeds like Russian Blues, Balinese, and Siamese tend to produce less of the Fel D1 protein that triggers allergies in humans. Breeds with less dander and shedding, like the Sphynx, are also better for allergy sufferers.

Should I adopt two cats for an apartment?

While one cat can do well alone with enough attention, adopting a pair of bonded siblings or compatible cats can provide social enrichment and companionship. Make sure your apartment is large enough to accommodate multiple cats.