According to a report by the Daily Mail, there was a recent study done to find out which cats are the friendliest. The Sphynx came out at the top of the list as the most friendly. Then it was determined that pure bred cats are more friendly than domestic shorthairs. The most friendly of the pedigree cats came out as Maine Coons, Persians, Birmans, Somalis, Siamese and Russian Blues. (I always read that Ragdolls were wonderfully social and cuddly cats, so I'm curious how they didn't make it into the top seven. Non-pedigree cats scored lowest for their interactions with humans, being the most likely to ignore their owners and run away from strangers.
According to the Daily Mail article, the phrase "non-pedigree cats" is the same as the phrase "domestic short-hair." I have a non-pedigree cat and although he looks exactly like a Black Smoke Maine Coon, and we were told that he is part Russian Blue, he's still a non-pedigree, mixed breed, domestic cat. He is not, however, short-haired. So where does that leave him on their study?
And as for non-pedigree cats not being affectionate, I am left wondering just exactly who they asked. Although the study states that a variety of people were asked the questions, from all different family sizes and situations, it still doesn't explain to me how they could end up with the idea that non-pedigree cats are somehow less affectionate than pure bred cats. I have never owned a cat that wasn't affectionate. With the exception of one pedigree cat, a tabby Manx KC (short for Kitty Cat), all of my cats have been of mixed parentage. They've all loved to cuddle in my lap, greet me with head butts and rubbing against me, and followed me around the house. Caspian, my tabby cat, was the cat most likely to give me affectionate head butts, and Pagan is my most vocal cat, following me around "talking" to me with meows most of the time. Talisman, another short-haired tabby, was queen of the nose-kisses, and Gambit (a long-haired mixed cat with tuxedo coloring) was the most likely to cuddle in my lap. Kacie, a short-haired black cat I used to own, loved to lap sit and would dive for both of my hands to make sure that they were both constantly stroking her, and Jynx, my daughter's cat, a short-haired tortoiseshell, loves to rub against me. (I often have to keep myself from tripping over her.) Rambo, a long-haired domestic cat who adopted my family years ago, used to leap into the air in order to be able to head butt my hands and get me to pet him, and he, like Pagan, "talked" to me often and followed me around. Bibsy, my first ever cat, a long-haired tuxedo, loved sitting in our laps. Even my neighbor's cat Lola, a domestic short-haired calico, runs up to greet me when I step outside and constantly demands that she be pet and cuddled.
The study was done in France, so I am left to wonder if French non-pedigree cats are really that different from American and British ones. I have no idea how anyone could think non-pedigree cats aren't just as friendly as the pedigree breeds.
What has your experience been with the cats in your life?
