5,104 answers about cats
Cats keep their people guessing — why the 3 a.m. zoomies, what belongs in the bowl, when a vet visit can’t wait. This page gathers the cat library of KinsLe Answers in one place, organized by topic from feeding and litter to behavior, health and senior care. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
963 answers in Choosing & Adopting — page 7 of 41
Domestic Longhairs cover the full vocal range, from near-silent to happily chatty, because this is a mixed-ancestry type and voice is an individual trait rather than a bred one. Most longhairs are moderate talkers who speak up for meals, greetings, and attention and are otherwise quiet company. The coat predicts…
Domestic Shorthairs span the whole vocal range, because this is the general cat population rather than a breed with a selected voice. Many are moderate talkers who meow for food, greetings, and attention and are quiet the rest of the time; some individuals are almost silent, and some are committed chatterboxes who…
Yes, a Lykoi is a fairly vocal cat, more talkative than the average domestic and happy to hold a conversation with its people. Lykois use a range of meows, chirps, and trills to greet, request, and comment, and their expressive faces make their communications hard to ignore. The volume is usually conversational rather…
A Selkirk Rex is moderately vocal at most, and owners usually describe the breed as quietly communicative rather than noisy. A Selkirk will greet you, comment on an empty bowl, and hold short conversations in a soft, sometimes slightly raspy voice, but it rarely produces the sustained, demanding yowling of the loudest…
Yes, by cat standards a Domestic Longhair sheds a lot, and it is better to plan for that honestly than to be surprised by it. A full, long coat carries a large volume of hair, renews continuously, and releases noticeably onto furniture, clothes, and carpets, with heavier surges in spring and autumn. The saving grace…
A Domestic Shorthair sheds a moderate, manageable amount: more than its short coat might suggest, but far less dramatically than longhaired or heavy double-coated cats. Expect a steady light release of hair onto furniture and clothes, with a clear increase in spring and again in autumn as the coat adjusts to changing…
No, a Lykoi does not shed a lot, because there is simply less coat to shed: the breed's fur is sparse and patchy by design, with some areas almost bare. What a Lykoi does instead is moult in cycles, sometimes losing much of its coat and looking strikingly scruffy before it grows back in a new pattern, which is normal…
No, a Selkirk Rex sheds a moderate amount rather than a lot, and its curly coat holds loose hair in a way that changes how the shedding shows up. Instead of hairs releasing constantly onto furniture, loose hair tends to stay caught in the curls until you comb it out, which means regular gentle combing is both the…
Yes, a Domestic Longhair can be a lovely family cat, with the choice made on the individual animal and one family-wide commitment to its coat. These mixed-ancestry longhairs include many gentle, sociable, lap-oriented cats, and a rescue adult whose behaviour around children is already known is the reliable route to…
Yes, Domestic Shorthairs are the original family cats, and a well-chosen individual is as good a family pet as any breed on any list. Because this is the mixed-ancestry cat population rather than a single breed, you choose on the individual: rescues and foster homes are full of adults whose family suitability is…
Yes, the Selkirk Rex is one of the strongest family-cat choices among the documented-lineage breeds, because patience and tolerance are its defining traits. A Selkirk typically enjoys being part of a busy household, accepts children's attention without taking offence at clumsiness, and is sociable with visitors and…
Yes, with one organised caveat: a Domestic Longhair suits apartment life well on temperament, but its coat adds daily work that a small home makes more visible. As a mixed-ancestry type, individuals vary, so choose a cat already known to be content indoors. The long coat needs brushing most days to prevent mats, and…
Yes, a Domestic Shorthair is one of the easiest cats to keep in an apartment, which is why flat-dwellers have chosen them for generations. As a mixed-ancestry type rather than a breed, individuals vary, but the typical Domestic Shorthair is adaptable, moderate in energy, content indoors with a scratching post, a…
A Lykoi can live happily in an apartment, but it asks more of a small space than a placid breed would, because this is an active, intelligent, hunting-focused cat. Indoors, a Lykoi needs vertical territory, a tall scratching post, and proper hunting-style play sessions every day, or its energy will find outlets in…
Yes, a Selkirk Rex is a genuinely good apartment cat, because the breed is calm, adaptable, and satisfied with a moderate amount of space and activity. A Selkirk does not need a garden to be content; it needs a window perch, a scratching post, some vertical climbing room, and daily play with its person. The breed is…
A Domestic Longhair can work for a first-time owner, but it is not the easiest first cat, and the deciding factor is grooming rather than temperament. Because this is a mixed-ancestry type, personalities vary, and many are gentle, adaptable cats; an adult from a rescue, whose character is already known, is the…
Yes, the Selkirk Rex is one of the better documented-lineage choices for a first-time owner, because the breed is patient, tolerant, and notably easygoing compared with more demanding cats. A Selkirk tends to enjoy company without insisting on constant attention, handles household change calmly, and is sturdy rather…
Many Domestic Longhairs are very good with children, but you are choosing an individual cat, not a temperament guarantee, because this is a mixed-ancestry type rather than a breed. Plenty of longhaired shelter cats are patient, affectionate lap cats, and an adult whose behaviour with children is already known is the…
Yes, a Lykoi is often good with children, because beneath the startling werewolf looks sits a devoted, playful, people-focused cat that tends to attach strongly to its household. Lykois are active and inquisitive and usually enjoy interactive play with school-age children who can throw, dangle, and laugh without…
A Turkish Van's first year produces a big, boisterous, loyal cat from a kitten who climbs, splashes, and follows its favourite person everywhere. Expect early vet visits, water-proofing your home from the first week, measured feeding for a large muscular frame, and a first spring shed that briefly makes grooming a…
A Turkish Angora's first year is bright and graceful: an intelligent kitten who climbs, learns fast, bonds closely, and develops a silky single coat that is far easier than it looks, needing a comb a few times a week rather than daily grooming. Expect early vet visits, measured feeding for a fine-boned frame, high…
A Sphynx first year is hands-on in a way no furred breed is: a hairless kitten who needs weekly bathing to remove skin oils, regular ear cleaning, warmth in every season, and near-constant physical contact with its people. Expect early vet visits, a wardrobe of warm resting places, and measured feeding for a fast…
A Siamese first year is a conversation that never really stops: a kitten who talks, follows, fetches, and demands involvement from the first week, maturing into a sleek, devoted adult who still expects to be consulted on everything. Expect early vet visits, serious socialising, daily training and play, and a genuine…
A Selkirk Rex's first year is one of the easiest curly-coat years in cats: a patient, sturdy kitten whose loose curls need finger-combing rather than brushing, who tolerates a busy household beautifully, and who grows steadily toward a plush, heavy adult. Expect the standard early vet visits, measured feeding for a…
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