Hello,

Michael is partially right. About the only people unscrupulously breeding such cats are unfortunately here in the US, where they can take cats that are smaller than the breed standard, & selectively breed them to other smaller cats, keeping only the smallest kittens. It’s not a question of a genetic mutation, it’s generations of breeding selecting only for size, often through inbreeding, which makes the genetics pretty sad, & the cats unhealthy anyway. Personally, I would avoid these scam artists like the plague.

If you are looking for a NATURALLY occuring small breed of cat, try looking into the Singapura. They are absolutely charming, & being shorthaired, they are easy care.

However, I will agree with Michael & say that it’s not really the size of the apartment that counts, it’s the personality & temperament of the particular cat. Go to your local shelters & look for an adult cat with a quiet, dignified persona, not a kitten to 3 year old adult who will be pinging off the walls & destroying things because it doesn’t have enough space to run & romp. An older cat is going to be well past the kitten stage, & will be happy to curl up on the sofa or the bed, & wait for you to come home.

Ultimately though, you have to think about the living space in your apartment, & by small I’m presuming it’s a studio, because that’s the smallest sized apartment available. I lived in one with my husband until our 2 bedroom was finished & available before my now 19 yr old son was born, & we had an active & very energetic American Eskimo puppy in that studio! It depends on your activity level as well, & how much grooming you want or are able to do with your schedule whether a long haired cat or a short haired cat will be the best match for you.

Hi Finn… thanks for the point you make. I had not mentioned that. A Persian or British Shorthair are good breeds for the role but as you say within those breeds there will be individual cats who are more suited to apartment living.

So it seems the search should be within these breeds and then for a cat with a suitable character.

Often rescue centres know the character of their cats and cat direct people.

Of course it must be said that there are many individual cats amongst mixed breed cats that are also more suited to this sort of life.

I agree with Michael – it is temperament that matters. The size of your cat does not have to be determined by the size of your living space, because most cat breeds are basicly within the same size frame – whereas e.g. dog breeds are ranging from “rat” to “pony”. 😉
Instead you should look for a cat with a suitable temperament. Michael has already recommended the traditional Persian, which I too believe would be a good choice if you’re looking for a cute looking cat – and has the time for grooming it.
Another breed that comes to mind is British Shorthair. If you read what Wikipedia says on the Brit’s temperament, it seems the ideal cat for living in an appartment – and I don’t think that’s very much overstated.
But remember that the breed never guarantees a particular temperament – and even kittens from the same litter will differ a lot. Kittens are playful, so it’s not that easy to judge the temperament, but my advice is to look for one that really enjoys being cuddled – and maybe is a little less active than the others.
Or you could adopt a grown cat with a fully developed personality. Last year we found a wonderfull cat that way – affectionate and well behaved in all ways as described in ‘Don’t Forget the Elderly Shelter Cats’.