Cat Personality
When Choosing A Cat, Personality Counts
When getting new cat personality is important if the cat is going to get along with you and others in your household. Some cats are going to demand more of your time than others, some will be more affectionate than others, and some will constantly be roaming the house in search of something interesting to get into, while others will sit in the window all day or sleep.
Different cats have different personalities and cats can have very strong personalities. If you are planning on spending time with your cat, you'll want one that is active, even tempered, and very social. Or, you might be happier with a cat that is not terribly active and much of the time seems as if it could care less whether you are there or not. This could be the cat for you if you have a very busy schedule, and while wanting a pet for companionship, don't need too much of it. If you have small children in the house, or a baby, an even tempered cat is a must, and you certainly don't want an overly aggressive cat that will bite a guest if that person reaches down to pet it.
Trying to ascertain the personality traits of kittens is not easy. Most are playful, and if they've been around people at all, like people. Sometimes in a litter you can find the kitten that is a little more rambunctious than the others, or a little more shy, or even antisocial. Hyperactive kittens, like hyperactive puppies, may carry that trait into adulthood, a trait we normally don't want. We don't want the lowest common denominator either, a pet that while attractive, may not be particularly playful or affectionate. If a kitten appears to accept you and shows signs of being quite active, chances are you've found a pet who will grow up to have a very fine personality.
The same goes for looking for a cat that may be in a shelter. Regardless of the cat's background, or reason for being there, if it is attracted to you, and appears to be rather active, it may make a fine pet. A cat personality such as timidity or acting very defensively, suggesting past maltreatment, may be a risky choice. It may respond wonderfully to loving care, but some do not. Your own personality comes into play here. Do you have the time or patience to try to get a cat's life turned around? It's certainly a very rewarding thing if you're successful. But if you don't have the time or inclination, a timid or defensive cat would not be a good match.
You can tell something about cat personality by its breed, as some breeds are known to have certain personality traits to a higher degree than other breeds. Just remember though that a cat is a cat, and each one has its own personality, regardless of breed. Personalities will differ within a breed of course, but here are a few "stereotypes" to give you an idea of what you might find if you do some breed-by breed research.
The Main Coon is a kind of gentle giant, very affectionate and friendly, adaptable to most household environments, active, and is a breed that gets along well with dogs. The Persian, on the other hand, is many people's choice for a lap cat. Persians are friendly and loving and tend to be quiet pets. The Manx is another breed that tends to get along well with dogs, and is an affectionate and intelligent companion. It's easy to understand the popularity of the Siamese. The breed is noted for high intelligence, active, craving attention (can be very talkative in this regard), and in general a high-energy animal. Some say that the Siamese can also be somewhat arrogant, but I guess you'd have to be around an arrogant cat to know what that might mean.
Determining a cat personality in terms of what it is or might be isn't necessarily easy, but with a little effort you can very likely find a cat that will be a good match to your personality.