15 Cats That Don’t Shed (or Don’t Shed Much)

If you’re looking for a cat that doesn’t shed – or at least one that doesn’t shed much – these cat breeds might be for you.

If you’ve held off getting a cat because you don’t like stray hairs on your clothes, carpet, or couch, there are cats that don’t shed or don’t shed nearly as much as you’d think.

Of course, this will require some legwork on your part in terms of grooming. It’s important to remember that no cat is truly hypoallergenic. If you do have allergies, consult a physician before getting one.

15. Kurilian Bobtail

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Weight: 8 to 15 pounds

Lifespan: 15 to 20 years

Grooming: Weekly brushing

Personality: Sociable and playful

Bottom Line: Kurilian Bobtail

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The Kurilian bobtail can be short or long-haired. In both types, the hair is flat with a moderate undercoat. As a result, the bobtail’s hair resists matting and is, therefore, fairly easy to care for.

Brushing and an occasional bath will keep its already low to moderate shedding at bay.

14. Peterbald

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Weight: 7 to 14 pounds

Lifespan: 12 to 15 years

Grooming: Bathing every other week

Personality: Affectionate and sweet

Bottom Line: Peterbald

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This rare, mostly hairless cat hails from Russia. It is named after its city of origin.

A relatively new breed, the Peterbald is one of the few cats that can have a short-haired coat, peach fuzz or have no hair at all. But this can change during the cat’s lifetime.

That said, when they do have hair, the Peterbalds’ shedding is at a minimum.

13. Singapura

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Weight: 4 to 8 pounds

Lifespan: 11 to 15 years

Grooming: Brushing once a week

Personality: Assertive, intelligent and playful

Bottom Line: Singapura

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The Singapura is the smallest domestic cat breed. They don’t shed much, and grooming them is fairly easy.

This feline extrovert is perfect for families with small children and other pets, including dogs.

What it is not, however, is hypoallergenic. Singapuras produce dander, which can actually make allergies worse.

12. Russian Blue

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Weight: 7 to 15 pounds

Lifespan: 15 to 20 years

Grooming: Brushing or combing once or twice a week

Personality: Curious, calm, affectionate and intelligent

Bottom Line: Russian Blue

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The Russian blue is a naturally occurring breed, with an origin that has been lost to history. They made their way to the United States in the early 19th century and became a recognized breed in 1912.

Despite their thick coats, the Russian blue sheds very little. Brushing them once or twice a week will remove loose hair and allow for the distribution of their natural skin oils.

They do have a shedding season in spring. During that time, you may want to increase their grooming.

11. Dwelf

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Weight: 4 to 9 pounds

Lifespan: 12 to 15 years

Grooming: Weekly or biweekly baths

Personality: Social, friendly, playful, smart and energetic

Bottom Line: Dwelf

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The dwelf gets their name from combining the words “dwarf” and “elf.” They’re a combination of munchkin, Sphynx, and American curl breeds. They look like a miniature Sphynx but have the ears of the American curl.

Without a coat, there is no shedding, but the dwelf can become greasy and sticky if it isn’t bathed regularly.

10. Ocicat

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Weight: 6 to 14 pounds

Lifespan: 15 to 18 years

Grooming: A rubdown with a chamois cloth once a week

Personality: Outgoing and happy

Bottom Line: Ocicat

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Created through breeding Abyssinians, Siamese and American domestic shorthairs, the first ocicat was registered with the Cat Fanciers’ Association in 1986.

It may look like a wildcat due to its markings, but it is still very much a domestic animal, who loves nothing more than being an attentive family member.

They are low-shedders, and grooming just takes a few minutes a week.

9. Devon Rex

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Weight: 6 to 9 pounds

Lifespan: 10 to 15 years

Grooming: Wipe the Devon with a damp cloth each week

Personality: Alert and active

Bottom Line: Devon Rex

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Outside of the occasional bath, all a Devon needs is a weekly rubdown with a damp cloth to keep shedding to a minimum.

While they do shed, the coat structure makes it less obvious, but they are not hypoallergenic. Some Devon owners do have a reaction, and some do not.

8. Minskin

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Weight: 6 to 9 pounds

Lifespan: 12 to 14 years

Grooming: Bathed weekly with a tear-free cat shampoo

Personality: Sweet, playful and friendly

Bottom Line: Minskin

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These short-legged, stocky cats are low to moderate shedders. This will depend on the length of their coat. They are a mix of Sphynx, munchkin, Burmese and Devon rex breeds.

These adorable cats are both short and longer-haired. Those with longer tresses will shed more and require more frequent grooming to keep loose hairs under control.

7. Ukrainian Levkoy

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Weight: 11 to 15 pounds

Lifespan: 15 to 20 years

Grooming: Use cat grooming wipes or a washcloth with warm water on them twice a week

Personality: Docile, social and very vocal

Bottom Line: Ukrainian Levkoy

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A cross between the Donskoy and Scottish fold breed, the rare Ukrainian Levkoy has little to no hair. As a result, you’ll never need to worry about plucking hair off of your sofa.

Those that do have hair have a baby-fine down coat that doesn’t come loose.

6. Selkirk Rex

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Weight: 6 to 16 pounds

Lifespan: 15 to 20 years

Grooming: A once a week combing

Personality: Energetic and friendly

Bottom Line: Selkirk Rex

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The Selkirk rex’s coat is one of the fluffier on this list. Surprisingly, as curly-coated cats, they shed far less than a straight-coated feline.

A wide-mouth comb will keep errant hairs on the run. But if you’re planning on showing him, he’ll need a bath. Luckily, his curls are only in need of a quick towel dry.

5. Bombay

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Weight: 8 to 15 pounds

Lifespan: 12 to 18 years

Grooming: An occasional brushing or damp cloth across the fur

Personality: Sociable and affectionate

Bottom Line: Bombay

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The first Bombay breeders wanted to produce a domestic cat that looked wild and crossed a sable Burmese with black American shorthair.

These medium-sized cats have a short, glossy, black coat, which makes them resemble a miniature panther. They do not come in other colors or have other markings.

Brushing them weekly will help keep them clean, shiny and healthy.

4. Japanese Bobtail

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Weight: 5 to 10 pounds

Lifespan: 9 to 15 years

Grooming: Twice weekly brushing or combing

Personality: Active, affectionate and smart

Bottom Line: Japanese Bobtail

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This unusual bobtail cat has been known in its native country for centuries and has been depicted in traditional Japanese art and folklore.

While these adorable cats are low shedders, they do have seasons where they shed more than others, particularly spring and fall.

Regular grooming will decrease the loose hair that does come off of them.

3. Exotic Shorthair

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Weight: 10 to 12 pounds

Lifespan: 10 to 15 years

Grooming: Weekly brushing

Personality: Friendly and calm

Bottom Line: Exotic Short Hair

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This short-haired Persian cat does shed but for having such a thick coat, not that much.

Of course, they need brushing to keep them from dropping loose hair. This will also keep their coat tangle free.

They do have thick undercoats, which can become clumpy without the proper care. However, they do spend a significant amount of time cleaning themselves.

2. Birman

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Weight: 10 to 12 pounds

Lifespan: 13 to15 years

Grooming: Twice weekly combing

Personality: Affectionate, friendly, gentle and curious

Bottom Line: Birman

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Say hello to the Birman, another low to medium shedder. Their hair does not tangle, even though it is on the longer side because they do not have an undercoat.

This does not mean, however, that you should ignore their grooming needs. Regular combing is paramount for keeping this kitty happy and healthy.

If you find a knot or two, it’s better to cut it out entirely, so you don’t cause the Birman pain by combing it.

1. Sphynx

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Weight: 6 to 12 pounds

Lifespan: 8 to 14 years

Grooming: Weekly warm water baths

Personality: Energetic and loyal

Bottom Line: Sphynx

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The most widely recognizable hairless cat, the Sphynx has little to no hair with which to shed. What little hair they do have is a fine layer of fuzz.

All cats like the Sphynx with exposed skin lack natural protection from sun, dirt and climate changes.

Therefore, more frequent bathing and sunscreen (with UVA and UVB barriers of SPF 15 or SPF 30) are a must.