Cats That Have Dog-Like Personalities

The Maine coon is a true, red-blooded American native. The only cat breed to have been developed in the United States, the Maine coon is also the largest among cat breeds. Because of their size and temperament, Maine coon cats are often referred to as "dog-like" by breeders and fans of the breed. Generally, Maine coons love to be with people, relaxing and hanging out but not in an annoyingly needy way. They are great with kids, other cats and dogs. Many owners of Maine coons report the cats will play fetch with them.

Coming in at No. 8 on the top 10 list of the Cat Fancy Association's most registered breed is the Birman. Hailing from Burma, these lovely cats are frequently mistaken for a type of Siamese because they have points like a Siamese. The points are the areas of darker fur on the face, ears, tail and legs. The difference with the Birman is the feet. Unlike a Siamese, the Birman's feet are white. The Birman has round blue eyes, a golden coat and long, silky hair. The CFA describes the Birman as "gentle, active and playful," and Birman owners seem to agree. Known for its dog-like personality, the Birman is a beautiful cat.

It is said Noah closed the Ark door too soon and caught the Manx's tail, completely severing it and sentencing this cat to forever live without one. Originally from the Isle of Man, these cats have such a strong desire to be with people, they may be trying to edge out the dog as man's best friend. They are strong and stocky and come in several varieties: stumpy, rumpy, riser and tailed. Of these, only the rumpy can be shown. The rumpy is a complete lack of tail and a dimple where the tail should be; the riser has one caudal vertebrae and rises just a little; the stumpy has a little stump of a tail, and the tailed has a partial tail. The Manx is considered dog-like because of its superior intelligence and willingness to be somewhat trained.

There are billions of cats in the world, each with their own personalities. While some breeds are well-known for being quite dog-like, you cannot assign one personality trait to an entire breed. There are shy cats and there are gregarious cats in every breed. The domestic shorthair is the common alley or house cat. This cat has short fur and comes in all colors and patterns. Grey tabbies and brown tabbies are usually quite friendly and like to be with people, traits dogs share. However, the orange tabby cat, sometimes called a "ginger cat" or a "marmalade cat," takes the prize for being especially outgoing. The males are usually quite large, muscular and possess lots of "cattitude." When you think of orange tabbies, think of Garfield or Heathcliff. There's a reason the artists colored their human-like cats orange, these cats are almost always dog-like in personality.