Humans are thought to have kept cats as pets for over 10,000 years, with the first domesticated felines evolving from African wildcats.
Since then they have become the world’s second most popular pet, just behind dogs when it comes to the animals we most like to welcome in to our homes and our hearts.
In the UK alone there are more than 10 million feline friends in households.
And there are a huge range of types of cat to choose from - according to The International Cat Association there are 73 ‘standardised breeds’, along with a bewildering number of crosses.
One thing to think about before getting your first pet cat is whether you plan for them to stay indoors.
Some breeds are happy to stay inside (with a regularly-changed litter tray!) for most of their lives and will have little interest in the outside world beyond the home they share with their humans.
All they need (other than their beloved owner) is an assortment of climbing trees, scratching posts, puzzle feeders, window perches, and interactive toys to keep them engaged and give them plenty of chances for mentally-stimulating play.
Here are the 10 best breeds of housecat.
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9. Sphynx
Being pretty much hairless means that the Sphynx can struggle to regulate its body temperature, meaning that these quirky characters are best indoors, where they are protected from the extremes of heat in winter and summer. If you're comfortable in your home then they should be too. | Getty Images
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10. Burmese
Burmese cats tend to stay as playful in adulthood as they are when they were kittens and just love interaction with humans. They make great house cats, but don't love being left alone regularly for prolongued periods. | AFP via Getty Images