Kadan is the son of the second Great Khan of the Mongols Ögedei and a concubine.

He is the grandson of Genghis Khan and the brother of Güyük Khan.

During the Mongol invasion of Europe, Kadan, along with Baidar (son of Chagatai Khan) and Orda Khan (the eldest brother of Batu Khan and khan of the White Horde), leads the Mongol diversionary force that attacks Poland, while the main Mongol force strikes the Kingdom of Hungary.