About
the Ragdoll Cat Breed
Temperament.
Each Ragdoll cat has its own personality, but the
characteristic temperament typical to the breed
is a sweet-natured, friendly companion
who actively seeks your love and attention, enjoys being
in your lap and underfoot, and adapts easily to environments
that other cats can have problems with, such
as the travel and other stresses required for cat shows,
or children and other pets in the home. Their
personalities are indeed more typical of a dog than
a cat! Ragdoll owners report these gentle giants
waiting at the door when they arrive home, lying limp
in their arms for a good bonding moment of belly scratching,
cuddling up for a nap next to the family dog, and unlike
many cat breeds, being very happy to be your baby. These
very intelligent kittens are not given to rough play
and will often learn to fetch with only a minimum of
encouragement. As adults, they are less active, placid
cats whose tiny voices may be heard only occasionally
when they need reassurance. They are ideal as both show
cats and pets.
Appearance.
The Ragdoll is a large,
muscular cat with blue eyes;
a sweet, open expression; and semi-long, non-matting,
almost rabbit-like soft fur
that requires only occasional brushing and does
not shed excessively. They mature slowly, taking
about 4 years to reach full size. Males generally weigh
15-20 pounds; females are generally 10-15. I've had
significantly larger Ragdolls than the above averages—this
is, after all, America's largest cat breed.
Colors
and Patterns. Ragdolls are pointed
cats like Siamese cats or Birmans, and are available
in standard colorpoint
and mitted patterns as
well as the rarer bicolor. They are born white and develop
their full colors by about 2 years of age. Standard
colors are seal
(dark brownish-black) and blue
(gray). Rarer colors are chocolate (dilute seal), lilac
(dilute blue), flame (red), cream (dilute red), tortie
(multicolor, females only as it's a sex-linked gene),
and lynx (visible striping in points). Rarer colors
and patterns are generally more expensive.
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Colorpoint
Ragdolls have darker points (faces, ears, paws,
tail) with a lighter body color. The tortie is
not a standard color but is used in breeding programs
to produce the less common colors, such as flamepoints.
Points as well as body color may be darker and
more vibrant, or softer and more dilute. |
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Mitted
Ragdolls are colorpoints that also have white
"mittens", "boots", chin and
ruff (longer fur about the neck and chest), and
a white underbelly. They may have blazes on their
noses, and their paw pads are pink. This standard
pattern may occur with any color. |
Seal
Mitted
STANDARD |
Blue
Mitted
STANDARD |
Flame Mitted
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Tortie Mitted |
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Bicolor
Ragdolls have an inverted white "V"
on a darker facial mask and a white body with
a colored saddle on their backs. White areas vary
in amount and placement. The nose and paw pads
are pink. This is a rarer pattern and thus more
expensive. Below are mother and son. |
Lilac Bicolor |
Chocolate Bicolor
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Breed
Concerns. Because of their placid nature, Ragdolls
must be kept indoors and protected from other animals
and people that may take advantage of their trust. The
same instinct that makes the Ragdoll so attached to
its human companions makes it vulnerable to more aggressive
animals. There are no special medical concerns associated
with the breed, but you should ask your breeder about
their particular line's health history. Expect 15-20
years of Ragdoll companionship!
History
of Breed. The Ragdoll breed has an interesting
history clouded with misinformation. The line was founded
in the 1960s by Ann Baker, a colorful woman regarded
by some as given to exaggeration. The original "Ragdoll"
was bred from a white female Persian and male Birman.
Ann also subsequently introduced a Burmese into the
line.
 Ann
Baker founded IRCA (International Ragdoll Cat Association)
in the early 1970s to promote the breed. The Ragdoll
breed was developed under Ann's supervision and was
standardized by subsequent breeders. It is now accepted
by most cat registries, though IRCA itself oddly enough
did not gain such acceptance, reputedly due to Ann Baker's
more fanciful notions about the breed. Ragdoll breeders
have expended considerable effort to debunk these myths,
including that Ragdolls had raccoon genes (they don't),
don't feel pain (they do), and can't protect themselves
(they are not aggressive but not stupid either!). One
somewhat mythical characteristic tends to be true of
the breed, however: Ragdolls are
known to go limp in their owners' arms,
like a ragdoll. Hence, the name.
In
spite of early misinformation spread about the breed,
the line is now standardized, being bred only Ragdoll
to Ragdoll, and enjoying a significant increase in popularity
due largely to its unique personality.
Watch
this video about Ragdoll cats to see them in action
and learn more!
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