Breeder Recommendations

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INDEX:
FOOD & Related Supplies
LITTER & Related Supplies
GROOMING: Coat, Claws, Dental
RECOMMENDED VETERINARY CARE
TOYS We Like

• Dry food. Dry food is recommended for optimal health and should be the mainstay of your cat/kitten’s diet. It is also arguably better for their teeth than wet food. Mine love Evo, but I recommend any of the following:
  
  
  Use airtight storage containers to keep food fresh, and stainless steel bowls because they help kitty avoid bacteria-related acne under the chin.
  
  
• Wet food. Wet kitten and cat food may be given as a daily treat. I recommend feeding them primarily any higher quality organically-prepared canned foods that they may like, but my kittens seem to prefer their "junk food' consisting of Friskies Turkey and Cheese (shredded) or Fancy Feast.
  


• Buffalo meat. Cooked, not raw. Highly recommended where you can get it!
  
  
• Treats. Meyenberg Goat Milk mixed with Gerber Mixed Baby Cereal makes a nice, healthy treat. Be sure to use the mixed cereal or they may develop an upset stomach.
  


• Nutritional Supplements.
  • L-Lysine. L-Lysine is often given to cats suffering from rhinotracheitis (feline herpesvirus, FHV-1, or simply "cat flu") to help boost their immune systems, but it is beneficial for the immune systems of ALL cats. You can buy it in either paste or powder form specifically for cats, or from a health food store in capsules which you may break apart (I like Solaray). I prefer to buy the powder form and put it in a salt shaker, which I then sprinkle over wet food at feeding time. 500 mg is the recommended dosage, but you really can't overdose.
  • Missing Link for Felines. Vitamins and minerals for good health.
  
  

• COAT. Ragdolls keep themselves very clean and odor-free through frequent grooming, so there is usually no need to bathe them. If you do want to bathe, use a gentle shampoo designed specifically for kittens/cats, NOT a flea/tick shampoo, and especially DO NOT USE "HUMAN" SHAMPOO as this could be deadly! Rinse for at least 15 minutes. Though they do not shed excessively, Ragdolls are semi-longhaired cats whose coats do benefit from weekly brushing or combing.
• CLAWS. Your Hallmark Ragdolls "Purchase Guarantee and Agreement" states that you must NOT declaw your cat. We accustom kittens to claw trimming weekly from an early age. It's easy to do, just avoid cutting into the pinkish quick of the claw. Your cat needs a scratching post or mat to exercise its claws on. I recommend one made of sisal rope so the cat doesn't confuse the material with your carpet or furniture. A cat tree serves the purpose; just buy one that can handle the Ragdoll's above-average size and weight. If your cat tends to scratch where it shouldn't, I highly recommend spraying the area with Feliway, or use Sticky Paws on the area. If undesirable scratching persists, try using Soft Paws (rubber caps that slip over the claws). They come in several colors and sizes.
• TEETH. Your cat should see a vet to get its teeth professionally cleaned, but between visits you can brush them yourself with a finger brush. Never use "human" toothpaste!

A medium carrier (left) is sufficient for bringing this large cat breed to the vet. Put an old towel inside in case the cat needs to relieve itself.

If you have an outdoor cat amongst your pets, it may put your indoors-only Ragdoll at risk for parasites and disease. Ask your vet for Revolution® (selamectin) to control fleas, ear mites, hookworms, heartworms, and roundworms. Select correct dosages by the animals' weights and apply to ALL cats. Ask your vet which vaccinations the cats will need. Note that I recommend against the following vaccines:

• FELV (Feline Leukemia). In rare cases it may cause cancer at the injection site, even years after the initial injection.
• FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis). In rare cases it may actually cause FIP.

We vaccinate our kittens and cats with Fort Dodge Fel-O-Vax IV, a general vaccine against Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, and Chlamydia Psittaci. In EXTREMELY rare cases (in our case, twice in 25 years), a kitten may have an allergic reaction to the vaccine, even a life-threatening one like anaphylactic shock. If your kitten comes from a litter containing a sibling that reacted to this vaccine, it may stand a very slight chance of developing the same allergy over its lifetime. We will advise you if any kittens in the litter reacted, which you should inform your vet of when giving subsequent vaccinations.

If your cat vomits up a hairball (compacted fur), don't panic — this is normal. If he occasionally vomits food, he may be having trouble passing a hairball, so try a hairball medicine like Petromalt (below). Diarrhea can often be controlled with KP Anti-Diarrheal Liquid (below). If vomiting or diarrhea persist, see your vet.

Your vet should see your cat every few years for professional dental cleaning. If you see your kitten pawing at its mouth, don't panic — it may simply be teething.

We recommend neutering male kittens between 4-6 months, and spaying female kittens between 6-8 months. Cats who have undergone altering should temporarily use non-clumping litter so it can't clump in the surgical site and cause infection.

Check CFA's list of plants poisonous to your cat before bringing new plants home!

TOYS. Never let your cat play with thread or anything small it might swallow; this can cause an emergency intestinal blockage.

Kittens love to play with balls, bells, ropes, toy mice, etc. Many Ragdolls love to play fetch like a dog! They also love to get silly with catnip. Ragdolls tend to be less active as adults, so engage them in play to maintain their optimum health. Below are some toys we like.