Ragdoll History
Some attribute the creation of the beautiful Ragdoll cat to Ann Baker, and say she simply bred some of her own free-roaming cats, liked their temperament, and continued breeding until she had a standard. Others say that Ann crossed a white Persian with a Birman and later crossbred with a Burmese. She founded the IRCA, but strangely enough, most cat registries today do not accept any of the IRCA produced Ragdolls into their associations. Though the Ragdoll has been standardized and is now being bred without outcrosses, only the bicolor are shown in the CFA, and they are registered in the miscellaneous class. They do hold championship status in all other registries.
Ragdoll Characteristics
Colors –
- Seal
- Blue
- Chocolate
- Lilac
- Red
- Cream
Patterns –
- Color Point (markings like Siamese and Himalayan)
- Bi-color (color point with white)
- Van (color only on the head and a spot or two on the body)
- Mitted (white front paws and back legs)
Ragdolls are beautiful cats with semi-long hair being longer around the neck (mane) and on the backs of the legs. They are large and well balanced with males weighing 12-20 lbs and females averaging 10-15. The Ragdoll has stunning blue eyes and super soft hair that isn’t prone to matting.
Ragdoll Temperament and Personality
As mentioned, the temperament is what the original breeders were attempting to recreate. These large cats are very intelligent and affectionate. They are docile and soft-spoken and prefer to be spending their time doing whatever you are doing. As a breed, the Ragdoll is so laid-back that they are considered about the most non-aggressive breed, so much so that they will even refuse to fight when attacked. For this reason, Ragdolls simply must be indoor pets.
Ragdolls are known for allowing you to hold them like a baby and going completely limp in your arms like a rag doll. They love to fetch and learn tricks and will follow you around like a puppy. Ragdolls are known to be so gentle that they will play without using their claws, which makes them great with children. They will come when called and greet strangers at the door.
Families with Ragdolls will tell you that they are the perfect cat. They are well behaved and good for people with active lifestyles. Ragdolls are wonderful companions with lots of personality and are affectionate, quiet and calm. They are most definitely a lap cat!
Ragdoll Health and Care
Ragdolls are slow to mature, taking almost 2 years to develop their full coats and up to 4 years to gain their full size. Ragdolls are a healthy breed with no breed-specific illness. They aren’t completely maintenance-free because they do require occasional combing, but they are fairly low-maintenance. They are good in apartments, as a family pet, and they like other animals. They tend to stay lower to the ground and aren’t prone to jumping up high onto things.
If you have any questions or would like to share stories, information or pictures of your Ragdoll, please join us in the discussion area. If you are thinking of adopting a Ragdoll, please consider the Ragdoll Rescue or check out adoptable Ragdoll cats at Petfinder.com.
If you are researching different breeds of cats, you might also enjoy reading Abyssinian Cats, Persian Cats, Himalayan Cats, Maine Coon Cats, Exotic Cats, and Siamese Cats.
