PicturePurrfect Ragdolls Cattery

About the Ragdoll Breed

The ragdoll was first developed in the early 1960's in Riverside, California, by Ann Baker. She bred a white long-haired female to a Birman-type male. The resulting litter was then bred to a sable Burmese-type cat. These three cats are the foundation of the ragdoll breed that we know today. The ragdoll's first actual registration as a purebred cat was in 1965.

The ragdoll is a large, well-balanced cat with no extreme features. Ragdoll kittens are born all white, and developed their point coloring when they are around 10 days old and are a slow maturing breed. They do not reach their full growth until they are around 3 years old. Neutered males can reach from 14-20 pounds, with females weighing slightly less.

All ragdolls are pointed cats and come in three primary patterns: color point, mitted, and bi-color. The traditional colors are seal, blue, chocolate and lilac. Many breeders work with a larger variety of colors and patterns such as cream, red, and torties. The ragdoll cat is accepted for registration in all major cat registries. CFA accepts bicolors for show status, while TICA accepts all three patterns.

The ragdoll cat is best known for it's loving, docile personality. Many people call them dog-like, as they love to follow you everywhere. There's nowhere in your house that if you go, they won't want to follow. They love having their bellies rubbed, greet you at the door when you come, and always try to talk. Ragdolls don't meow very much. They prefer to purr and quietly chatter as if to say, look at me, I'm right here. Pet me already. They adapt easily to new households, and they adapt to children, other cats, and dogs as well. It is normal for about a week's adjustment period though.

Because of their trust anyone, non-aggressive nature, ragdolls should always be kept indoors in order to prevent them from being stolen, and to prevent diseases picked up from other animals. We do not allow our ragdolls to be declawed.

Unlike most long-haired breeds, ragdolls are easily maintained and do not require much grooming. Their fur doesn't mat, but brushing them once or twice a week is a good maintenance. It's also a great treat for your ragdoll as they love to be brushed.

Some myths that should be dispelled are that ragdolls don't feel pain. It was thought that since they seemed to have no muscle control when picked up, then they couldn't have nerve endings to feel pain. But just try accidentally stepping on your ragdoll in the middle of the night when searching for leftovers in the fridge and you will see that they do indeed feel pain. The second myth is that ragdolls do not shed. Ragdolls have 2 coats of fur. It helps prevent matting and control shedding to a minimum. But even with it, they do shed, but very minimally. Brushing once a week can help keep it down even further. And last but not least, a ragdoll goes limp when you pick it up. While this may be the case in many ragdolls, there are times that they are uncomfortable, pregnant, or feel scared, and want to be put down. But for the most part, ragdolls want all the attention you can give and then some.