Ragdoll

Weight: 15 - 20 pounds
Life span: 15 - 25 years
CFA rank: 6

Breed History | Background:

Credit Ann Baker, a Persian cat breeder from Riverside, California for developing the Ragdoll in the 1960s. She bred a stray, domestic longhaired white cat named Josephine with male cats she owned. The kittens displayed sweet temperaments, pleasing looks and non-matting coats.
Baker purposely selected cats with the look and temperament she wanted for her breeding program to create the Ragdoll standard now accepted today.
Identified as one of the fastest-growing breeds in The International Cat Association – second only to the Bengal.
After many years, this breed was finally recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association in 1993 in the miscellaneous class.
Today, Ragdolls have earned championship status in all associations except CFA. In CFA, the bi-colors may be shown in the miscellaneous class. The color point and mitted patterns can be registered, but not shown.

Cat Look:

Ragdolls sport light-colored coats with Siamese-like points. The coats are medium to long and feel like rabbit fur.
This breed’s big body is muscular and well boned. A fatty pad under the abdomen is common in Ragdolls.
Its wedge-shaped head feature wide-set ears, a well-defined chin and big, oval-shaped blue eyes.
All Ragdoll kittens are born white with colors slowly appearing as they age.
This breed takes up to four years to fully mature.

Behavioral concerns:

Possess a relaxed, gentle temperament.
Ragdolls tend to behave politely around children and seniors.
Fits in nicely in multi-pet households that even include dogs.
They prefer hanging out on the floor and low-lying spots in the house to being perched on high shelves or tops of refrigerators.
Male Ragdolls can tip the scale up to 20 pounds, but they are anything but feline bullies.
Fascinated by water and have been known to leap into full bathtubs or sit on the edge of the tub while their people bathe.
Referred to as “puppy cats” because of their tendency to happily shadow their favorite people from room to room and maintain playfulness well into adulthood.
Prone to be overly trusting, so it is important to keep them indoors or supervised when outdoors for their own safety. They possess a non-fighting instinct.
Capable of easily mastering obedience commands and tricks.

Grooming:

Suggested Nutritional Needs:

Medical conditions seen:

Fun Facts:

This breed’s Ragdoll name came about from the popular misconception that these cats go completely limp and relax when picked up.
Female Ragdolls are often nicknamed “Daughters of Josephine.”
The Algonquin Hotel in New York City has kept a cat as its lobby mascot since the 1930s. The current one is a Ragdoll named Matilda.

Glossary