The Ragdoll Cat is a breed of cat that stands out for its captivating blue eyes and white coat with color points on the face, ears, tail, and paws. They are renowned for being gentle and friendly, and they dress in a delicate, mid-length silky coat.

Ragdolls are one of the cuddliest cat breeds in existence today, when you hold them, they go into a limp like state, which is where they inherited their name, Ragdolls. These cats enjoy taking part in daily tasks and will follow their favorite human around the house, unlike most domestic cats which prefer to spend time alone and only sometimes seek out human contact.

Despite the breed's tendency to be a touch needy when it comes to affection, they don't require much care when it comes to burning energy.

The breed was created just a few decades ago, in the 1960s. Breeder Ann Baker was looking for offspring with kind dispositions and long, silky coats.

This cat breed is known as Gentle Giants because of its great size despite being very gentle and affectionate. Males can weigh more than 20 pounds, while females can weigh up to 15 pounds.

Ragdoll Personality

Cats are not low-maintenance pets, but Ragdoll cats might be an exception. They are enormous, amiable giants. This breed is renowned for having a laid-back personality and preferring to play with their humans rather than playing by themselves. They are renowned for being kind, composed, and social.

When taken up and cuddled, Ragdolls tend to become entirely at ease, earning the breeds name.

This does not imply that Ragdoll cats dislike physical activity. Ragdoll dogs enjoy being outside and are frequently seen walking on leashes. They are one of the few cat breeds that tend to enjoy the water as well.

Ragdolls as Pets

If you're searching for a friendly, affectionate cat that craves attention, ragdolls make wonderful pets. They are a medium to large breed, so make sure your home has enough room to accommodate one. Ragdolls have long hair, and even though most of them don't need much grooming and don't shed much, when they do, their fur will cover the entire house, if you wear black often, you will need plenty of lint rollers and a ChomChom Pet Hair Remover for your furniture (trust me, it WORKS!!).

All things considered, Ragdolls are affectionate giants that will charm you and your guests with their cuddly personality.

Affectionate
They are highly affectionate, enjoying cuddles with their humans. This was how they were bred. They want people's attention; ragdolls frequently accompany their owners from room to room throughout the day.

Intelligence
They are shrewd felines. They are very trainable cats who can learn tricks and who want human contact.

Children-Friendly and Flexible
They get along well with both children and other pets. But keep in mind that ragdolls are docile and may take a lot of abuse silently. They may also get wounded by children and other cats as they do not tend to stand up for themselves. Make sure to observe and instruct household pets and children on how to interact with ragdolls.

Ragdoll Ancestors

Every breed of cat has a backstory, but the Ragdoll cat's is somewhat peculiar.

Ragdolls was first officially recognized in 1966. This is especially evident when you contrast it with more ancient breeds like Persians, which were thought to have existed for many centuries.

But what distinguishes Ragdolls from other breeds is not their age. Actually, there are quite a few younger ones around. They are particularly fascinating because of their mysterious legend.

Typically, a breeder will start by selecting a special or desired trait for their new breed of cat. Then they decide on a breeding pair that can regularly produce offspring with those traits.

Ann Baker is said to have chosen the first Ragdoll breeding partners in 1963. She picked two cats with characteristics that best represented the breed as we know it today: a big cat with a silky coat, vivid blue eyes, and the traditional pointed markings. But there are various stories about how this breed developed. None can be completely verified.

Ann Baker states in one tale that she came across a lovely male cat named Josephine while borrowing cats for her Black Persian breeding program. This impressive cat resembled a male Birman; he was the offspring of a white angora cat. Raggedy Ann Daddy Warbucks was the name of the male that Ann would utilize to have litters with similar traits. Blackie, his sibling, who she also helped her broaden the gene pool while preserving the desired traits.

Other tales explore Josephine's life a little more in depth. The Angora, according to the legend, was a rescue that Ann owned and was struck by a vehicle. Josephine was supposedly immune to pain as a result of this tragedy, which accounts for her floppy, carefree temperament. The story of how Ragdolls got their name includes a reference to this, as when held, they have a reputation for becoming limp like rag dolls.

According to some versions, Raggedy Ann Daddy Warbucks was created through the intentional mating of Josephine and a Birman. But depending on who is telling the history, these stories have slightly different variants.

The only thing that is clear about the Ragdoll breed is that Josephine is the sole legal source of all acknowledged purebred Ragdolls.

Persian, Burmese, and Birman breeds were chosen to produce the Ragdoll Cat. Not only were these cat breeds chosen for their gorgeous, silky coats, but also for their personalities. This contributes to the notion that Ragdoll cats share traits with Persian and Birman cats in terms of personality.

Physical Features of Ragdolls

A unique characteristic of ragdoll cats is that they are born white, developing a darker coat color only two months after birth. As they mature into adult cats, the color of their coat will show more.

Eyes, Ears, and Tail

The Ragdoll's eyes are by far its most important characteristic. Blue eyes are required for all purebred Ragdoll cats. They ought to be substantial and oval in shape. Ragdolls have medium-sized ears that are rounded at the tips and get wider toward the base. The long tails of Ragdoll cats display their point color and have a medium-length, beautiful plume.

Size

Although ragdolls are typically medium-sized cats, some can grow to be quite large, measuring up to 28 cm, and males can weigh as much as 15-20 pounds on average. Like in most cat species, females are substantially smaller and mature females typically weigh between 10-15 pounds.

Coat

A Ragdoll cat will have medium to long-haired soft, silky fur. Their paws, tail, eye mask, and ear tips will all have darker colored fur. Such as seal, chocolate, blue, lilac, red, and cream are the dominant hues. Every color's face mask, tail, legs, ears, and other points need to be precisely described.

A color variant of Mitted Ragdolls will have white fur on their front paws and hind legs, with the top legs serving as the focal point. Frequently, this color variety also has a white patch on the face.

Health Issues Ragdoll Cats Experience

Veterinarians advise feeding the breed premium cat food as Ragdolls frequently suffer from the following medical conditions:

Gum and Mouth Disease

Ragdolls, like most breeds, are susceptible to gum and dental problems during the course of their lives.

Respiratory System Conditions

Ragdoll cats may contract cat flu. Sneezing and nasal discharge are symptoms of cat flu, an illness that affects the upper respiratory tract and is viral in origin. By immunizing the cat early on, it can be easily avoided, and the symptoms can be controlled.

Heart Condition

Ragdolls are frequently predisposed to a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which can result in heart failure. Even though the disorder cannot be cured, it can be managed with a lifetime of medication.

Disorders of the Digestive System

This issue is not unique to the breed. Most cats can experience issues with their digestive systems.

Fun Facts

• Instead of adding the ragdoll new breed to the established registers, Ann Baker founded the IRCA, her own breed registry. IRCA is still in use today, but adoption is substantially lower.