The Ragdoll is a large affectionate,
semi-longhaired cat with captivating blue eyes. One of the largest breeds in the cat fancy, the Ragdoll gets along well with
children and other pets, including dogs, often living up to its name as it gets carried around the house in a child's arms.
These sturdy cats have no extreme features and blend easily in to the busy modern household.
History
Ann Baker of Riverside, California developed the Ragdoll breed in the early
1960s. A pure white longhaired cat named Josephine is believed to be the matriarch of the breed along with a seal mitted male
named Daddy Warbucks and a solid black cat named Blackie. Daddy Warbucks was bred to a daughter of Josephine named Buckwheat
and her half sister, Fugianna. These cats are the foundation of the Ragdoll breed. Ann insisted Josephine's genes were altered
at a nearby medical center where she was taken after being hit by a car. Litters born after her return from the hospital had
the limp, loving personalities Ragdolls are known for, unlike her "normal" kittens born prior to her hospitalization.
Baker's breeding program consisted of a handful of breeders contracted as franchises under her. As time went on, Baker became
more eccentric and breeders broke away from her so they could continue to develop the highly affectionate and consistently
patterned cats. Denny & Laura Dayton were among the breeders who distanced themselves from Baker and went on to play a
major role in making the Ragdoll into a legitimate breed recognized by all the major registries.
Personality
The Ragdoll is a relaxed, happy cat and, like a child's ragdoll, many of
these cats will go limp in your arms and flop like a stuffed doll when cuddled. Generally, the Ragdoll cat is a loving, quiet
cat with a very laidback disposition. If you are looking for a very active cat or a talkative cat, a Ragdoll probably is not
the breed for you, although kittens and young adults can be very rambunctious and most Ragdolls are always willing to play.
Ragdolls are known for their tolerant attitudes with other animals and especially children and many will allow themselves
to be dressed in doll clothes and carried around by youngsters with absolutely no resistance. They are often compared to dogs
because of their friendliness and intelligence and have even been taught to play fetch.
Traits
The Ragdoll's medium length, silky coat has a soft rabbit-like texture.
There is little shedding of the coat except in the spring and fall. Its soft texture means it stays on top of surfaces and
is easy to pick-up with a hand or damp cloth. All pointed Ragdolls have beautiful blue eyes and come in 3 patterns: colorpoint,
bicolor, mitted. The Ragdoll color pallet consists of seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, red and cream along with
the tortoiseshell and lynx (or tabby) variations. Colorpoint Ragdolls have classic markings like the Siamese with no white
anywhere on the body; mitted Ragdolls have white feet in the front looking like mittens and white to the hock on the backlegs
looking like boots along with a possible white blaze on the face; bi-color Ragdolls have more white extending higher up the
legs than on the mitteds, splashes of white on the back, a white underside and an inverted white V on the face.
The Ragdoll is one of the largest of the cat breeds and takes
up to 4 years to reach full maturity. Fully developed males weigh from 15-20 pounds with the proportionately smaller females
weigh from 10-15 pounds. These gentle cats have long, substantial bodies with sturdy boning to match. They have a sweet expression
emphasized by the large eyes full of love and devotion. Their features are composed of soft curves and transitions with nothing
extreme or exaggerated.
The Ragdoll's plush, silky
coat requires little routine grooming, although it should be brushed or combed weekly with a steel comb to remove dead hair
from their coats and separate any tangles. During shedding season, be sure to watch for some tangles under the armpits.
Excerpted from The International Cat Association's (TICA) Website.
