The ragdoll cat emerged in 1960 in California, United States, although the breed was not officially recognized until ten years later. The cross was made by an angora cat and a sacred male from Burma, which resulted in a fluffy, round, strong and really adorable kitten. His character is just as fantastic, a fact that is confirmed by his very name. "Ragdoll" literally translates as "rag doll", and the breed was named in this way precisely because of its extreme docility.
Today the ragdoll is one of the most popular breeds in the world. Are you thinking of adopting a cat with these characteristics? In this article on our site we talk about the characteristics of the ragdoll cat, its character, care and much more. Keep reading!
Origin of the ragdoll cat
As we have noted, the ragdoll cat emerged in the early 1960s at the hands of Ann Baker, in Riverside, California. The breed appeared after crossing his long-haired white cat named Josephine, who could be Angora or mixed-breed with Persian, with a sacred cat from Burma, although another solid black cat also participated and, later, the descendants that were born. From the first litter between Josephine and the sacred of Burma, Daddy Warbucks was born, who is believed to have been the first ragdoll cat and who was crossed with his own sisters. Ann suspected and insisted that, after being hospitalized for being hit by a car, something changed in Josephine because the litters she had as a result of this event were of much more affectionate and docile kittens.
Little by little, he began his breeding program to develop the breed together with other breeders, even founding the International Ragdoll Cat Association. However, due to his obsession, many of them decided to continue on his own. These breeders who separated from Baker were the ones who finally got official recognition of the breed. The International Feline Federation (FIFe) recognized it in 1991, while the breed was registered in Great Britain in 1999. In 2000, The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) officially recognized it.
Ragdoll Cat Characteristics
The ragdoll is a cat of size large, strong, compact and muscular Its body is slightly long, although in general it shows harmonious and proportionate. Females usually weigh between 3.5 and 6.8 kg, while males weigh between 5.4 and 9 kg or more.
The ragdoll cat's head is medium, broad, and generally round in appearance. This is so because it has a slightly curved forehead, although not domed, a straight nose with a rounded tip and a color matching that of the mantle or pink, a wide, medium-length snout with a well-rounded chin. developed, like the cheeks. The eyes are large, oval and deep blue in color, this being one of the main characteristics of the ragdoll cat. The ears, meanwhile, are medium, with a wide base and pointed ends, which, contrary to what happens with the rest, is sharp. The neck is short and wide.
Continuing with the specific features of the body, the ragdoll's chest is broad and strong, in proportion to its muscular appearance. The legs are of medium length and equally robust. The rear ones are slightly longer than the front ones, a feature that gives it a profile appearance slightly slanted forward. The feet are large, round and compact. The tail is long, wider at the base and with a round tip.
Ragdoll cat colors
Although the above traits are clearly distinctive of the breed, those related to the coat are even more representative. The hair of the ragdoll cat is semi-long, dense, soft and silky It is longer in the neck area, which gives it the appearance of a small lion, in the hind legs and tail, thus being much shorter on the face.
According to the International Feline Federation (FIFe) [1], the ragdoll cat is accepted in three color patterns different:
- Colourpoint: This is the most popular pattern and consists of showing the specific color on the tips of the ears, legs, tail and the mask (face).
- Bicolor: Ragdolls with this pattern usually have well-defined points of color on their ears, mask, and tail. Also, the mask is shaped like an inverted white "V".
- Mitted (mitten): This is the pattern that features the characteristic white "mittens" on its paws, otherwise It is very similar to colourpoint. In addition, it usually has a white stripe that can go from the nose to the forehead.
These same patterns can occur in the tabby or tortie varieties, and even mixing both:
- Tabby: it is characterized by forming a kind of stripes. Depending on the pattern, they can occur in the colored dots or in another area of the body.
- Tortie: similar to the shell of a turtle, so that the same color has different shades, as well as spots.
When it comes to the colors themselves, the following are the most common:
- Chocolate
- Cream
- Red
- Lilac
- Blue
- Toasted
Also, some of them have white spots. As for the combinations of patterns and colors, up to 60 varieties are accepted, so the possibilities are endless.
Ragdoll Cat Character
As we have already mentioned, the ragdoll is a breed of cat that is characterized by being very docile Therefore, it is a perfect companion for practically everyone. In addition, we are dealing with a cat sociable and tolerant, who gets along very well with other cats, animals and children. Likewise, it is a feline that does not tend to meow much, but prefers to emit other types of weaker and more delicate sounds to communicate with its human companions.
Continuing with the temperament of the ragdoll cat, he is calm, affectionate and very peacefulHowever, all this calm should not make us think that he does not like to play, on the contrary! He is a playful and curious cat who loves discovering new things, as well as play and spend time with their human and animal companions.
Without a doubt, the ragdoll is the ideal companion for children, as long as the latter know how to respect the animal to avoid harming it, since, due to its nature, it does not usually complain much.
Ragdoll cat care
Due to the characteristics of its coat, it is recommended to brush the ragdoll cat once a day or at least two or three times per week. In this way, knots are prevented from forming and, above all, the animal ingests too much dead hair during grooming, which could develop hairballs in the digestive system. In addition, you can give it m alt precisely to prevent these balls from forming. We explain everything in this other article: "M alt for cats - Uses and dosage".
Within ragdoll cat care, we also find those referring to keeping it properly stimulated, both physically and mentally. As we said, despite being a cat with a calm temperament, he loves to play and spend time with his companions. In fact, it is a fairly homely and familiar cat, so it is common for many of them not to tolerate solitude very well. For this reason, it is essential that they enjoy adequate environmental enrichment, made up of scratchers with different heights, assorted toys, shelves, etc. Likewise, don't forget to spend part of your day playing with your cat, you'll have a great time!
Otherwise, the ragdoll needs to receive a correct diet to avoid becoming overweight and, above all, according to its stage of growth. Being a large cat, its growth is slower than that of other breeds, so it takes longer to reach adulthood, which is usually around 4 years old. In addition, you should have a comfortable and safe place to rest, clean water and a sandbox (or more) with a sand that you like, preferably unscented.
Ragdoll Cat He alth
The life expectancy of the ragdoll cat is around 10 years. It is a relatively he althy breed, although, due to its semi-long hair, digestive problems such as trichobezoars (hairballs in the stomach) may appear.
Inbreeding is the most serious problem with this cat breed, with about half of all ragdoll genes (45%) coming from the founder, Daddy Warbucks. Therefore, they can suffer from hereditary and degenerative diseases as a result of breeding between genetically related cats. The most common diseases that affect ragdoll cats are:
- Urinary Problems
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
In addition, the ragdoll is a cat with a tendency to obesity, so it is important to control its diet. Both to detect any disease in time and to carry out adequate preventive medicine, it is essential to attend regular veterinary visits, follow the vaccination and deworming schedule established by the veterinarian.
Where to adopt a ragdoll cat?
Although it may seem strange, the truth is that it is possible to adopt a ragdoll cat in protectors and animal shelters Of course, before taking this Such an important decision, you must assess if you can really cover all the needs of this animal. Remember that it is a feline breed that requires company, so, in addition to educating your cat so that it learns to manage loneliness, you must bear in mind that it cannot spend many hours alone at home.
If after assessing all the needs of the ragdoll you verify that you are the ideal companion, then do not hesitate to go to the aforementioned centers and associations to see if there is a cat with the characteristics of the ragdoll, be it from purebred or mestizo, to be adopted. You will have a wonderful partner by your side!
