The ragdoll cats belong to a breed of giant cats that originates in the United States, from various crosses between other breeds, like the Persian, the Siamese and the sacred of Burma. In recent decades, these felines have become very popular as pets, due to their remarkable beauty and temperate behavior. They are loyal and affectionate cats who establish a very special bond with their guardians and who need company to lead a he althy and happy life.
In general, ragdoll cats are in very good he alth and have a longevity of around 10 years. However, they need to receive adequate preventive medicine and essential care to preserve their good he alth and maintain a balanced behavior.
On our site you will find information about the basic care of the ragdoll, but this time we invite you to discover the diseases of the ragdoll cat so you can provide an optimal quality of life for your feline companion. Keep reading!
Inbreeding in ragdoll cats
Inbreeding can be defined as the mating of individuals who are genetically related(between siblings, between parents and children, or between grandchildren and grandparents, for example). These interbreeding can occur spontaneously in nature, such as between mountain gorillas, bees, and cheetahs, or be human-induced. Unfortunately, inbreeding has been used as a resource during the creation process and/or standardization of breeds in domestic animals, mainly dogs and cats.
In ragdoll cats, inbreeding is a serious problem, as about 45% of their genes come from a single founder, the Raggedy Ann Daddy Warbucks. Individuals born from inbred crosses have a low genetic variety, which makes them more prone to suffering from a series of hereditary diseasesand degenerative, also reducing their life expectancy.
In addition, these individuals may have a reduced rate of success when reproducing. Inbred crosses tend to produce smaller litters and the offspring tend to have weaker immune systems, which increases the mortality rate and reduces their chances of surviving to continue their species.
Radgoll cat diseases: obesity
Ragdoll cats are especially tame and enjoy a calm lifestyle, not exactly fans of a routine of intense physical activity. However, a sedentary lifestyle is very detrimental to the he alth of these felines, since they can easily gain weight and thus show some symptoms of obesity in cats. Therefore, their guardians should not only offer them a balanced diet, but also encourage them to practice exercise, games and stimulating activities on a regular basis.
Environmental enrichment is key to providing an environment that arouses your cat's curiosity and "invites" him to play, exercise and expend energy. In addition, an enriched home is ideal for stimulating your cat's cognitive, emotional and social skills, thus preventing symptoms of stress and boredom.
On our site we also teach you some passive exercises for cats, which will help you manage a he althy weight for your feline companion. Don't miss them!
Feline urinary tract problems
The problems in the urinary tract stand out as the most common diseases of the ragdoll cat, and can affect the ureters, urethra, bladder and even expand to the kidneys. Among the most frequent urinary disorders in cats, we find the following pathologies:
- Urine infection
- Cystitis in cats
- Feline Urological Syndrome (FUS)
Each of these diseases has its own symptoms, which will also depend on the state of the cat's he alth and the progress of the clinical picture. However, there are some signs that may indicate a condition in the feline urinary tract, such as:
- Constant urge to urinate, but difficulty passing urine
- Intensely or constantly licking the genital area
- Painful urination
- Stress when urinating
- Presence of blood in the urine
- Urinary incontinence (the cat may begin to urinate outside the litter box and even in completely unusual places, such as in its resting area or toilet)
Hairballs and digestive problems in ragdoll cats
Like most long or semi-longhaired cats, Ragdolls can suffer from digestive problems caused by the accumulation of hairballs in their stomach and intestinal tract. With their daily grooming habits, felines often ingest some hairs when licking themselves to sanitize their own body.
If the cat manages to expel the hair effectively, it should not suffer any alteration in its good he alth. However, when the cat fails to purge properly, the following symptoms may appear:
- General Decay
- Apathy
- Frequent retching
- Regurgitations
- Vomiting liquid and food
To prevent the formation of hairballs in your kitten's digestive tract, it is essential to brush regularly its fur to remove the hairs dead and dirt. To help you maintain the beauty and he alth of your ragdoll's coat, we offer some recommendations for brushing a cat's hair, and we also show you how to choose the ideal brush for a long-haired cat.
In addition, m alt for cats can be a safe and effective way to help your kitty purge the hair ingested in his daily grooming. In addition, it works as an excellent sensory stimulus for cats, allowing them to exercise physical and cognitive abilities.
Polycystic kidney disease
Polycystic kidney (or polycystic kidney disease) is a hereditary disease most frequently diagnosed in Persian and exotic shorthair cats, but can also affect ragdolls.
In this clinical picture, the cat's kidneys produce cysts that are filled with fluid since birth. As the cat grows, these cysts increase in size and can cause severe kidney damage, including kidney failure.
Some of the polycystic kidney symptoms feline can be:
- Loss of appetite
- Weightloss
- Weakness
- General Decay
- Depression/lethargy
- High water consumption
- Frequent urination
The castration or sterilization of cats suffering from this pathology are crucial preventive measures to avoid the transmission of this disease and overpopulation, which in most cases end up in shelters or on the street itself.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in ragdoll cats
Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most frequent cardiac pathology in domestic felines and is also among the main diseases of the ragdoll cat. It is characterized by thickening of the myocardial mass of the left ventricle causing a reduction in the volume of the cardiac chamber.
Consequently, the feline's heart becomes unable to properly pump blood to the other tissues and organs of the body. Then, complications related to poor circulation may appear, such as thromboembolism (formation of clots in different parts of the body that impair organic functions).
Although it can affect all cats, it is more frequent in felines elderly males Its symptoms depend on the state of he alth of each cat and the progress of the disease, there are also some asymptomatic cases. However, the most characteristic symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats are as follows:
- Apathy
- Dyspnoea
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of appetite
- Weightloss
- Depression and lethargy
- Flaccidity in the hind limbs
- Sudden death
Visit your vet
Now you know what the most common diseases of the ragdoll cat are, for that reason, do not forget the importance of preventing them through veterinary visits every 6 or 12 months, monitoring of the cat's vaccination schedule and regular deworming. In addition, in the event of any symptoms mentioned above or changes in their behavior and usual routine, do not hesitate and go to your veterinarian, the only figure capable of guaranteeing the good he alth of your feline.
