Kitty Kat Korner - The Ragdoll Cat

by Heddie Leger

The Ragdoll is a very friendly and relaxed cat. It gains the name from its relaxing ability to the point of utter limpness in one’s arms. The Ragdoll has a light-colored body with darker Siamese-type points on the face, legs, tail and ears.

Strictly An Indoor Cat
The Ragdoll is a strictly indoor cat; due to its extremely docile nature, it may lack the ability to defend itself. It is perfect for the elderly and children alike. A Ragdoll cat makes a perfect therapy animal. People who think they would like to have a dog in a cat’s body should consider having a Ragdoll. These docile, easygoing cats love interacting with people and want to be right in the middle of everything their people are doing. The cats generally don’t mind being cradled on their backs in the arms of family members, and are well-known for following people around, much like dogs do. The Ragdoll considers itself to be the household’s welcoming committee, and is likely to be the first one to greet guests and try to make them feel at home by being affectionate and offering to share their own toys with them. Although they will quietly voice opinions from time to time, don’t expect your Ragdoll to be overly talkative or as vociferous as other cat breeds are.

Like the name suggests, Ragdolls excel at taking life easy. Although some can be active and chatty, naptimes are sacred and you can observe a Ragdoll taking a nap anywhere. If you have multiple Ragdolls they will often sleep piled on top of one another.
The National Breed Club is the Ragdoll Fanciers International; www.rfci.org.

Easygoing and Loving Personality
They have an easygoing and loving personality. Ideal Ragdolls are well-balanced with a broad, modified wedge head, full cheeks, wide-set, medium-size ears, strong neck and medium-to-long legs. Their oval eyes are always some form of blue. The fur is shorter on the front legs than the back legs and rest of the body. They typically weigh between 14 and 18 pounds, although altered males can exceed 20 pounds.

A Large Cat
The Ragdoll is one of the largest domesticated cat breeds with a sturdy body, large frame and proportionate legs. A fully-grown female weighs from 8 pounds (3.6 kg) to 15 pounds (6.8 kg). Males are substantially larger, ranging from 12 pounds (5.4 kg) to 20 pounds (9.1 kg)[2] or more. The genes for point coloration are also responsible for the blue eyes of the Ragdoll. More intense shades of blue are favored in the cat shows. Though the breed has a plush coat, this coat consists mainly of long guard hairs, while the lack of a dense undercoat results in, according to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, “reduced shedding and matting.”

The CFA accepts four colors — seal, chocolate, blue and lilac for registration — and three patterns: color point, mitted and bi-color. Only bi-color may be shown. TICA accepts all pointed colors, solid, tabby, torti and particolor, which is any accepted color with white.

Surprisingly low-maintenance for a longhaired cat. Although the fur does not mat, experts advise brushing once or twice weekly.

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