The Ragdoll cat breed is known for their calm, gentle and peaceful temperament. On top of that, they’re an intelligent bunch. They like to be petted, cradled, and carried around! Check out this guide to ragdolls if you are looking to adopt or bring one into your home…
This often color-pointed breed, with its ocean-blue eyes and soft paws, will steal your heart away. It’s easy to be taken in by their silky semi-long coat and mitted patterns. But do they make good pets?
In today’s article, we want to loop you in on the activities, characteristics, health, and personality traits of these cats. For our felinophiles, we’ll also be discussing their colors, patterns, playfulness, and history! Let’s start!
The Temperament of a Ragdoll Cat
These cats are very sociable! They love to be around humans and be involved in their activities. If you want you and your cat to share a special bond, a ragdoll will be your best companion! They make good lap cats, which means you can be a couch potato on the weekends and have your fur baby join in on the fun!
The Ragdoll Breed is Quite Lazy
These cats love to nap. In fact, it often tops their list of priorities. Despite being among the largest breeds, they wake up every day only to be dozing off in a few hours’ time. Living with these cats is relatively easy. For one, they don’t demand a lot of attention.
You can work a job, pop outside for errands, and not have your fur baby work themselves into a frenzy at home. Overall, they are low-maintenance cats. They’re genuinely composed, affectionate, and gentle.
There’s no such thing as rubbing a ragdoll up the wrong way. You’ll be surprised how sweet-natured this breed can be. They get on well with small children and gladly sit through their temper tantrums.
Ragdolls Are Fun-Loving and Social
They are often referred to as puppy cats because they’re incredibly charming and social. Unlike some breeds, they enjoy the company of their favorite human. They make amazing playmates and can easily adapt to the company of other cats.
If you’re someone who already has a cat or two, you can easily make room for a ragdoll. There’s a good chance they’ll get along just the way you wanted! Above all, they’re happy to be around you. So, make sure to give them enough hugs and cuddles!
They Are Compatible with Other Cats
They are often happier when they have a playmate, sometimes cats are better in pairs. People often opt for having two kittens! But it’s perfectly fine to adopt one ragdoll even if you don’t have another fur baby. They’re more than happy to have your undivided attention!
We always get the question of whether this breed will get along with dogs, and the answer is yes, they do. Their chill temperament makes them the ideal companion of cats, dogs, and young children.
The History of Ragdoll Cats
Reading about their chill personality, they almost seem too good to be true, don’t they? A ragdoll cat is the polar opposite of a demanding Siamese and even a Bengal. So, where did this super calm and friendly cat come from?
Interestingly, the breed has been around since the 1960s when a Californian woman named Ann Baker bred “Josephine”, a free-roaming longhaired white female, with a black-and-white stray. So, the origin of these cats consists entirely of free-roaming, non-pedigree stray cats.
Josephine was running loose in the neighborhood, while the dad was also found from the streets. Their kittens were a longhaired brown male, a solid black male, and a bi-color seal point female. They are the ancestors of today’s breed.
The name “ragdoll” is based on the breed’s tendency to be carried around without resistance gladly, they simply flop. You’ll be happy to know that the International Cat Association, along with the Cat Fanciers’ Association and the American Cat Fanciers Association, now acknowledge the ragdoll as a breed!
According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association stats from 2021, ragdolls are the most popular breed in the world. The world’s largest genetic registry of cats, the International Cat Association also ranks the breed second to the Bengal breed.
What You Should Know about a Ragdoll Cat’s Personality
The breed has a chill, laid-back personality. They’re famously known as puppy cats because of their friendly, people-loving nature. Most cats only get chummy with you when it’s time for food.
But they are not known for playing games. They will happily follow you around, travel with your family, and be a lap cat on snoozy Sundays!
They’re Calm, Intelligent, and Good-Natured
First, ragdolls are not outdoorsy in the slightest. They like spending time indoors and occasionally sunbathing on your patio. They like to stay on the ground level rather than climb high surfaces. They aren’t the type of cats that climb up the curtains in a fit of rage. Come to think of it, irritability is something you don’t often see in these cats.
If anything, they are very trusting and curious. They don’t lose these traits in adulthood. Yes, they take more naps than they would like to admit, but their playful curiosity makes it easy to befriend them than other animals.
Ragdolls Pay All Their Attention to Their Owners
They’re an easy-to-train breed. Because they have similar traits as a puppy, they have a good attention span. These cats easily recognize the sound of their names and come running when called.
You can teach a ragdoll how to fetch toys and do some fun tricks. They thrive with positive reinforcements from their owner as well as cat treats and compliments. They don’t require a lot of exercise.
Sometimes, They Can be Really Extroverted!
Being the social butterflies they are, they fall into their fair share of troubles. Sometimes they can have too much fun and end up getting lost or stolen. It’s always a good idea to take your ragdoll cat out for a walk on a leash.
If you want a fun, sociable, and intelligent cat, these cats check all the boxes. They’ll be affectionate and loyal towards your family.
Ragdolls are Docile and Trusting
Ragdolls often lack the feline instinct to fight in the face of danger. For a tall, heavy-boned breed, they scare easily. They are unable to defend themselves from predators. On top of that, they’re not very good climbers.
Therefore, they may need you to protect them. Their trusting nature is often followed by dependency, which means they believe you’ll come and protect them when they’re attacked or just distressed in general.
Now, to move forward, this dog-like breed can rarely chase, fight, or hunt. They can get quite clumsy when it comes to catching a mouse. So, a ragdoll might not be a choice if you want to get a cat for keeping your house mice-free.
Did you know that they were named the most popular cats of 2019 and 2020 by the Cat Fanciers’ Association? Clearly, the popularity of this breed is on the rise.
Physical Characteristics
Size
These cats are usually 9 to 12 inches tall and can weigh between 10 to 20 pounds. They are among the largest domesticated cat breeds. A full-grown adult will have a height of about 11 inches.
The females are a bit shorter, weighing between 8 to 15 pounds. Both male and female cats reach their full height and weight when they’re 2 to 3 years old. They have well-rounded chins and oval eyes.
Fortunately, this breed is one of the cat breeds that don’t shed nearly as much as others. Are ragdolls cats hypoallergenic? They don’t have an undercoat and tend to shed their coats lightly in springtime so many owners who have allergies believe these popular cats are good to live with! During the rest of the months, grooming them regularly with a brush will greatly minimize shedding. They are biologically big cats, but their fluffy fur makes them appear much bigger.
These puppy cats have medium-sized heads and soft, pointed ears. What’s more, their ears are set on the sides of their heads, giving them a cute triangular look.
Their hind legs are a bit taller than the front legs, and their paws are beautifully round with furry tufts. Ragdolls have a soft tail covered in fur. Overall, they are strong, well-built cats but will go limp when you cradle them!
Colors
These cats are often white at birth. Their true color, coat length, and pattern don’t appear until they’re a few weeks old. After 10 days, small spots of color begin to appear on their ears, masks, and other extremities.
The Bicolor ragdoll has interesting features. They often show a cool inverted V on the forehead. This long-bodied breed comes in four patterns and six colors. They have a coat that feels smooth and silky.
Their soft, satiny fur varies in length. A ragdoll can have a semi-long to a long coat, with seal and blue being the most common colors.
Ragdoll Coat Patterns
These cats usually have four different patterns when it comes to their coat – bi-color, van, mitted and colcorpoint. The most common pattern is the bi-color, where the cat comes with an evenly distributed mix of white and another solid color.
They also come in the ‘van’ pattern, which means the body is white and has spots of a darker color on the ears, the tail, and on top of the mask.
Then there’s the ‘Mitted’ pattern where the paws and chins are white, and the cat also has a white belly stripe. Lastly, we have the color point pattern where you can see different pointed markings in the cat’s skin. All these patterns generally come in six different colors – Grey, Lilac, Orange, Cream, Seal, and Chocolate.
Health Issues
A healthy ragdoll cat can live up to 18 years and more. The average lifespan is between 13-18 years, regardless of their color points and gender. They also have fewer health complications compared to other pure breeds. So, if you’re looking to adopt a cat, you can expect these cats to be problem-free.
They have a bubbly, happy demeanor, but most importantly, a chill personality that makes them want to lounge any time. That’s why they’re very prone to obesity. It can put pressure on their joints and slow down the internal organs with time.
Hereditary Diseases
In most purebreds, some basic health concerns will be there because of a smaller genetic pool – not so with the Ragdoll! The biggest health risk of the breed is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), followed by urinary tract infections which tend to be common in many domestic cats of indeterminate breed.
While ragdolls are usually healthy, they have a hereditary health concern that affects about 30% of this breed. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy attacks healthy heart functions and can be diagnosed by simple screening.
Preventable Diseases
Ragdoll cats are also susceptible to various bacterial and viral infections, including calicivirus, panleukopenia, rabies, and rhinotracheitis. These diseases can be prevented through regular shots. Unlike genetic disorders, bladder stones, dental issues, and gastrointestinal diseases will show well-defined symptoms.
A breeder will screen for underlying health concerns when the cats are at a tender age. It’s good to follow up with such screenings well into adulthood. HCM doesn’t show obvious symptoms, except for deteriorating heart health. If you can get in touch with an ethical breeder, any existing genetic disease will be disclosed to you upfront. Good luck!
Price of a Ragdoll Cat
So how much does a Ragdoll cat cost? Depending on the color pattern, the price of a healthy kitten can range from $1500 to $2500 dollars. You can get a pet for about $800 in some places.
Kittens from specialized breeders are usually priced around $2000 bucks. Due to demand, these cats are expensive in all countries. They’ll cost more if you buy the breeding rights.
Considering they’re low-maintenance cats, you won’t have to spend an arm and leg in their upbringing. Show quality ragdolls and some rare color patterns can be found in the $1200 to $1500 price range.
Bottom Line
Cute, calm, and sociable – are three words that describe a ragdoll cat the best. They’re very affectionate towards their owner and are easily the life and soul of a party.
Ragdolls’ chill personality, cool temperament, and playful nature make them good family pets for any home!
A ragdoll kitten free of hereditary diseases stays healthy, happy, and active its entire life. Make sure to give your fur baby dedicated veterinary care on a regular basis, regardless of the breed. Thanks for reading!
