PROFILE

Size:

40 cm

Weight:

4,5 – 10 kg

Origin:

USA (California)

Lifespan:

12-15 years

Color:

black, lilac, blue and chocolate with different patterns

Suitable as:

!-suitable-as-!

Character:

child friendly, dog friendly, trusting

FCI groups:

!-fci groups-!

Activity

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Hair

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Meow

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Health

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Child friendly

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Dog friendly

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little:
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much:
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Origin And Breed History

Worldwide, the Ragdoll is the only cat on which a patent has been registered. The young noble cat originates from the USA, more exactly from California. Coincidentally, the longhaired cat “Josephine” gave birth to a litter of strikingly large kitties with blue eyes and semi-long fur. She is considered the ancestral mother of the Ragdoll cats.

Subsequently, the cat lover Ann Baker became aware of the animals, took over a male and began a legally protected line breeding in the 1960s.

Thanks to the plush fur and sweet eyes, the Ragdoll cat enjoyed great popularity. In the 1980s, the Ragdoll came to Germany. Today, according to the Guinness Book of Records, it is considered the largest domestic cat in the world.

Breed Description

At first glance, the cute Ragdoll cat looks like a particularly soft stuffed animal. After all, the lovely velvet paw also has a speaking name. Ragdoll is a play on words and describes a rag doll. Affectionately, the Ragdoll cat is therefore also called “rag doll”.

In terms of character, however, the largest breed cat in the world is more like a dog. Like the quadruped, the Ragdoll cat follows its owner at every turn.

Loneliness does not go for the Ragdoll cat at all. It has a very social nature and therefore prefers to be in company at all times. No matter if it is a human or a cat, the main thing is that the gentle Ragdoll can share her time with someone else.

Appearance Of The Ragdoll

Distinctive features of the Ragdoll cat breed, besides their fluffy, silky fur, are their large bright blue eyes. The coat color, on the other hand, can always vary. However, all Ragdoll kittens are born all white. The older the kittens get, the darker their fur becomes. Black, lilac, blue and chocolate are possible colors. Usually, some areas remain slightly lighter or even completely white, resulting in a patterned coat.

The coat of the Ragdoll comes out particularly well because of its strong build. The animals of this cat breed are very muscular and have a broad shoulder. In addition, the Ragdoll has very high legs, round paws and a bushy tail. Overall, the cat is very large and long. From head to tail, the Ragdoll can measure up to 120 cm.

No cat relaxes as much as the Ragdoll when you lift it up. When the kitty sits on your arms, her body is so relaxed that she literally goes limp. By the way, this behavior is due to their great trust towards humans.

Character And Nature

Loving, balanced and gentle, these are all characteristics that can be attributed to the Ragdoll cat. However, the nature of the cat is dominated by its social vein. The cat does not tolerate loneliness and being alone. The Ragdoll simply always wants to be in company and therefore usually follows you wherever you go. Because of this, the Ragdoll cat is often called the “dog among cats”.

The social animal also gets along well with children. The Ragdoll is extremely playful and funny, but nevertheless not prone to reckless romps. In fact, despite its broad body, the cat is very dexterous and the opposite of clumsy.

The Ragdoll cat is not loud, unless it urgently wants to communicate. When it needs attention, it often starts meowing and that at a considerable volume.

Attitude

Attention and affection are in the Ragdoll cat’s priority list over exercise and outdoor access. The cat can therefore be kept excellently as an apartment cat. Because of its massive body, you should give the Ragdoll enough space.

In addition, the Ragdoll really needs permanent company. If you can’t afford that, you should definitely get a second cat. After a short period of getting used to it, a dog can also be a great companion for the Ragdoll cat. Since both four-legged friends have similar characteristics, there is a possibility of a close friendship. Of course, it can happen that both vie for your attention and jealousy arises.

Nutrition

The diet of the Ragdoll cat is somewhat different from that of other cats. Since the Ragdoll is a large breed of cat, the kittens experience many growth spurts. While growing up, a Ragdoll cat should therefore be allowed to eat as much as it wants. A Ragdoll is not fully grown until it is four years old. Then you can get them used to a certain amount of food to avoid overweight. Since the fat in Ragdoll cats accumulates on the lower abdomen, you should regularly check the weight of the adult animals.

Of course, you should buy only high quality cat food . Also, choose a food that contains a large amount of protein. If your Ragdoll has a predisposition to kidney or bladder stones, you should choose wet food.

Care

At first glance, the Ragdoll’s coat looks more in need of care than it actually is. Although you should brush it occasionally, it rarely gets matted or knotted. Daily brushing of the silky fur is only necessary during the coat change. This way you remove the loose hairs before they scatter around the house.

Getting the animals used to brushing is usually not difficult. Cleaning your pet’s silky fur can become a bonding ritual between you and your Ragdoll cat.

Education

You don’t have to expect any difficulties with the education of the Ragdoll cat. On the one hand the cats are very intelligent and on the other hand they orientate themselves very strongly on humans. Surely it will often happen that your Ragdoll follows you like a dog and that without a leash. The acclimatization in the new apartment and in the new family will therefore not be difficult for your Ragdoll cat.

Health And Typical Diseases

In Ragdolls there are some hereditary diseases typical for the breed, which are spread by breeding. These include anemia, heart diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and a number of eye diseases. HCM often affects males between 1 and 5 years of age. In the worst case, the heart disease can lead to death, as it is very difficult to treat. However, the hereditary diseases do not occur in all Ragdoll cats.

In addition, Ragdolls can occasionally suffer from the consequences of inbreeding. These include sickliness, immune deficiency or a shortened life expectancy.

Life Expectancy Of The Ragdoll

A healthy Ragdoll cat lives about 12 to 15 years. The cat’s life can be shortened drastically by the heart disease HCM or by the consequences of inbreeding. When buying, the pedigree should therefore be checked for both.

Buying A Ragdoll

If you want to buy a Ragdoll, you should definitely add a second four-legged friend. Except in the apartment, someone can keep the cat company permanently.

Ragdoll cats are relatively expensive. Therefore, it is worthwhile to visit the animal shelter first. Here you do not have to pay a four-digit sum for the purchase of a Ragdoll. A breeding animal on the other hand can cost 1500 Euro.

How do you choose the right Ragdoll breeder? Since hereditary diseases are not rare in Ragdoll cats, you should make sure that the parents of the Ragdoll do not suffer from any of these diseases. Serious breeders usually give information about this on their own initiative.

Also take a close look at the pedigree of the Ragdoll cat. So you can be sure that there is no inbreeding.

Decision Support

A living stuffed animal with dog-like affection. The Ragdoll cat makes an excellent new family member. After all, she is very fond of children and people. Nevertheless, before buying a Ragdoll, you should be aware that the cat will take up a lot of your time. She has to be with people or animals all the time and if you don’t have time to pet her, she will react with loud meowing.

If you have a full-time job, but you really want to have a Ragdoll cat, there is also the possibility to get your cat a playmate. If you buy two cats directly, the Ragdoll never has to be alone.

In the end you have to make your own decision. We can only tell you that it is definitely worth spending time on the sweet, cuddly ball of wool. Between human and Ragdoll, as well as between dog and cat, an intimate, deep connection can develop.

FAQ About Ragdoll

Sources

https://www.zooroyal.de/magazin/katzen/katzenrassen/ragdoll/

https://www.haustiermagazin.com/katzenrassen/ragdoll/

https://www.zooplus.de/magazin/katze/katzenrassen/ragdoll

https://www.fressnapf.de/ratgeber/katze/rasseportraits/ragdoll