Ragdoll
cat Breed Profile
The Ragdoll is a large, long-bodied cat. She is heavily boned with a long tail and a plush coat.
In this article
Size
Weight
large: >12 lbs.
large: >12 lbs.
Coat
Length
Long
Color
Frost, Blue, Chocolate, Seal, Red, Lilac, Bluecream, Cream
Less Allergenic
No
Care
Longevity
7-12 yrs.
Needs
Moderate
Traits
Grooming Needs
Moderate, High
Social Needs
Moderate
Eye Color
Blue
Club recognition
Associations
CFA, ACFA , FIFe, TICA
Prevalence
So-so
The Ragdoll’s soft, silky coat can vary in length from semi-long to long.
The Ragdoll is a large, long-bodied cat. She is heavily boned with a long tail and a plush coat.
- FORM -
The Ragdoll is a placid cat but does not really go limp when you hold her. She is even tempered and gets along well with all family members. Changes in routine generally do not upset her. She is an ideal companion for those in apartments.
The Ragdoll tends to have a fatty pad on the lower abdomen. While this pad is acceptable in the breed, it is not an excuse for letting her get overweight or out of condition. The nutrition of the ragdoll should be carefully controlled.
The Ragdoll needs interactive exercise in addition to playing room in order to keep her in shape. If need be, her parent should spend a dedicated period of time each day playing with her.
While impressive, the coat is easier to care for than it first appears. The coat should be brushed daily, but this should be all that is needed in order to keep knots and tangles out of the coat.
Despite the colorful and completely impossible legend of the origin of the Ragdoll, this beautiful cat is one of the most popular breeds in the cat fancy. What can be verified is that the breed was started in the 1960s in California. The Ragdoll may well have been a mix of the Burmese, Birman, and the Persian, but the cat credited as the original Ragdoll is a white cat named Josephine. For that reason, Ragdolls are also called the daughters of Josephine.
The creator of the Ragdoll, Ann Baker, felt that she had in Josephine a cat that was so placid that she went limp when held. This characteristic is the origin of the name. This name was copyrighted by Ann Baker and can only be used for this breed of cat.
The Ragdoll has extremely strict standards for color placement and the breed is not allowed any outcross in breeding. However, new colors are being introduced in this breed, so the Ragdolls seen now are even more colorful than in the past.