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Ragdoll Breed – Facts and Personality Traits

The Ragdoll is a long-haired cat breed from the USA with a distinctive coat pattern, which is also becoming increasingly popular in Germany. You can find out what characterizes the gentle cats here in the profile.

History and Origin of the Ragdoll

The Ragdoll is a relatively young cat breed that has only been known since the 1960s. An “angora-like” cat named Josephine is considered the ancestor of all representatives of the breed. The Californian Ann Baker had a son by Josephine who looked like a “Burmese cat” and built up a line breeding. She gave the newly bred breed the name “Ragdoll”, which means rag doll in German. Baker chose the name because the cats can easily hang like a doll when you pick them up.

Ann Baker protected the name “Ragdoll” and charged a license fee for each offspring. Incidentally, the breed is the only cat breed for which a patent has ever been filed. The breeding of “original Baker’s Ragdolls” became quite difficult and expensive, so it was on the brink of collapse again. Luckily, the Dayton (Blossom-Time Cattery) and Chambers (Ragnarok Cattery) families parted ways with Baker and continued breeding royalty-free. Ragdolls have also existed in Germany since the 1980s. In 1991 the Ragdoll was officially recognized by the Fédération Internationale Féline.

Essence and Character

The Ragdoll is a very people-oriented and friendly cat breed. They need social contacts and don’t particularly like being alone. The Ragdoll is an affectionate velvet paw who likes to talk to her people and follows them around the house wherever they go. In contrast to many other pedigree cats, they don’t particularly like lying in an elevated position, preferring to lie next to or even on top of their human. The intelligent cats are also very trusting outside and like to go for walks. The curious cat also loves to play and is open to other pets. Aggressive behavior is virtually alien to cats, making them excellent family cats.

The Appearance of the Ragdoll

Although the Ragdoll is one of the largest breeds of cat, it is by no means clumsy, but rather muscular and elegant. Individual tomcats can weigh up to 10 kg and reach a length of up to 1.20 meters from head to tail. The semi-long coat is very dense with a little undercoat and can take on different colors. A distinction is made between the colors Seal, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Red, and Cream with the pattern variants Mitted, Colourpoint, and Bicolour. Ragdoll’s eye color is usually bright blue.

Attitude and Care

Purchase of a Ragdoll

The Ragdoll makes a great family cat and really suits anyone who can show them lots of attention and affection. If you’re looking to get a kitten from a breeder, it’s best to look for one who cares about the well-being of their animals. For a purebred kitten from a reputable breeder, you can expect prices starting at €700. Ideally, the little ones are already used to everyday noises, socialized, and know how to use the litter box. Some breeders also offer deworming and vaccination.

Outdoor cat or indoor cat?

The Ragdoll does not necessarily need the freedom to feel completely comfortable. It is sufficient if you provide her with enough exercise and employment opportunities in the house. A cozy vantage point by the window is enough for most representatives of the breed. However, if you have the opportunity to go outside regularly, the house tigers also enjoy exciting excursions into nature. If you don’t want to let your cat run around outside alone, you can also go for walks with the Ragdoll. Due to their strong imprint on humans, the affectionate cats prefer to run after masters and mistresses anyway. If you want to be sure that they don’t run away, you can also allow the cats to roam freely in a secured garden or gently get them used to the leash.

How much activity does the Ragdoll need?

Ragdolls require a lot of attention and want to be entertained. Especially indoor cats need variety so that they don’t get bored in the long run. If you can’t always be there for your four-legged friend, you should definitely get a second cat. While the breed’s hunting instincts aren’t particularly strong, it still likes to get involved in games. You should be careful with special constructions for climbing or jumping, as the cats are sometimes a bit clumsy and clumsy.

Grooming and feeding

The Ragdoll’s medium-length, silky coat is easy to groom and should be combed once or twice a week. A metal comb with narrow teeth is best suited for this. Because of their gentle nature and high tolerance limit, grooming is not a problem. Especially if you get used to it from a young age, the cat will start to appreciate the additional stroking. When feeding, you should make sure that the cats get protein-rich food and are supplied with all the necessary nutrients. However, you should be careful that they do not eat too much, otherwise, they tend to become overweight. This can increase the risk of heart and circulatory problems, especially in hangovers.

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