Videos Ragdoll Breed Information
Country of origin -
United States
Breed standards -
AACE, CFA, ACFA, TICA, CCA,
ACF, FIFe
The Ragdoll is a breed of medium longhaired cat. It is best known for its docile and placid
temperament and affectionate nature. They are non-aggressive to the
point that many cats cannot or should not be let outside for
prolonged periods as many will not defend themselves and most do
not hunt. The name "Ragdoll" derived from the fact that
many of these cats go completely limp and relax when picked up.
Ragdolls have a sturdy body, short legs, and a thick coat with
Siamese-style points.
1. History
Ragdolls were first bred in the 1960s by Ann Baker, a Persian breeder in California. Some of the
original stock consisted of sturdy, free-roaming cats. It is
thought she created the foundations of the Ragdoll breed by
selecting kittens out of Josephine, a semi-feral longhaired white
female Persian/Angora type, sired
by several unknown male Birman-like or
Burmese-like cats, one with
Siamese type markings. Out of
those early litters came Blackie, an all black Burmese-like male
and Daddy Warbucks, a seal point with white feet. Daddy Warbucks
sired the founding bi-color female Fugianna, and Blackie sired
Buckwheat, a dark brown/black Burmese-like female. Both Fugianna
and Buckwheat were daughters of Josephine. All Ragdoll cats are
descended from Ann Baker's cats through matings of Daddy
Warbucks to Fugianna and Buckwheat.
By selecting individuals with the look and temperament she
wanted for her breeding program, Ann Baker created the standard
Ragdoll type. Denny and Laura Dayton are credited with bringing the
Ragdoll breed to worldwide recognition by various cat registration
organizations. What is known is that this breed was selectively
bred over many years for desirable traits, such as large size,
gentle demeanour, and a tendency to go limp when picked up.
2. Weight Range
10-20 lb (4.5-9 kg).
3. Temperament
The Ragdoll has a very gentle and relaxed temperament. If
socialized correctly from birth they will be very friendly members
of the family, that are very welcoming to strangers and love being
held and snuggled by people of all ages. They are an ideal pet for
young children as they tolerate and appreciate lots of hugs and
kisses, and can withstand a young child's exploration and
behavior toward them.
4. Grooming
Ragdolls require regular grooming to prevent matting of the fur
and to give them an overall fluffy and healthy appearance.
They should be groomed at least once a week. When 'change of
season' heavy malting occurs daily brushing is helpful to the
ragdolls coat and skin. Ragdolls do malt
5. Varieties
Ragdolls appear in 6 different colors - seal, blue, lilac,
cream, chocolate or red. There are 3 different patterns: Pointed
(nose, ears, tail and paws in the specific colors), Mitted (like
the pointed but with white paws which look like mittens; may have a
blaze (an inverted-V white pattern on the face)), and Bicolor.
6. Famous Ragdolls
* The presenters of long-running CBBC TV
program, Blue Peter, have two Ragdoll
cats amongst their team. The first was named "Socks",
ostensibly after a viewers' vote. Later the BBC revealed that
in fact the voters' first choice had been "Cookie"
and the programme acquired a second ragdoll kitten that they named
Cookie. Blue Peter to apologise over cat
* Cy, the short-lived one-eyed
kitten, was a ragdoll cat.
* The Algonquin Hotel in
New York City keeps a ragdoll in
its lobby. This tradition of keeping a cat dates to the 1930s;
males are named "Hamlet" and females "Matilda."
The current Matilda is an 11-year old female ragdoll from
Villaroyal Ragdolls; she strolls the lobby and perches on the front
desk. She was recently named cat of the year at the Westchester Cat
Show in Westchester County,
New York. Matilda has a signature cocktail in the hotel bar; her
likeness is on a children's book and Christmas ornament.
Copyright (c) 2008 Kitt Killion Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
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