 About the Ragdoll 
The Ragdoll cat can be described as having a gentle, loving and docile nature. They are noted for their tendency to go limp when picked up. Ragdolls are a low shedding cat with a soft, silky, semi-long hair coat often described as feeling like rabbit fur and requires little maintenance. The Ragdoll is a fairly large cat that is slow maturing, taking 3 to 4 years to mature. Altered adult males typically weigh between 14 and 18 pounds, while altered adult females weigh proportionally less by about 5 pounds.
They are gentle, careful to avoid scratching people, are good with children and the elderly. Ragdolls tend to be floor cats, not jumpers. They feel that humans prefer purrs to yowls, and keep their voices **softly musical**.
Below is a graphic reason why you should never declaw your cat. A cat deserves to have it's claws. The procedure is similar to having your own fingers cut off, and I know this is not something you would consider doing to yourself. They will have severe nerve damage. They were born with claws for a reason, as they have an inate instinct to stretch out and scratch, helping to trim their own claws (YOU NEED A SCRATCHING POST), and they also need them for balancing, scratching, grasping, for jumping, etc. There is ABSOLUTELLY "NO" furnishing worth the inhumane act of delawing a cat!!! They are easily trainable, and leave my home already used to a scratching post. In my contract it states you cannot declaw, or any and all health guarantees become null and void, that is how serious I feel about this topic. I hope you will ALL agree. Click on the box below to see the procedure.
Click this link: The Winn Feline Foundation, it contains information about early Spay and Neutering, and a great deal about cats.
ORIGIN OF THE RAGDOLL CAT
As it is understood by many, RAGDOLLS originated back in the mid-1960's, by a woman named Ann Baker. It has been said, Ann Baker took a white Persian type cat named Josephine, and she bred it with a Birman-looking male. The kittens from this pairing were then mated with a Birmese-looking cat, producing the first RAGDOLLS. The name "Ragdoll", comes from their tendency to be very relaxed and laid-back, like a rag doll, when picked up. Their disposition makes them a wonderful companion and pet for you to own!
CHARACTERISTICS
The Ragdoll's fur feels just like rabbit fur. Their fur usually does not mat and shedding is very minimal, even though they do have a medium-long fur. They are one of the lowest shedding breeds in existence. This means grooming can be kept to a minimum, usually just socialized brushing if desired. Ragdoll kittens are born white, and will only have blue eyes. They are a slow maturing breed, and usually it takes 3-4 years for them to reach their fullness of color and size. Neutered males can weigh 14-18 pounds; it just depends on the individual cat. Spayed females usually weigh about 5 pounds less.
The Most Important Characteristic is their Placid and Loving Disposition. They are Calm - Quiet - Affectionate - yet they are alert and love to play. They are very intellegent - many are easily voice trained to obey.
RAGDOLLS are strictly indoor cats, and as a rule, do not appear to posses the normal fighting instincts observed in other felines. Generally, they adjust well to new surroundings with other cats and dogs, especially if given a little "space" and time. Ragdolls are so beautiful, trusting and friendly, so allowing them to roam outdoors is to not only take the serious risk of them being mauled by another dog or cat, or exposing them to disease, but it poses the very real threat of your pet being stolen or even hit by a car!
RAGDOLL COLORS AND PATTERNS
Ragdolls are called "pointed" cats. The points on the Ragdoll are the ears, face, legs and tail. These points are darker than the overall body color. Registerable Ragdolls come in several colors and patterns. No matter what color or pattern, the Ragdoll is still a blue-eyed pointed breed.
COLORS
While there are other colors, we breed the traditional colors of SEAL and BLUE, as these are the foundation colors of the Ragdoll breed, and are the most popular colors as pets as well as in the show halls.
SEAL - dark brown with ivory to pale fawn/beige colored body.
BLUE - dark grayish/blue points with blueish white/grey colored body.
PATTERNS
Ragdolls come in three traditional patterns, with Lynx as a possible fourth "pattern on a pattern."
COLORPOINT - The points (legs, tail, ears and face) are one of the colors, while the rest of the body is a lighter color. There should be no white markings within this pattern anywhere on the cat (ideally for show purposes).
MITTED - The points, except for the paws, are one of the colors. The front paws are white (called "mittens"), and the back legs are white up to the hocks (creating "boots" on the back legs). They should also have a white chin, chest an stomach. There is also a mitted with a blaze, which is also part of the accepted mitted patterns for the Ragdoll. It is, however, preferable that the blaze NOT interrupt the pigment of the nose leather. These cats are accepted and can be registered for showing under the class of "Mitted" in TICA and ACFA.
BICOLOR - The face, ears and tail are one of the colors. There is a white inverted "V" that runs from between the ears and preferably through the center of the cat's eyes to just below them, or even to extend as low as the cat's chin. The nose leather should be pink and the chin should be white. The legs, feet, chest and stomach should also be white (again, ideally for show purposes). This bicolor pattern is the only accepted pattern for showing in CFA at present.
LYNX - The lynx pattern is basically tabby cat markings on the color pointed cat. In many countries, they are often known as "tabby points." The pointed areas of the cat will display distinct barring (or tabby markings) that is separated by lighter background color. On the forehead, it looks like an "M". The Lynx markings appear with ANY of the above three patterns and in all colors. If a Ragdoll female has a Tortie coloring (all torties are females) as well as Lynx markings, she will be identified as a "Torbie."
NOTE - The patterns described above are the "ideal" markings or patterns for a Ragdoll (used for show purposes primarily). Each cat association will have a specific standard for the Ragdolls, which further defines what is and is not acceptable for a Ragdoll to be shown in that Particular association. In "REALITY", many Ragdoll kittens are born in a wide and differing variety of the above described patterns (often with unique white or dark spots in various locations on the points or elsewhere), and do not always present EXACTLY as these patterns have been described, but then, that's one more thing that makes Ragdoll pets so endearing!
Connie Connor
Lullaby Ragdolls
Phone: 817-741-1033
Email: lullabyone@verizon.net
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