The Ragdoll, so named because of how he responds to being picked up, is also a breed known
for his love of people.
While he might not be a particularly old breed, the Ragdoll is a unique breed of cat with
a fascinating history.
Why don’t you tag along as we check out this big, loving ball of fur?
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10.
The Ragdoll is a young cat breed.
He was created in Riverside, California, in 1963.
Cat Breeder Ann Baker wanted a large cat with a beautiful, long coat and gentle personality.
Baker took a stray domestic longhaired white female that was found running wild in her
neighborhood and bred her with another long-haired cat.
Nobody knows just which cat breeds Baker used to make the Ragdoll but some guesses are Birman,
Burmese, or Persian.
The result, however, was the Ragdoll.
The breed's popularity quickly caught on, but it also became a source of controversy.
9.
Ann Baker invented wild myths about the breed's origins and created her own registry called
the International Ragdoll Cat Association.
She wanted to enforce strict standards and even went so far as to trademark the name
"Ragdoll" so it could only be used with cats at her registry.
Her organization, the IRCA is still in existence today but is quite small, particularly since
Baker's death in 1997.
IRCA cats are not recognized by any major cat breed organization or cat show, though
some IRCA cats have been registered as "Ragamuffin" cats.
8.
This breed is the center of several urban myths, most of which were started by Ann Baker.
Miss Baker claimed that the Ragdoll was impervious to pain and never gets scared.
She also said that Ragdolls were genetically modified alien hybrids.
Josephine, one of her first cats used for breeding, was in a car accident.
Baker insisted that the people who treated the injured kitty altered her DNA, hence the
out-of-this-world connection.
We can assume that Miss Baker took crazy cat lady to new levels.
Check out the video on the card to see why you might be a crazy cat parent.
7.
Many people love the Ragdoll because he goes limp when you pick him up, just like a Ragdoll.
He loves to be held and cuddled, and he’s one of the most affectionate cat breeds.
Ragdolls thrive on human companionship, and, unlike some other felines, love being held.
And according to several sources, he behaves more like a dog than a cat.
He’s even been known to play fetch.
And like dogs, he loves stuffed animals and little toys which he will carry from room
to room.
6.
He’s a heavyweight among cats.
According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, the male Ragdoll typically weighs between
15 and 20 pounds and the female between 10 and 15 pounds.
At that weight, the Ragdoll is slightly larger than other feline heavyweights like the Maine
Coon, which can weigh up to 18 pounds, and the Norwegian Forest Cat, which can weigh
up to 16 pounds.
His massive size and the fact that he loves being held could be a source of a daily upper
body workout.
5.
His bright blue eyes are one of the breeds signature features.
But, although most sports the brilliantly blue eyes for which the Ragdoll is famous,
not all do.
His eyes can sometimes be a blue-green or a golden color depending on the coat variation
of the Ragdoll cat.
Ragdoll kittens are born with blue eyes, which can then either deepen, lighten or change
to a different color as the kitten ages.
4.
Aside from his plush fur and large body, the Ragdoll is known for his color-pointed coat.
The Ragdoll also comes in a variety of shades, ranging from seal (brown) and blue to red
and cream.
Variations like tortoiseshell and tabby markings are also common.
The Ragdoll comes in several patterns, including colorpoint (no white on his coat), bicolor,
and mitted (meaning he has white “mittens” on his paws).
Like the Siamese, the Ragdoll is born pale, and his coat gradually darkens into his permanent
hues as he grows older.
3.
In 1975 a husband and wife team, Denny and Laura Dayton, took a breeding pair of IRCA
Ragdolls and began breeding the currently favored Ragdoll standard.
The standard they developed was eventually accepted by major cat organizations such as
the Cat Fanciers Association and the Fédération Internationale Féline.
The largest international Ragdoll association is the Ragdoll Fanciers' Club International.
2.
The historic Algonquin Hotel in New York City started a tradition of a resident cat when
a stray named Rusty wandered into the landmark hotel in the 1930s.
The hotel’s owner decided to adopt the cat and renamed him, Hamlet.
Over the decades, there have been 10 resident cats, with seven males and three females.
Since 2011, the reigning residential feline is a Ragdoll named Matilda III, who took over
the position from Matilda II, another Ragdoll.
Matilda III came to the hotel after she was found abandoned outside the North Shore Animal
League in Port Washington, New York.
She has the run of the entire hotel, except the dining areas and the kitchen, and even
hosts an annual charity event in the form of a cat fashion show.
1.
The Ragdoll is fascinated by water.
All forms of water hold his interest, but he is especially intrigued by the sound of
running water.
Unlike many other cat breeds, the Ragdoll may try to join you in bath or shower time.
Our general overview of the Ragdoll:
The Ragdoll gets along very well with children, as he doesn't mind being pet, cuddled and
held.
His docile demeanor makes him easygoing, and he even gets along with other cats and cat-friendly
dogs.
He is sometimes referred to as a "puppy cat" because of his canine-like behavior, which
includes following people from room to room and fetching toys that are thrown for him.
Despite the controversy of his origins and that he might be an alien, he’s highly recommended
as a family-friendly pet.
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