Ragdolls | SwissDolls Cattery

People who don't like cats were probably mice in an earlier life

Something about the Ragdoll Breed

There is so much to tell about this beautifull Ragdoll breed, and even more to read about them on the internet.

I've put a tiny amount of highlights (in my eyes) about the Ragdoll breed on this page, because you probably know a thing or two already.

Dog or Cat?

The desire to be near her family and their tendency to follow people around has earned her the affectionate nickname “puppycat.”

Ragdolls receptiveness to handling, and their relative lack of aggression towards other pets make you wonder if you have indeed a Cat or a Dog.

Ragdolls are social and loving, this cat enjoys people and gets along well with children and dogs. The Ragdoll can be taught to fetch and come when called.

Ragdolls are very playful throughout their lives, these cats mature slowly in three to four years.

I used to love dogs until I discovered cats

Nafisa Joseph

History

The Ragdoll originated in 1963 when a Persian breeder, Ann Baker of Riverside, California, bred a semi-feral longhaired white cat resembling an Angora to cats she found or owned. The offspring of “Josephine” had unique, endearing temperament traits that Baker selectively bred in creating the breed. In 1965 the first two Ragdollkittens were registered as Raggedy Ann Kyoto & Raggedy Ann Tiki. In 1969 Laura & Denny Dayton bought two kittens from Ann Baker and started the Cattery Blossom TIme. The Dayton's can be seen as having a pivotable role in Ragdoll history, which has helped to preserve the Ragdoll breed standards that we know and love.

Family life with Ragdolls

Ragdoll cats are known to be very gentle and sweet, making them a great choice if you’ve got kids in the house (or want to start a family). These long-haired beauties make great family pets because they’re affectionate and outgoing. Ragdolls do not have the fighting instinct and they enjoy being petted and played with. This means families with other pets and children will find the ragdoll cat breed a perfect addition to the family. But it’s important to supervise young children around cats, no matter how docile they may seem. Children need to be taught how to respect a cat. Ragdolls are a particularly tolerant breed but bad behavior such as pulling tails, shouting or excessive affection could cause the most docile of cats to lash out.

Size

The Ragdoll is one of the largest domesticated cat breeds. Fully-grown females weigh from 3,5 to 7 kg. Males are substantially larger, ranging from 5.5 to 9 kg or even more.

It can take up to three/four years for a Ragdoll to reach mature size.

Healt and Age

Many Ragdolls can live comfortably past the average cat life expectancy of 13 years, even reaching 20 or older and are typically healthy pets. The ragdoll's greatest health risks include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and urinary tract issues. We screen all our breeding animals, reducing the risks for any health issues in your kitten, but it's important to have them screened regularly into adulthood as well.

Looks

The Ragdoll is a pointed breed, meaning that the color of their points (the facial mask, ears, legs, and tail) is darker than their body color.

Eyes

All Ragdolls have blue eyes, regardless of their coat color or pattern.

Pattern

There are three main Ragdoll cat patterns: colorpoint, mitted, and bicolor.

Colorpoint Ragdolls have pointed colors – meaning their faces, legs, tails and sometimes their bodies are a darker color than the rest of their fur.
Mitted Ragdolls have points like the Colorpoints but also have white “mitts” on their paws and a white “locket” (a small patch of white fur) on their chest.
Bicolor Ragdolls are mostly white with large patches of color on their backs and points. They have a mask-shaped marking on their face.

Colour

Ragdolls come in the colours Seal (blue), Chocolate (lilac) and Red (creme).

Ragdolls are born white and develop their colour and pattern as they age. Within a few weeks an indication of colour and pattern will appear, although Ragdolls can take two to three years to fully develop their colour. Specially Red takes a long time.

Ragdoll Overlays; Lynx, Tortie, Torbie

Lynx pattern shows as tabby markings on the face in what appears to be the letter W/M. White Eyeliner around the eyes.
Tortie Points will have Red or Cream mixed with one of the other colours.
Torbie pattern is Tortie and Lynx combined

Coat

Ragdolls have a unique coat that is often compared to that of a rabbit. The hair on their face, ears, and legs is shorter than the hair on their body, which gives them a distinctly plush appearance.

The Ragdoll’s coat is medium in length and dense. It has a soft, silky texture that is easy to groom and does not require much maintenance as it does not mat or tangle easily.

Seal Bicolor

Seal Bicolor lynx

Seal Mitted

Blue Bicolor

Blue Mitted

Creme Point