Characteristics
Very few cats offer the intimacy that ragdolls can. They often meet you at the door and follow you around the house. Ragdoll cats prefer their owner’s attention and will often be right at your side.
Ragdolls get their name from the tendency to “flop” around like ragdolls. They are very placid cats and should be kept indoors at all times. They are excellent cats, even for small homes and apartments. They love to play and can easily learn to fetch small toy balls. Many people often compare them to loyal canines.
Ragdolls respond well to both children and other pets. The Ragdoll cat breed is unique because it incorporates beauty, grace, gentleness, and fun, all into one adorable package.
The Ragdoll breed can trace its origins to Ann Baker in Riverside, California during the early 1960′s. Read more about Ann Baker and the Ragdolls’ history here.
Ragdoll Cats
- All true ragdoll cats have blue eyes.
- Ragdolls have soft, rabbit-like fur that has little shedding or matting compared to other long-haired breeds.
- Ragdolls are a large breed, with neutered cats often reaching 15-20 pounds.
- Ragdolls tend to mature slowly and generally do not reach “adulthood” or their true color until they are 3-4 years old.
Ragdoll Kittens
- Ragdoll kittens are born white or cream and do not show their colors for up to 2 weeks.
- Kittens should be loved and handled on a daily basis to ensure their socialization as adults.
Colors & Patterns
Ragdolls can come in several colors. Traditional Colors include:
- Seal: body will range from an ivory to pale fawn beige and points will range from a warm seal brown to a deep brownish black; paw pads and nose leather will be seal brown to brownish black, with rosy undertones allowed
- Blue: body will be bluish white to platinum grey; points will be blue-grey to deep slate; paw pads and nose leather will be dark blue, but may have rosy undertones
- Chocolate: body should be ivory; points ranging from warm milk chocolate to bittersweet chocolate, all with rose undertones; paw pads should be a brownish salmon pink and nose leather a rose brown
- Lilac: body will be magnolia white; points a pale dove grey with pinkish tones to a warmer deep lavender; paw pads and nose leather lavender pink
Non-Traditional Colors include:
- Flame / Red: body should be a warm, even, creamy white; points will be deep orange “hot” red; paw pads and nose leather to be pink
- Cream: body should be creamy white; points ranging from pale sand to deep cream; overall looks cool buff beige; paw pads and nose leather pink
Ragdolls can also come in several patterns. Primary Patterns include:
- Colorpoint – The points (ears, mask, feet and tail) are to be dark with the color well defined. Nose leather is the color of the points.
- Mitted – The points are to be dark and contrasting to the body, with matching white mitts on the front feet, and white going up the back legs at least to the hock. The chin must be white, and there should be a white bell stripe from the chin down the bib, and running to the base of the tail. Nose leather is the color of the points.
- Bicolor – The ears, mask and tail to be well defined in the darker color. The mask is to have an inverted “V” which should not extend beyond the outer edge of the eye on either side. The nose leather must be pink. The chest, stomach, and all four legs, feet and ruff are to be white. The white should reach above the elbow on the front legs, and above the hock on the rear legs.
Secondary Patterns include:
- Lynx – Overlays any one of the above patterns. Lynx pattern shows as tabby markings on the face in what appears to be the letter “W”. Cats who have lynx markings will have white ridges around the edges of their ears and white “eye liner” around their eyes.
- Tortie – Overlays any of the above patterns. Tortie Points, color-wise, will generally have Red or Cream mixed with one of the other colors.
Click here to see pictures of these colors and patterns.
