Ragdoll Kittens As Family Pets
The Ragdoll breed of cats is a fairly recent development. It was begun in the 1960s by an American cat breeder. Ragdoll kittens and older cats tend to be very good family pets. Following is a brief look at this interesting breed of cats.
When a Ragdoll cat is handled or picked up, it tends to act almost boneless, like a ragdoll, very mellow. Hence the breed name. Ann Baker was a cat breeder in California in the 1960s. When she was introduced to some of her neighbor’s extremely laid back kittens, she was intrigued. She acquired several of these kittens and created the breed from them.
Ann did not wish to work with the established cat registries, so she started the International Ragdoll Cat Association. She acquired a trademark on the word Ragdoll. For years she would only allow Ragdoll cats to be registered with the IRCA. The situation has evolved since then. She no longer controls the name, and the cats are now commonly registered in the standard cat registries.
Ragdoll cats have blue eyes, but otherwise they are very visually diverse. Three different patterns of six different basic color schemes are officially recognized. Besides being mellow, they tend to be large. A male can get up to 20 pounds, a female up to 15.
They have fairly long hair, but no dense undercoat like many other long haired cats. This reduces their tendency to shed, which is a plus for housekeeping. It also makes their hair less likely to matt up, which is a plus for cat maintenance.
If you have children, a Ragdoll cat might be a good pet for you. Their relaxed, mellow personalities enable them to tolerate much of the stress that active kids can cause a more anxious cat. They are usually kept as indoor pets because of their laid back nature. There is a concern that they might not be good at defending themselves.
The breed is more social with humans than many cats. You can train them to come when called, and some will even play fetch. It is common for one of these cats to follow humans around the house. They play very gently.
In 1994, the Ragamuffin breed was started to compete with the Ragdoll. It is based on the original breed, but was called Ragamuffin because Ragdoll was still trademarked. It was intended to be a funny name, but people liked it so much that it is still in use.
The breed has become a recognized member of the standard repertoire of cat breeds. They can now be listed in the same cat registries that are used by most breeds today. People show them frequently. They are becoming available outside the United States.
Well, hopefully this brief look will pique your interest in looking at some Ragdoll kittens. They can certainly be attractive cats. Many feel that they are ideal pets.
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