Cat History – Ragdoll, The Dog-like Cat

Getting to know a cat is a journey in itself and cats are unique as they display a diverse range of temperament between breeds. Ragdoll cats are one of the bigger kitties on the block and are sometimes referred to being as puppy or even dog like. We don’t mean that they bark or look like a dog but their behavior is very caring, energetic and loving. Their beautiful appearance and docile nature make them a popular choice among cat lovers.

If you’re on the market for a Ragdoll, keep in mind that these cats are on the rare side of the breeding world and will costs will be dear under most circumstances. If financial means are covered, we have no doubt the Ragdoll is a great choice and owners have loved every moment with their fur baby. We have covered the characteristics of the Ragdoll previously, today it’s time to take at its origins.

Ragdoll Cat’s Backstory

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Cat history is scattered across the world and relatively recent compared to dogs. Ragdolls were first established in the 1960s by a woman living in California, Ann Baker, who began the breed of Ragdoll cats. Josephine was the first breeding cat, a queen that featured a pure and long white coat, very similar to that seen in the Turkish Angora cat. The queen to be was discovered after receiving treatment in a pet hospital following a car accident.

Josephine fought on and survived, living indoors as she recovered. This is a story of a stray cat that would become part of cat history as she was beautiful and possessed a great temperament when dealing with humans. Her traits and idealistic genetic pool served as a base for new litters to come. Breeding was carried out over time and it was quickly realized that Josephine’s children were of stunning quality and temperament. Her children possessed similarly stunning appearances and liking to human interaction.

Ann Baker would eventually find a worthy stud, specifically, a cat named Warbucks that breed with Josephine. War Bucks was a mixed cat with a white nose and a white tail, possessing similar traits to the long-haired cat, the Birman. Their kittens arrived with similar appearances to Siamese cats. Selective breeding was carefully used to achieve desirable characteristics that would come to be the standard appeal of the current Ragdoll. Large size, elegant mannered and an obedient personality were all key traits of the establishing breed. Ann Baker continued this breeding practice for a number of years, eventually registering this lineage as the official Ragdoll breed. It caught the attention of the cat world for good reason, we’ve always been in awe of the Ragdolls and they’re loved all over in the cat community.

Ragdoll Cats Are Big

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Ragdoll is one of the largest and heaviest cats in existence. Their coats are thick, their limbs are large, their tails are longer and their bodies are soft for cuddles. We loving cuddling and looking into their beautiful blue eyes that are large and round. Ragdolls take a significant time to mature into adult cats, they may continue growing for up to four years and it’s important to feed them an appropriate diet to support this growth. Their appearance will continue change during this growth period and we have seen great changes in even color leading up to adulthood. Ragdolls are study and possess great amounts of lean muscle.

Remember to groom and take care of the Ragdoll’s semi-long hair. A healthy coat will be silky soft, and there are many different pattern variants within this breed. The three main type of patterns are: Colorpoint, Mitted, Bicolor.

Image: Mitted Pattern Ragdoll Kitten

Temperament

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We love playing with the Ragdoll cat that has an inherent affinity for human handling and interaction. They are quiet and docile animals but will get up to mischief in their own time. We like to see their ‘dog-like’ side come out when playing with toys and their intelligence allows them to learn routines and tricks. Their loyalty will also show itself from time to time as they have a natural instinct to protect themselves and others. Be sure to keep your Ragdoll at home, it it’s not suited to life outdoors for a number of reasons including disease, territorial dispute and threat of opportunists targeting cats for theft.

Considerations When Raising a Ragdoll

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Ragdoll cat are a mixed-breed cat and there are a number of diseases related to this breed. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heart issue that hinders blood circulation. It’s advisable to get your kitten or cat tested as soon as possible, sudden death can occur during heart failure. Poly-cystic kidney disease (PKD) is another main genetic disease within the Ragdoll. It affects the kidney functionality and can cause chronic renal failure.

Ragdolls have weak stomachs and their gastrointestinal systems are especially sensitive. Selecting the right diet for your Ragdoll is especially important, any sign of diarrhea will indicated incompatibility with selected foods and an alternative should be sourced. Hydration should be provided if your cat has an upset tummy and eventual transitioning should be used when changing food. Ragdolls are the foodies of the cat world and they will likely feast on anything you give them but this doesn’t mean it’s healthy for them. It’s our responsibility as pet owners to monitor and feed the very best to our cats for a long and healthy life together. Meow!

Reference:
https://web.archive.org/web/20121227115903/http://www.iams.com/pet-health/cat-breeds/ragdoll

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