A Description of the Ragdoll

The beauty of the RAGDOLL is only one of their many features. Their disposition and personality are what makes them a truly unique cat. They are quiet, playful, placid, relaxed and very loving. They make a wonderful house or apartment cat. Because they adapt well to the indoors. A RAGDOLL should never be left outside unattended. They can be easily leash trained, however, it is recommended that they stay in the house at all times, so they don’t get a taste of the outdoors, and then try to sneak out whenever the doors are opened, especially with children in the house.

RAGDOLLS are docile, large and affectionate and respond well to children and other pets. Ragdolls and dogs do especially well together if the dog is well mannered. Children should be watched around a Ragdoll kitten, but most Ragdolls raised with children will tolerate being “lugged” around the house and be happy to be played with.

RAGDOLLS are slow to mature physically obtaining full maturity between 3 and 4 years of age. Altered adult males may reach 15 to 20 pounds; females will weigh about 5 pounds less.

The Ragdolls fur is rabbit-like, medium long with LITTLE shedding. Remember, all animals, including humans do shed their fur, so expect some shedding in the spring and fall. What is nice about the Ragdoll fur is that it is very easy to pick up. It is so soft that it just sits on top of the surface instead of working it’s way into fabric and is therefore easy to pick up. Just a damp hand, or rag will lift most hair off your clothes. The RAGDOLL requires little or no routine grooming. During shedding season, be sure to watch for some tangles under the armpits in some Ragdolls. All pointed RAGDOLLS have beautiful blue eyes.

The only Ragdolls that are accepted in the written Ragdoll standard in all major associations are blue-eyed pointed Ragdolls.

There are a minority of breeders who choose to breed non-pointed, non-blue-eyed experimental colors in their own breeding programs, often advertised as “solid, mink or sepia� Ragdolls. It is important to note that these experimental (variant) Ragdolls have not been accepted by any major association (and should be registered as non-standard), nor do they comply with the current written Breed Standard that describes the Ragdoll as a blue-eyed, pointed Breed. You will see advertisements as them being “rare�. The reason they are rare is because they are not accepted in the written Ragdoll breed standard and so the majority of breeders will not have them in their breeding programs.

To see color and pattern charts with pictures click here: Colors and Patterns