With positive reinforcement, Ragdoll cats learn quickly and can pick up tricks as well as good behaviors such as using a scratching post.
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The Ragdoll cat is an all-around best buddy to just about everyone. They love their human families–even children–and will get along with other pets fairly well.
Pet Friendly
Ragdolls are more likely to be accepting of other pets in the home
Tendency to Vocalize
Ragdolls can be more vocal than other breeds with meows, yowls, chirping and chattering. If constant "conversation" drives you crazy, consider a kitty less likely to chat
Intelligence
Some cats are reputed to be smarter than others. All cats will make their own busy work if deprived of the mental stimulation they need.
Potential for Playfulness
Some cats are perpetual kittens—full of energy and mischief—while others are more serious and sedate. Ragdolls have a tendancy to always be down for a nice game of catch the feather on string.
Easy to Groom
With thick, long hair, Ragdolls required more brushing than other breeds.
General Health
Due to poor breeding practices, some breeds are prone to certain genetic health problems. This doesn't mean that every cat of that breed will develop those diseases; it just means that they're at an increased risk. Check here for common Ragdoll health information.
Kid-Friendly
Ragdolls are very kid-friendly. Sturdy enough to handle the heavy-handed pets and hugs they can dish out, and having a nonchalant attitude toward running, screaming youngsters are all traits that make a kid-friendly cat
Amount of Shedding
If you're going to share your home with a cat, you'll need to deal with some level of cat hair on your clothes and in your house. However, shedding does vary among the breeds. If you're a neatnik, you'll need to either pick a low-shedding breed or relax your standards as ragdolls do produce a fair amount of shedding.
Vital Stats​
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Life Span: 12 to 17 years
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Length: 17 to 21 inches, not including tail
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Weight: 10 to 20 pounds
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Origin: Riverside, California, USA
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History
In the family of cat breeds, Ragdolls are among the younger siblings. The cats were first developed by breeder Ann Baker in Riverside, California, in the 1960s. Baker’s foundation stock consisted of Josephine, a domestic longhair whose white coat concealed the genes for either a seal mitted or black tuxedo pattern, and various other longhaired cats of unknown ancestry that she owned or found in her neighborhood.
Baker selected for cats with gentle, placid personalities, large size, and beautiful long coats characterized by a Himalayan pattern, the name for the “points” seen on Siamese-type cats. The result was a cat she called the Ragdoll, for its propensity to flop happily into the arms of anyone who picked it up. Later, Persians, Birmans and Burmese may also have contributed to the Ragdoll’s development.
Baker made many unusual claims about the cats’ development, including alien influence, CIA experiments, and infusions of human genes, but that is all they are: claims, with no basis in fact. Other people had begun breeding Ragdolls as well. They broke away from Baker and formed the Ragdoll Fanciers Club International, with the goal of standardizing the breed and achieving recognition by cat registries.
The Cat Fanciers Association began registering the cats in 1993 and gave them full recognition in 2000. Most registries now recognize the breed, including the American Cat Fanciers Association and The International Cat Association. Ragdolls are not outcrossed to any other breeds.
Size
Females usually weigh 10 to 15 pounds, and some males weigh more than 20 pounds.
Personality
Unlike many cats, Ragdolls are notable for collapsing into the arms of anyone who holds them, even if they are cradled on their back. They love their people, greeting them at the door, following them around the house, and leaping into a lap or snuggling in bed whenever given the chance. They often learn to come when called or to retrieve toys that are thrown for them.
The word most often used to describe them is docile, but that doesn’t mean they are inactive. They like to play with toys and enter into any family activities. With positive reinforcement in the form of praise and food rewards when they do something you like, Ragdolls learn quickly and can pick up tricks as well as good behaviors such as using a scratching post. In a small, sweet voice, they remind you of mealtime or ask for petting but are not excessively vocal.
Ragdolls have nice manners and are easy to live with. You will find a Ragdoll on your sofa or bed, but generally not much higher than that. He prefers to stay on the same level with his people rather than the highest point in a room.
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Information for this page sourced from the following citations:
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Ragdoll cats cat breed information, pictures, characteristics and facts. CatTime. (n.d.). Retrieved August 3, 2022, from https://cattime.com/cat-breeds/ragdoll-cats#/slide/1
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The ragdoll. Pet Health Network. (2014, December 15). Retrieved August 3, 2022, from https://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-breeds/ragdoll