Choosing a Ragdoll Cat

By Mary Freeman

When I was growing up, our family always had indoor-only cats. I grew up with at least one pair of cats (Siamese) around all the time, and there became my love of cats.

When I got married, both my husband and I decided to choose a cat for our new life together. Our criteria was, a family friendly cat which we could keep indoors, a cat which got along well with young children (as we were expecting a child), and a cat which was easy to groom and had a great temperament. Oh, and my husband liked large cats too.

After extensive research over several months and several cat shows, we finally decided that the Ragdoll cat was our perfect pet, and purchased a Mitted Seal Point male who we now call Bijou.

The following information should help you when choosing a ragdoll cat:

The Breed

The Ragdoll was first bred in the 1960's in the USA. It was a cross between a Birman and a Persian-type cat. The breed was found to be so relaxed and laid back that it could be easily compared to a child's ragdoll when picked up. Ragdolls are slow to mature and reach full maturity in 3-4 years. Neutered males can weigh between 13-20 lbs, females about 5 lbs less. It's important to note that these are indoor only cats and should never be let outdoors unless supervised. This breed is so sociable, they can easily be taken by strangers. The coat of this cat is more like rabbit fur than standard cat fur. Although these animals are long hared, they are easy to groom and shed very little with no matting in the fur. A mystery to us indeed, but we like the low maintenance.

Personality

When choosing a Ragdoll cat, you want to take into account that Ragdolls are gentle and affectionate cats.They are sociable and loving and get along with children, other cats and dogs without problems. Although you may read that Ragdolls are quiet cats, that's not the case with ours. Bijou is very vocal and will let you know when he wants to be fed as well as "singing" for us sometimes at night when the lights go out. Although our 7 year old is quite rough with him, he tolerates the squeezing and tugging well. Our ragdoll has never once bitten anyone and probably never will as he is so laid back. One other thing: the ragdoll will frequently follow you around the house like a dog and is quick to come to you when called, and ours is no exception. He also loves to lay down with you on the bed and seems to be with you wherever you are.

Colors

Ragdolls come in a variety of colors and patterns. There are only four colors accepted by the Cat Fancier's Association: Seal, Chocolate, Blue, and Lilac. The colors come in pointed, mitted, or bicolor patters, so when choosing a Ragdoll cat, you will need to do your research to determine which you like.

When choosing a ragdoll cat, you will want to determine if you want a sweet tempered, family oriented cat. If so, then the big ragdoll might be the ideal cat for you.

If you are looking for more information about the Ragdoll cat, I can highly recommend a guide which will provide you with Ragdoll cat specific tips for every stage of your cat's life. Click on the Authors website below if you want the best advice to make your ragdoll happy, healthy, and well behaved, www.squidoo.com/choosing-a-ragdoll-cat

Mary Freeman is an accomplished Author who writes articles on her interests. To access her Ragdoll Cat website, please visit http://www.squidoo.com/choosing-a-ragdoll-cat