One of the largest breeds of cats is the ragdoll and was bred in the USA not so long ago, but has already become quite popular among cat lovers all over the world. These are the most phlegmatic creatures of all cats and, if given a reward for laziness, “rag dolls” (as the name of the breed is literally translated from English) would easily win gold, silver and bronze medals.
History of the origin of the breed
The history of the Ragdoll breed begins in the early sixties of the last century. The first kittens were born by a white long-haired cat, Josephine, owned by Californian breeder Ann Baker. Then the breeding work included a mestizo with seal point color, whose mother was a Burmese cat, and whose father was presumably a black long-haired cat.
Since 1975, the breeding of ragdolls was continued by the spouses Danny and Laura Dayton, who achieved official recognition of the breed by major felinological organizations in the United States. Now ragdolls are very popular in America, Germany, and France, but the breed has not yet gained worldwide fame.
A little bit of history
One day, the Angora cat Josephine was hit by a car. After this tragic event, the cat became overly calm and her muscle tone decreased.
Strange symptoms prompted Josephine’s owner to think that the cat was being experimented on at the veterinary clinic. She decided to observe the beauty’s offspring, and for good reason: the kittens looked like fluffy balls and inherited the calmness of their mother. In 1965, the breed was finally formed.
Description and standard
Ragdolls are quite large animals, belonging to the semi-long-haired breeds. An adult cat weighs up to 10 kg, a female cat weighs about 7 kg. Complies with the following CFA standards:
- The head has the shape of a wide wedge, the cheekbones are well defined.
- The nose is straight, of medium length, with a bend at the top.
- The ears are set wide apart, with rounded tips, sometimes with tufts.
- The eyes are oval, bright blue.
- The mustache is long and white.
- The neck is strong, muscular, smoothly blending into the body.
- The chest is wide.
- The body is massive, with large bones.
- Limbs are of moderate length, strong, muscular.
- The paws are round and large, with tufts of hair growing between the toes.
- The tail is long and well furred.
- The coat is silky, of medium length, a collar is required on the neck, and “pants” on the hind legs.
- Color: color point (Siamese type), glove (white “gloves” on the paws), bicolor. Various shades of wool: chocolate, lilac, blue.
Life expectancy is 12−15 years.
Interesting Facts
During the existence of the breed, many interesting things have been associated with it:
- Ragdolls have reduced tone and are able to completely relax their muscles and literally go limp in the owner’s arms. Because of this feature, they got their name, which translates as “rag doll.”
- The origin of these cats is surrounded by many legends. According to one of them, the ancestor of the breed, Josephine, was run over by a car and later in the clinic was subjected to secret genetic experiments by the CIA, as a result of which her offspring acquired reduced muscle tone, incredible calmness and an increased pain threshold.
- For a long time, cats of this breed had problems with recognition. Due to their external similarity, even today Ragdolls are sometimes confused with Balinese and Burmese.
Character and behavior
Representatives of the breed are calm, friendly, highly intelligent, easy to train, but too phlegmatic and slow. Features of behavior:
- They become strongly attached to their owner, suffer from lack of attention, and become depressed. They prefer to communicate with humans, although they get along well with any pets.
- They are absolutely non-aggressive, so families with very young children should temporarily refrain from purchasing a very small kitten, as it may simply be tortured. Adult cats allow their little owners a lot; they simply switch off and do not feel much discomfort from tail pulling or whisker tugging.
- They are very vulnerable, you should not shout at cats of this breed - they can take offense for a long time. They are unobtrusive, but they won’t refuse to sit on your arms and “talk.” The Ragdoll's voice is soft and quiet.
The activity level is average; adults only need 5-10 minutes of active play a day; the rest of the time these sloths prefer to sleep.
Pros and cons (for whom it suits)
By his character, and he is called nothing less than golden, he is suitable for any family. But maybe older people won’t like animals that are too large and therefore heavy (“unliftable”)? And someone will not want to scratch their thick fur, which, although not as long as that of the Persians, is quite fluffy.
But they can easily get along with any two-legged or four-legged animal. And they are not at all lumps and do not “slow down”, as it might seem at first glance, they love to jump and run, but they still feel more confident surrounded by a loving family. Breeders claim that they are even easy to wash: they don’t bite, don’t kick, don’t scratch.
Rules of care
The advantage of ragdoll wool is that it has almost no undercoat and does not mat. But this does not mean that cats do not need hygiene procedures.
Combing is carried out twice a week (during the period of active molting - daily). This is done with a special slicker brush or furminator. Be sure to comb the animal's paws and tail. After combing with a slicker, you can walk through the wool with a special rubber glove. It is recommended to pay special attention to the condition of the fur around the anus.
You need to brush your teeth regularly to avoid dental problems. It is prohibited to remove tartar yourself. This can only be done by a veterinarian using general anesthesia.
Nails are trimmed once every two weeks or special caps are purchased. Be sure to buy a scratching post. Eyes and ears, when dirty, are wiped with cotton pads soaked in special lotions for eyes or ears (a fresh cotton swab is taken for each eye and ear). The products can be purchased at any specialized pet store or veterinary pharmacy.
Choose a large tray so that the animal can calmly do its business. To prevent an unpleasant odor, the cat's litter box is kept perfectly clean; many cats refuse to visit the litter box a second time.
It is not recommended to let ragdolls out on their own due to the fact that cats are phlegmatic and trusting; they can become victims of dog attacks or fights with stronger street cats. A slow animal can also be hit by a car. Representatives of the breed are not fans of walks, even with their owner, so it is better not to take them outside at all.
Ragdoll - reviews
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Valentina
02/10/2021 at 09:55Answer
Super cats. very affectionate, like small children, they lie in your arms, one very big problem they go into everyone’s arms. So the cat was stolen. We are very worried. And the cat was handsome
Leave a review Reset
Alina Semyonova
https://dalmspb.com/porody/koshka-regdoll-standart-i-opisanie-otzyvy-vladeltsev-101637/
I was given Bucks for my birthday, I don’t particularly like cats, but when I saw this fluffy ball, I realized that I wouldn’t give it to anyone. Now he is already 3 years old, he meets me from work, starts eating only when I sit down at the table, in general, thanks to my friends for the gift.
Glitch™
https://www.u-mama.ru/forum/family/pets/421744/4.html
what nonsense!
Consider yourself lucky NOT to buy a kitten from such a breeder.
my cat is 2 years old, I still call the breeder with questions and always get complete answers, for which I love her dearly and recommend her to everyone))))
and for the first time... who else should I call and ask?!))
the cat was bought as a “pet, not for breeding”
veterinary passport and pedigree available
the contract states that we undertake to neuter the cat, which we did in his year
Ragdoll_Russia
https://www.e1.ru/talk/forum/read.php?f=74&i=1415569&t=1415569
I'm sorry, I just had problems with the network. Briefly about the main thing:
Ragdoll (English: “rag doll”) is a breed of semi-dine-haired cat. American breeders named the new breed this way because of its ability to relax into the state of a rag doll. The ancestors of the breed are the white Angora cat Josephine and the seal-point Burmese cat. This couple gave birth to three kittens - beautiful, fat and balanced. When they matured, selection was carried out in two directions: one line was “light”, Burmese, the other was “dark”, based on crossing a Persian and a Burmese, dark brown, very heavy.
The new breed, developed by Ann Baker, was registered in California in 1965. The Ragdoll Club Association obliged its members not to include other breeds in working with Josephine’s offspring.
By its nature, the Ragdoll is unlike any other cat in the world, and its ability to relax muscles is truly unique among felines. It is enough to take the ragdoll in your arms so that he completely relaxes and hangs down. No one has yet been able to give a scientific explanation for this amazing physiological phenomenon.
Among cat lovers, there are the most fantastic legends, defying all the laws of genetics and natural evolution. The legend of the Ragdoll cat is simply stunning. This name supposedly comes from a cat that was the victim of an accident on the road; this cat allegedly passed on to her offspring weak muscle tone resulting from injury. A cat-doll that can be disturbed as you like and does not resist such treatment. But, according to geneticists, acquired properties are not inherited. In cats, most of the behavioral types are innate and common to most cat breeds. This means that parents with gentle, calm temperaments can pass on their even temperament to kittens if they grow up in a harmonious family environment.
The Ragdoll looks like a Burmese cat if he is wearing “gloves,” but he has a wider chest, a massive back of the body, thicker legs, round paws, with hair between the toes. The coat is semi-long, more or less depending on the season. The tail is fluffy, long, rather thick at the base, with abundant hair. The head forms a wide wedge with well-defined cheeks and jaws. Blue eyes (no other color is allowed) are large and oval, expressive, with a gentle look. Shiny, mustache must be white. The ragdoll's fur is soft and feels like a rabbit's. There is a low-slung “collar” on the neck. The shortest hair is on the paws. The Ragdoll's coat does not tangle, but it is advisable to brush it from time to time.
Ragdoll is a big guy! The Ragdoll is an impressively sized animal that exudes a sense of strength. The weight of a male can reach 6-9 kg, females are much smaller in size and weigh 4-5 kg. (Not all, my eldest girl is 7.5 kg.)
Childbirth takes place without problems, however, Ragdoll kittens have slower physical development compared to other breeds; their eyes open only on the 10-14th day. Since growth occurs slowly, the animal reaches full physical bloom only in the third or fourth year of life. At the age of 6-7 months they reach 2/3 of the weight of an adult cat. They cannot be called frail, including cats, although they are always more graceful than cats. But they acquire their final shape by the age of three, especially for fur. The color of kittens appears gradually, newborn kittens are always white. The final color can sometimes be established only by two years. This is not a breed that is recognized at first sight, like Persians or Siamese. This is a big, very beautiful cat.
Three varieties of ragdolls are described (two-color, color-point and “gloved”):
two-colored - unlike animals with dark paws, they have a characteristic patch of white fur on their face in the shape of the letter “L” (an inverted English “V”), pigmentation begins from the eyes and cheeks. The paws are also white.
colorpoints - animals resemble the color of Siamese cats, that is, light hair on the body is combined with dark hair on the face, ears, paws and tail. The nose and paw pads are color coordinated with the pigmented areas of the body;
mitted - with white paws, in contrast to animals with dark paws. This variety of ragdoll has paws covered with white hair, forming peculiar “socks”; Each variety has four colors - seal, chocolate, blue and lilac (in the USA - “frosty”).
The Ragdoll has an excellent appetite, but does not have a tendency to become obese.
The creature is affectionate and meek, good-natured and peace-loving, the ragdoll does not look like a lump: it plays enthusiastically, runs easily, and easily finds a common language with all domestic animals. Ragdoll is gradually gaining more and more popularity in the world. This unusual breed is most popular in the USA and Germany.
The Ragdoll's voice is soft, and his gaze is irresistible.
To summarize, the Ragdoll is certainly a mixture of different breeds, but many other new breeds were obtained as a result of successful crossings. Only by fully expressing its personality will the Ragdoll cease to be a poor copy of the Burmese and tempt ill-informed breeders. Two-color ragdolls have a magnificent coat, and the color point is liked for its proportions: its silhouette is not elongated, like a Balinese cat, and not squat, like a Persian. Raised in a family and carefully selected, the Ragdoll will be able to play its main trump cards: calm strength, beauty, magnificent blue eyes.
ladad
https://www.bvf.ru/forum/showthread.php?t=459784
she is a very quiet girl, she even walks quietly. At the same time, he is not afraid of anything, splashes in the water like a puppy, spits on the vacuum cleaner that is on and brazenly eats violets. The Ragdoll breed is the best for a family with a child, because never!!! did not let go of her claws. plays with toys, boldly attacks the turned on hair dryer. doesn’t tear up furniture, using a rug in the hallway as a claw point, doesn’t climb into cabinets, but really likes holes (there are two houses and a bunch of other places where he likes to hide)
What, have you grown up and become rounder? There are 6 spots on the back with an arrangement like a ladybug, very funny.
Sasha Umanets
https://www.ria.com/comparison/ragdoll-sphinx/
Ragdoll will definitely win =)
Shillen
https://www.forum-volgograd.ru/threads/206212/
Ragdoll is an unusually beautiful, responsive to affection and incredibly patient creature, externally reminiscent of Burmese cats, as well as cats of color and seal-point breeds, but unlike Burmese cats, as well as Siamese, Thai and Angora cats, Ragdoll cats have more wide chest, massive back of the body, thicker than the legs; The cat's weight reaches 7-10 kg.
Tell me where I can buy a cat of this breed in our city.
Anonymous (Guest)
https://xn--e1afgbgom0e.xn--p1ai/forum/forum2/topic342/?PAGEN_1=2
I have the same cat! His name is Enot! Enechka! He is very cool! He is called my dog, wherever I go and he answers the whistle and obeys any commands! If I am angry, I say “to the house” and he goes. We love to walk with him in the summer! knows when I’m coming and sits by the door, my husband is always surprised! He’s a copy of the last photo!
MashaBaranoff
https://kupi-slona.com/catalog/regdoll-2/1017022
Good day to all animal lovers! As a pet lover, I couldn’t pass by such a miracle as a Ragdoll cat! Initially, the name of this breed translates as “rag doll” and it’s really true! I already have a small dog...
Anonymous
https://101kote.ru/porody-koshek/regdoll-tryapichnaya-kukla_otzyvy.html
You can share various difficulties regarding the health of ragdolls, tell your stories of pet treatment
Kis@ Murys@, Genius (92972)
https://otvet.mail.ru/question/79704957
This is a breed of semi-longhaired point-colored cats. Very calm, phlegmatic cats, sofa cushions. The name of the breed, which means “rag doll”, comes from the unique feature of cats of this breed to sag limply, completely relaxing if they are picked up.
The breed is rare for Russia, there are only 3 nurseries. Kittens from 25,000 rubles and above. These cats are not sold for breeding; they will only be sold to a nursery and to a person who understands felinology.
For me personally, outwardly, I don’t see anything special in them. A person who has little knowledge of cat breeds will not be able to distinguish a Ragdoll from a Neva Masquerade or from a Sacred Burma.
On the Answers project, in 5 years I have not met a single person who has this breed of cat.
Just for fun, try to determine for yourself) In the photo are Nevskaya Masquerade, Ragdoll and Sacred Burma, but which is which)
Alena [email protected]
https://flap.rf/Animals_and_plants/Ragdoll/Reviews/6882229
This is just a wonderful friend! Cats of this breed are kind, playful and curious. I was lucky enough to be the owner of such a cat. Very attached to the owner. They always see off and greet all family members. The cat will always be where its owner is. If you are away from home for a long time, then the cat always sits and waits for you at the window, it’s really boring without its owner. It is very important for an animal to pay attention to itself. And it’s worth picking it up to caress it. then he really becomes like a “Teddy Bear”
Ksana Pripyatskaya
https://vk.com/topic-50911548_33211021
In our family there live two cats from Yulia’s cattery - Muffin and Feilin (Musha and Felya are at home =)). Besides the fact that cats are incredibly beautiful, they are very smart and inventive. Completely different characters. Muffin is a phlegmatic, observant, touchy, lazy aristocrat) I read somewhere this idea - if you have a ragdoll in your house, then forget about sleep) This is about Mushu, dad’s personal alarm clock will not calm down until it wakes everyone up for morning feeding , and each time a more sophisticated method will be found) An extremely clean cat. And jealous) Feilin is the complete opposite in character - a hooligan and a tomboy) a lively, active, affectionate daddy’s daughter) But when it comes to water procedures, Felya is an unstoppable monster that no one can restrain) Even Musha, with twice the size, is not into such things able to get up) And in tandem, these two girls create the impression of a herd of small elephants) Ragdolls are excellent cats for those who want to have a small companion in the house who will be next to the tractor-like purr to observe “order”) but if you want a cat that will settle on your lap (arms, shoulder, head) - this breed is unlikely to suit you
Slimbel
https://otzyv.expert/ochen-laskovaya-umnaya-i-krasivaya-poroda-1679245
Advantages:
Described in the review itself
Flaws:
The only thing that can put you off from this miracle is the price and impressive size.
Details:
I bought a cat of this breed two years ago. I have never once regretted that such a creature lives in my apartment! Fortunately, she was trained to use the litter box even before I bought her, but since then she has never shown her character or gone anywhere other than the litter box. Gets along great with dogs and children! She has never bitten or attacked anyone yet. She faithfully endures all the torment that my family and guests cause her, which is not typical for ordinary yard cats!
Her appearance is amazing! It seemed that who would have thought that such a gentle and affectionate creature was hidden behind such an aristocratic appearance? The most beautiful thing is probably the eyes. Blue like the sky!
Of course, for such a huge cat, you need to buy food in fairly large quantities.
koha70
https://otzovik.com/review_3447485.html
Advantages:
smart, kind, affectionate
Flaws:
must be handled with care
Good day everyone! I really love cats! I have a full-fledged cat family at home - dad Bublik, mom Lucy and son Kokosik! This winter we went on a pilgrimage to Diveevo. There is a separate conversation about this wonderful place, the Earthly Paradise. Those who were there know that representatives of the cat breed often end up in the monastery toilet. There are so many beauties you can meet here - for every taste, breed and color! Many pilgrims happily take with them a kitten or an adult animal as a souvenir of the Holy Place. I was no exception! My heart was immediately struck by a large, white cat, with extraordinary slanted turquoise eyes looking straight into souls. It was very strange and absurd to see this beauty in the toilet... I bought a carrier at a local Pet Store, food and took the cat with me. My mother was a little taken aback by the appearance of such an attractive, large person. What was more alarming, of course, was the ability to use the tray. In order to avoid unpleasant situations, 2 trays were placed - which one the cat will choose. We bought a litter box training product. But our fears turned out to be in vain - Bonya, as we called the cat, immediately took a liking to the tray behind the refrigerator and never missed a beat! Smart girl! We really liked and fell in love with this purr! Calm, kind, affectionate, and her eyes understand everything! The wool is soft, warm, very pleasant. When you take Bonechka in your arms, she hugs you by the neck and cuddles. The paws are powerful, strong, with tufts of hair between the pads. Enjoys eating homemade food. Great cat. But with such a beauty you have to be careful, like with a child. The fact is that if you push her off the sofa, she may fall and break something, since she cannot fully control her body. This is where this breed got its name, Ragdoll, which means Rag Doll. Mom is very glad that she has a warm and soft “friend”, and I am very glad that such a good cat has found a home again!
Kelore
https://otzovik.com/review_3876422.html
Advantages:
Playful, affectionate, devoted to their owners.
Flaws:
They require self-care.
I've been wanting a cat for a long time and finally the opportunity arose. I spent a very long time choosing a breed and my eyes fell on the Ragdoll. After much thought, we found a man who was selling kittens, my future boy was only 2 months old, and he was already very playful and affectionate, although sometimes he liked to bite, thinking that they were playing with him. Its coloring was light and only slightly dark spots were visible; it did not require much care, but over the years everything changed. When the cat grew up to a year old, he darkened greatly, and the features of his face became more expressive; now his fur needed good care. Scratch, trim nails, clean ears and eyes. But again, he remained very playful and affectionate, sometimes he likes to come and purr and lie on your lap or even on you, and he also always follows his owner, observing all his actions. He doesn’t eat much, he loves dry food, he doesn’t eat anything from the table, which is very good. In general, cats of this breed are very cute and are suitable for families, even with children, they will never offend and will always play)
Didit
https://otzovik.com/review_8326541.html
Advantages:
The best antidepressant. Calm and non-conflict. Complete absence of aggression.
Flaws:
I don't see any shortcomings in the breed.
Once upon a time in the thirtieth kingdom, in a great state, by the very blue sea, in a small town called Torrevieja, there lived little Arish. She spent long days and nights in the pet store and was deeply unhappy. And one day a magic fairy flew to her and freed her from captivity, paying 25 gold coins (euro) for the ransom. And the fairy thought that Arish was a Siamese princess. Weeks passed and the timid little ball of fur transformed into a cheerful beauty with heavenly blue eyes. And the fairy realized that the princess was not Siamese...” - this is how the fairy tale about the appearance of a cat named Arish in the house would begin, if this story were not the pure truth. You will probably ask me why I am leaving a review here without any proof of the purebredness of my cat in the form of a pedigree and a passport. But I assure you, this cat is more than a ragdoll.
