Ragdoll

A bit of history
All true Ragdolls descend from Josephine, a white not purebred Persian female cat. Just before the birth of her kittens the pregnant cat Josephine was crashed by a car.

The kittens which were born after the accident were extremely sweet and affectionate. Besides, these kittens could become flabby just like a rag doll. Some people claim that the character of the mother cat had changed after the accident and that she had passed these features to her kittens. Genetically, this is impossible! Ann Baker from California, who breeds long-haired Persians, was the neighbor of Josephine’s owner.    

She got some of her kittens and continued breeding with them. She always used the largest and most good-natured offspring for her breeding program. These cats were called RAGDOLLS. In the USA this breed was officially acknowledged in 1965. In 1991 the first Ragdolls came to Holland. Burman, Persian, Siamese, Burmese and house cats belong to the Ragdolls’ ancestors.

Character
The most striking of the Ragdoll is his quiet, soft and compliant character. He has much faith in people and animals. Ragdolls are social cats which aren’t impressed soon. He can get along with other pets, like for example the dog. In a threatening situation the Ragdoll will try to escape. He will only use his nails in case of emergency.

It is a sweet cat for people with children. He doesn’t make much noise. Ragdolls are elegant, but also intelligent cats which love human company and love to be cuddled and cared. They don’t force themselves on to you.

They are very curious and will therefore often be in your surroundings. It isn’t wise to let the Ragdoll go outside; everybody can take him then

Exterior characteristics
The Ragdoll is a large and muscled, but very elegant cat with a long body and a short, strong neck and a well-built chest. The hind paws are higher than the forepaws and the feet are round with plumes between the toes.    
 
The tail is hairy and the length is in proportion to the body. The head is medium-sized, the face shows a wide wedge. The ears are medium-sized and aren’t located close to each other and have rounded points. 
 
The eyes are large, blue and have an oval shape. The fur is silky, half-long and is close to the skin. The fur is long on the chest and stomach and on the back of his head which makes a clear collar visible. Because they have a silky and half-long-haired fur, the fur doesn’t tend to get entangled. Because of this you only need to brush the cat once a week. Ragdoll kittens are born white, after about 2-3 weeks you will start to see the color. It might last until they are about 4 years old until the Ragdoll has completely grown and has reached his final colors. The adult tomcats might weigh about 6-8 kg and the female cats about 5 kg. Keep your mouse on the photo for more information.  

Pictures & breendinformation by: Ragdoll cattery The Countrycat