Ragdoll

Who it suits

Someone who wants a cat that will genuinely be with them. The Ragdoll is one of the most affectionate breeds there is — it greets people at the door, follows you around the flat and usually allows itself to be picked up without protest.

It is quiet, tolerates children and dogs and does not look for conflict.

That temperament is precisely why it is an indoor-only cat. A Ragdoll does not defend itself, has no fear of cars or of strangers, and usually will not run from danger. Outdoors it does not last long.

It does not suit a home where nobody is in all day — it takes solitude badly. If you are often out, it needs a second cat.

What it looks like

• Weight: males 6–9 kg, females 4–6 kg
• Coat: semi-long, silky, with little undercoat — which is why it mats less than other long-haired breeds
• Colour: always colourpoint — darker ears, mask, legs and tail; the base shades are seal, blue, chocolate and lilac
• Pattern: three variants — colourpoint with no white, mitted with white gloves, and bicolour with an inverted white V on the face
• Eyes: always blue
• Lifespan: usually 12–17 years

Kittens are born white. Colour appears on the ears and paws after the first week, and the cat reaches full depth of colour only at two or three years old. It is still growing until then — the Ragdoll matures slowly.

Temperament and environment

The Ragdoll is calmer and less playful than most breeds, but it does want to play — just not wildly. It does not jump high, so it prefers lower, broad surfaces to narrow shelves near the ceiling.

It needs a scratching post that will take eight kilos and a spot by a window. And because it does not go outside, it matters that it has things to choose between indoors.

Coat care

Brush twice a week, more often when moulting. A coat without much undercoat mats less, but mats still form — behind the ears, in the armpits and in the trousers on the hind legs.

Bathing is not needed. Hairballs are less of a problem than in cats with a dense undercoat, but regular brushing is still the best prevention.

Feeding

An adult needs roughly 60–90 g of dry food a day depending on weight, or the equivalent in wet food.

A calm temperament and a large body mean a tendency to put on weight. A Ragdoll does not tear around the flat, so what it eats it does not burn off. Feed measured meals rather than filling a bowl in the morning.

It grows for a long time — kitten food is worth continuing for longer than in smaller breeds.

Common health problems

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) — thickening of the heart muscle. The Ragdoll has its own described inherited mutation and a DNA test exists for it. Breeding cats should have both the test and a heart scan.
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) — inherited, testable by DNA.
• Urinary stones — more common in this breed; fluid intake and wet food help.
• Obesity — the commonest problem and the easiest to influence.
• Hairballs during moulting.

With a Ragdoll, always ask about testing. Both HCM and PKD can be excluded by DNA, and a good breeder shows the results without being asked.

This is not a diagnostic guide. A cat breathing with its mouth open, straining to urinate or suddenly unable to use its hind legs needs a vet immediately.

Anything else to consider

The Ragdoll is a large cat and needs everything bigger: litter tray, carrier and scratching post. A standard carrier is usually too small for an adult male.

And one thing that repeats with every breed that has a good reputation: where there is demand, breeders without testing appear. A price without papers and without health results is not a bargain.