Cave Creek, Arizona
The Ragdoll - Temperament, Colors and Patterns
What is a Ragdoll?
The Ragdoll is a cat breed with a colorpoint coat and blue eyes. They are large and muscular semi-longhair cats with a soft and silky coat. Developed by American breeder Ann Baker in the 1960s, they are best known for their docile and placid temperament and affectionate nature.
With positive reinforcement, Ragdoll cats learn quickly and can pick up tricks as well as good behaviors such as using a scratching post. 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.
Docile, sweet, and happy to relax for a good cuddle session, the loving Ragdoll will even greet their humans at the door when they come home. If you’re looking for a companion, you can’t find a much better choice than one of these easygoing felines.
Length: 17 to 21 inches, not including tail
Weight: 10 to 20 pounds
Life Span: 12 to 17 years
Ragdoll Colors and Patterns
Ragdoll kittens are born completely white and colors/patterns starts to develop around 2 to 3 weeks. Ragdolls are considered "slow maturing" cats and do not reach adulthood until 3 years of age. As Ragdolls get older their coat will darken. According to the breed standard, Ragdolls must have blue eyes.
Colors:
Seal (very dark brown), Chocolate, Blue (medium to light grey), Lilac (light grey with a pink hue), Red (fiery orange color), Cream (very light red), and Tortie (calico pattern).
Coat Patterns:
Colorpoint or Pointed - Colored markings on the cat's points, i.e., paws, ears, face and tail.
Mitted - Named after the idea that the cat is wearing "mittens". These cats have white front feet, white boots all the way up and around the hocks in the rear, a white chin, and belly stripe.
Bicolor - This pattern is hallmarked by an inverted "V" on the face that is white as well as white legs and belly. Only their tails, ears, back and sides of the face are colored.
Lynx - This pattern shows the classic "M" outline on the forehead and stripe patterns on the legs. Very similar to tabby markings. This is often seen as a complement to pointed colors.
What Determines Show or Pet Quality?
Pet quality vs show quality kittens
When Ragdoll kittens are born, they are completely white or cream and their eyes are closed. Their eyes begin to open between 7-10 days to reveal their beautiful blue eyes that remain blue into adulthood. The color points start to show in 5-10 days. The body has a definite contrast in color to the points, the chest, bib, and chin areas are usually lighter in color.
It is after about 5-6 weeks that one can start to see the characteristics of a kitten and we can then begin to evaluate as to whether or not he/she is "pet quality" or "show quality". To the average person, what does that really mean?
Pet Quality Kitten: A pet quality kitten is a kitten that is less than perfectly marked, or may have some other disqualifying feature that would prevent them from being shown. All pet quality kittens are spayed or neutered.
Show Quality Alter: A show quality alter kitten is a kitten that is perfectly or near perfectly marked, and could be shown in TICA or CFA organized cat shows.
Breeding or Show/Breeding Quality Kittens: A breeding or show/breeding quality kitten is a kitten that has some outstanding trait, that would be valuable to a breeding program. Breeder or Show/Breeders are sold to approved registered catteries, that practice early spay/neuter, and HCM DNA test all of the breeding cats.
Breed Standard for Ragdolls according to TICA (The International Cat Association)
Breed Standard for Ragdolls according to CFA (The Cat Fanciers' Association)
