The Ragdoll Cat — Amazing Facts About This Popular Cat Breed
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Fact - How They Get Their Name
When you first meet your new family member and pick her up you will quickly learn the meaning behind the name, Ragdoll. Your new kitty will likely go completely limp in your arms. No need to worry, this is completely natural. Don’t let that laid back personality fool you though, Ragdolls are playful cats who need at least moderate play time exercise to keep them from falling into obesity.Fact - They Shed A Lot
Ragdolls will need to be groomed or brushed regularly due to their long fur. Ragdolls are also known to be emotionally sensitive to their owners. Don’t be surprised when your Ragdoll cuddles up to when you’ve had a bad day. You can check with your veterinarian for recommended food, treats, and activities.Fact - They Can Live A Long Time
Your new fur baby will be with you for a long time, Ragdolls can live up to 15 years or more, so forming healthy habits from the beginning is imperative. Ragdolls, due to their gentle nature, need to be kept indoors.Fact - They Are One of the Largest Cat Breeds
Ragdolls tend to weigh just under twelve pounds for both male and females, though Ragdolls, like many house cats, tend toward obesity. Ragdolls are big-boned and robust cats. A male can get as large as twenty-pounds while females may reach fifteen-pounds. They each will outweigh most bowling balls.Fact - They Are Very Playful
Despite their size and very calm demeanor, they love to play and are generally active. All a Ragdoll needs is a loving hand and a toy mouse, or even the dreaded red dot laser toy for their happiness. They are easy to please.Fact - They May Have Some Health Issues
As Ragdolls age they may have some health issues.
Some health issues common to Ragdolls include:
- Obesity
- Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) which is most commonly seen in kittens or cats under the age of three
- Bladder stones
- Feline mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS VI).
Fact - They are the Feline Equivalent of a Lap Dog
A Ragdoll cat will sleep in your lap all of the time, if you allow it. They are warm, soft, cuddlers who make great therapy for anxiety and other health issues. Petting a Ragdoll in your lap can certainly lower your blood pressure and bring you calm. Ragdolls are also smart and can be taught to come when called and are very well-behaved. Rarely does a Ragdoll lose his temper or use his claws, even with a puppy or another cat. 
Fact - They Can Outlive Most Other Cats
They live a long time and a Ragdoll cat has been known to have lived the longest They are known as Janus Cats, which is a reference to the breeds with the masked faces. They are the longest living of the Janus Cats, living to the age of fifteen with ease in many cases.Fact - They’re Quiet Cats
Unlike a Siamese cat that can be very vocal, Ragdolls don’t make much noise at all. This makes them great apartment kitties because they won’t yowl and wake the neighbors. It can also be a bad trait for those times when they are hurt or sick. They will not let you know. Ragdolls will silently suffer.Fact - They are a Dog in the Body of a Cat
Perhaps not technically, but the Ragdoll is very doglike in their behavior. Ragdoll cats will follow you from room to room in the house and choose to hang-out in the room that you settle in. Ragdolls have been known to learn how to play fetch and bring tiny sticks or balls back to you, just like a retriever may, when thrown. They can do this for quite some time and make your wonder if they are confused. It’s just them being who they are. Ragdolls love to interact with their people.
Fact- They Come In More Than One Color
They are generally shown in the traditional cream with dark faces. They can also come in a seal brown, blue to red and cream. They can also come in tortoiseshell or tabby markings. Ragdolls may have, in fact, many types of markings that they aren’t commonly known for. They may be something called color point, which means that they will have no white on their body anywhere.
They may have white mittens on their paws but not always. They are, however, born pale and begin showing their true colors and markings as they grow. Regardless of color or pattern, they are a gorgeous cat to behold.
Fact - Grumpy Cat was NOT a Ragdoll
The famous cat, known for her sour expressions and sarcastic memes on social media was often thought to be a Ragdoll by her fans. In truth, her parents were neither a Ragdoll and no one knows exactly how she turned out the colors that she was.
Fact - They Are a Fairly New Breed
While it may seem like they’ve been around forever, they were actually bred and popularized in the 1960s. They’ve grown in popularity over the past sixty years and are now a very beloved breed of cat, more popular than many other breeds which are much older.
Fact - They Feel Like a Rabbit
They have fur that is soft and luxurious, like a velvet rabbit. People love to run their fingers through the fur of the Ragdoll cat and they love it too. Ragdolls will patiently lay still while you brush them, which you should do daily if you don’t want that rabbit hair to form rabbit sized tumbleweeds of fur, under your bed.
Fact - They Do Not All Have Blue Eyes
The characteristic blue eyes of the Ragdoll are the most common color but not the only color of eyes they may have. Ragdolls can also have a golden color of eyes or greenish-blue eyes, depending on their coat and pattern variations. Kittens are all born with blue eyes, however.
Fact - They Aren’t Big Explorers
Ragdolls are less likely to try to escape and go off on an exploration of the neighborhood than other cats are. They prefer being near you and hanging out at home, somewhere cozy … preferably your lap or on your shoulder.
Fact - They Have a Thing for Running Water
Ragdolls seem to love the sound of running water. Don’t be baffled if yours come racing when you get in the shower. They may even enjoy playfully batting at the water with their paws. They seem to enjoy water whether it is running or in a wading pool and you may find your Ragdoll trying to get his feet wet or even take a dip. This is polar opposite of most cats who run at the sight of water.
Fact - They Grow Slowly
A Ragdoll cat isn’t fully grown until he reaches the age of four-years-old. This is very slow compared to other animals which are typically finished growing by the age of two.
Fact - They are Trainable
This breed is so intelligent and loving with humans that they will seek attention throughout being trained. Other cats may walk away but a Ragdoll can learn to do simple and even complex tasks. They are sometimes used as acts of entertainment, as performers, for this reason.
Fact - The Breed Creator Spread Bizarre Rumors About the Breed
Ann Baker founded the breed in 1963 in California. She was known to have told some bizarre facts about the cats, including that they could feel no pain and that they were part alien cats.
Fact - They Love Other Cats
While some cats find it difficult to integrate with others, your Ragdoll will welcome newcomers and play days with new friends. They adjust rapidly to having a new cat in the house or being the new cat in the house.
Fact - Sometimes They Just Don’t Like You
While they typically are known for loving their humans, they may decide that there is someone in the house that they don’t care for. If this happens, there’s typically little that you can do to change their minds. They just are stubborn in this respect.
Fact - They Are Great With Kids
Unlike a lot of other cat breeds who have zero patience with children, the Ragdoll is true to his name and will allow children to pick him up and carry him around the house. In fact, he’ll probably like it. If your child decides to play dress-up with the cat, there is a chance that the Ragdoll will enjoy this as well.
Fact - They Come from Ragamuffins
No, we aren’t insulting their parents. The breed was developed along with another breed known as the Ragamuffin. The Ragamuffin also goes limp and is a very calm demeanored kitty cat, but the two are both very distinctly different breeds. There were some arguements about the name trademark and so forth when the two breeds separated from an original line that once included both cats.
Fact - Ragdolls Love Playing Fetch
We know we mentioned this once already but it warrants its own section. These cats will play fetch with you for hours sometimes. They honestly enjoy it and will keep kids entertained for hours as well on some days. They are wonderful companions for a single person who is living in an apartment, or a great cat for a family with children because they’re just so genuinely ‘chill’ with the things that children do.
Fact- Ragdolls are Susceptible to Blindness and Cancer
It seems like they are more at risk if they are outside kitties. The UVB light can give them sunburn and they don’t do well with it. They are much more suited for life indoors, surrounded by their family at all times. Your cat may developcancer if constantly outside in sunlight as well. They seem to be sensitive to the sunlight.
There are also some general cat facts that you may not be aware of and we’d like to enlighten you as to some of those as well.
- Cats can jump six times the length of their own body.
- Cats see better at night than during the day.
- Cats are typically nocturnal but they can learn to live on your schedule with patient training and disturbing their naps all day long.
- Cats sleep for nearly three years ouf the thier first siz years of life. They will sleep many hours per day, with ease, and not feel guilty about it at all.
- Cats don’t really like sharing litter boxes with other cats. Each cat should have his own.
- Cats have to have taurine in their diet or it can cause them eye issues and blindness.
There you have many facts and strange enlightenment’s about the Ragdoll breed and about cats in general. If you’ve got specific questions about Ragdolls you should ask a breeder who will be happy to spend hours talking to you about their cats. It’s a hobby and a love, not a business for them.
If you are ever lucky enough to have a Ragdoll cat, you may never want another breed. They are so personable and affectionate that no other breed will really seem to make you feel as special as your Ragdoll cat can. He’s also striking to look at and will be the topic of conversation when you have guests in your home.
He’ll be fine with that sort of attention, but he’ll always love you the most. He’s a long commitment, don’t forget that you’ll have him in your life for 15 to 20 years as long as he remains healthy and your children can grow up with him.
