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The Ragdoll is a breed of cat with a distinct colorpoint coat and blue eyes. Its morphology is large and weighty, and it has a semi-long and silky soft coat. American breeder Ann Baker developed Ragdolls in the 1960s. They are best known for their docile, placid temperament and affectionate nature. The name 'Ragdoll' is derived from the tendency of individuals from the original breeding stock to go limp and relaxed when picked up. The breed is particularly popular in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
Ragdolls are often known as " dog-like cats" or "puppy-like cats", due to their tendency to follow people around, their receptiveness to handling, and their relative lack of aggression towards other pets.
Ragdolls are distinguishable by the upside-down V-shaped markings on their foreheads, large round blue eyes, soft, thick coats, thick limbs, long tails, and soft bodies. Their color rings are commonly tricolor or bicolor.
The breed was developed in
History
The breed was developed in Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire an ...
, by breeder Ann Baker. A regular, non-pedigreed, white domestic longhaired cat named Josephine produced several litters of typical cats. Josephine was of a Persian/ Angora type and had litters sired by several unknown male Birman
The Birman, also called the "Sacred Cat of Burma",
Retrieved 16 April 2010 is a domestic Burmese-like cats, one of which had the Siamese point coloration. Josephine later produced kittens with a docile, placid temperament, affectionate nature, and a tendency to go limp and relaxed when picked up. Out of those early litters came Blackie, an all-black Burmese-like male, and Daddy Warbucks, a seal point with white feet. Daddy Warbucks sired the founding bi-color female Fugianna, and Blackie sired Buckwheat, a dark brown/black Burmese-like female. Both Fugianna and Buckwheat were daughters of Josephine. All Ragdolls are descended from Baker's cats through matings of Daddy Warbucks to Fugianna and Buckwheat. Baker, in an unusual move, spurned traditional cat breeding associations. She trademarked the name ''Ragdoll'', set up her own registry – the International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA) – around 1971, and enforced stringent standards on anyone who wanted to breed or sell cats under that name. The Ragdolls were also not allowed to be registered by other breed associations. The IRCA is still in existence today but is quite small, particularly since Baker's death in 1997. In 1975, a group led by a husband-and-wife team, Denny and Laura Dayton, broke ranks with the IRCA with the aim of gaining mainstream recognition for the Ragdoll. Beginning with a breeding pair of IRCA cats, this group eventually developed the Ragdoll standard currently accepted by major cat registries such as the CFA and the
The Ragdoll has been known to have a very floppy and calm nature, with claims that these characteristics have been passed down from the Persian and Birman breeds. Opinions vary as to whether this trait might be the result of genetic mutation or merely an instinctive reaction from being picked up as kittens by their mother.Understanding Cat Behavior: The Complete Feline Problem Solver
Roger Tabor (2003). P 33. The extreme docility of some individuals has led to the myth that Ragdolls are pain resistant. Some breeders in Britain have tried to breed away from the limpness owing to concerns that extreme docility 'might not be in the best interests of the cat'.
Although the breed has a plush coat, it consists mainly of long guard hairs, while the lack of a dense undercoat results, according to the Cat Fanciers' Association, in 'reduced shedding and matting'. But there may be a noticeable increase of shedding in the spring.
Ragdolls come in six distinct colors: seal, chocolate, red, and the corresponding 'dilutes': blue, lilac, and cream. There also are the lynx and tortoiseshell variations in all colors and the three patterns. Ragdoll kittens are born white: they have good color at 8–10 weeks and full color and coat at 3–4 years.
*Lynx – A variant of the above type having tabby markings. This variation always comes with white ear lines, no matter the pattern.
* Tortoiseshell or "tortie" – A variant noted for mottled or parti-colored markings in the above patterns.
Ragdoll history according to the Ragdoll Fanciers Club International
{{Authority control Cat breeds Cat breeds originating in the United States Inbred animals
Retrieved 16 April 2010 is a domestic Burmese-like cats, one of which had the Siamese point coloration. Josephine later produced kittens with a docile, placid temperament, affectionate nature, and a tendency to go limp and relaxed when picked up. Out of those early litters came Blackie, an all-black Burmese-like male, and Daddy Warbucks, a seal point with white feet. Daddy Warbucks sired the founding bi-color female Fugianna, and Blackie sired Buckwheat, a dark brown/black Burmese-like female. Both Fugianna and Buckwheat were daughters of Josephine. All Ragdolls are descended from Baker's cats through matings of Daddy Warbucks to Fugianna and Buckwheat. Baker, in an unusual move, spurned traditional cat breeding associations. She trademarked the name ''Ragdoll'', set up her own registry – the International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA) – around 1971, and enforced stringent standards on anyone who wanted to breed or sell cats under that name. The Ragdolls were also not allowed to be registered by other breed associations. The IRCA is still in existence today but is quite small, particularly since Baker's death in 1997. In 1975, a group led by a husband-and-wife team, Denny and Laura Dayton, broke ranks with the IRCA with the aim of gaining mainstream recognition for the Ragdoll. Beginning with a breeding pair of IRCA cats, this group eventually developed the Ragdoll standard currently accepted by major cat registries such as the CFA and the
FIFe
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross ...
. Around the time of the spread of the Ragdoll breed in America during the early 1960s, a breeding pair of Ragdolls was exported to the UK. Eight more cats followed this pair to fully establish the breed in the UK, where it is recognized by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy
The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) is a cat registry, established in 1910 and the largest organisation that registers pedigree cats in the United Kingdom. It was formed from a small number of cat clubs which were registering cats a ...
.
Breed description
Temperament
The Ragdoll has been known to have a very floppy and calm nature, with claims that these characteristics have been passed down from the Persian and Birman breeds. Opinions vary as to whether this trait might be the result of genetic mutation or merely an instinctive reaction from being picked up as kittens by their mother.Understanding Cat Behavior: The Complete Feline Problem SolverRoger Tabor (2003). P 33. The extreme docility of some individuals has led to the myth that Ragdolls are pain resistant. Some breeders in Britain have tried to breed away from the limpness owing to concerns that extreme docility 'might not be in the best interests of the cat'.
Breed standard
In animal husbandry or animal fancy, a breed standard is a description of the characteristics of a hypothetical or ideal example of a breed. The description may include physical or morphological detail, genetic criteria, or criteria of athletic ...
marketing and publicity material describe the Ragdoll as affectionate, intelligent, relaxed in temperament, gentle, and an easy-to-handle lap cat. The animals are often known as 'puppy cats', 'dog-like cats', 'cat-dogs', etc., because of their placid nature and affectionate behavior, with the cats often following owners from room to room as well as seeking physical affection akin to certain dog breeds. Ragdolls can be trained to retrieve toys and enjoy doing so. They have a very playful nature that often lasts well into their senior years. Unlike many other breeds, Ragdolls prefer staying low to the ground rather than the highest point in the household.
Physical characteristics
The Ragdoll is one of the largest domesticated cat breeds. Fully-grown females weigh from . Males are substantially larger, ranging from or more. It can take up to four years for a Ragdoll to reach mature size. They have a sturdy body, bulky frame, and proportionate legs. Their heads are broad with a flat top and wide space between the ears. They have long, muscular bodies with broad chests and short necks. Their tails are bushy and long in length, their paws are large, round, and tufted, and their coats are silky, dense, and medium to long length. Due to their coats tending to be long, they usually require brushing at least twice a week. Adults develop knickerbockers on their hind legs and a ruff around their necks. The breed is often known for its large round deep blue eyes, though other cats may have that feature as well. The genes for point coloration are also responsible for these distinctive blue eyes. More intense shades of blue are favored in cat shows.
Although the breed has a plush coat, it consists mainly of long guard hairs, while the lack of a dense undercoat results, according to the Cat Fanciers' Association, in 'reduced shedding and matting'. But there may be a noticeable increase of shedding in the spring.
Ragdolls come in six distinct colors: seal, chocolate, red, and the corresponding 'dilutes': blue, lilac, and cream. There also are the lynx and tortoiseshell variations in all colors and the three patterns. Ragdoll kittens are born white: they have good color at 8–10 weeks and full color and coat at 3–4 years.
Patterns
*Colorpoint – One color darkening at the extremities (nose, ears, tail, and paws), *Mitted – Same as pointed but with white paws and abdomen. With or without a blaze (a white line or spot on the face), they must have a 'belly stripe' (white stripe that runs from the chin to the genitals) and a white chin. Mitted Ragdolls, which weren't allowed titling in CFA until the 2008–2009 show season, are often confused with Birmans. The easiest way to tell the difference is by size (the Ragdoll being larger) and chin color (Mitted Ragdolls have white chins, while Birmans have colored chins), although breeders recognize the two by head shape and boning. * Bicolor – White legs, white inverted ''V'' on the face, white abdomen, and sometimes white patches on the back (excessive amounts of white, or 'high white', on a bicolor are known as the Van pattern, although this does not occur as often as the other patterns).Variations
*Lynx – A variant of the above type having tabby markings. This variation always comes with white ear lines, no matter the pattern.
* Tortoiseshell or "tortie" – A variant noted for mottled or parti-colored markings in the above patterns.
Health
One study, utilizing Swedish insurance data, showed that of the common cat breeds, the Ragdoll and Siamese have the lowest survival rate. They typically live from 12 to 15 years.Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, or HOCM when obstructive) is a condition in which the heart becomes thickened without an obvious cause. The parts of the heart most commonly affected are the interventricular septum and the ventricles. This r ...
(HCM) is a common heart disease in all cats and is most commonly genetic in cause. The disease causes thickening of the cardiac wall, which makes the heart pump blood less efficiently. It can, in some instances, lead to sudden death. In Ragdolls that are homozygous
Zygosity (the noun, zygote, is from the Greek "yoked," from "yoke") () is the degree to which both copies of a chromosome or gene have the same genetic sequence. In other words, it is the degree of similarity of the alleles in an organism.
Mo ...
positive for the disease (having two copies of the HCM gene), the condition can present early (as young as six months) and tends to be severe, with most cats dying by age 3. Heterozygous (one copy of HCM gene) cats tend to have later onset and slower progression of the disease, with less severe impact.
A DNA test was developed in 2007 to identify the gene that causes HCM in Ragdolls. Breeding only from Ragdolls that are free from this gene (homozygous negative) will ensure that they will not develop the form of HCM associated with it.
The allelic frequencies of the Ragdoll HCM mutation R820W were 0.17 in cats from Italy and 0.23 in cats from the US in 2013. This reference states that the R820W prevalence is 30% in UK. The HCM prevalence was found to be 2.9% (95% CI = 2.7–8.6%) in this study.
References
External links
Ragdoll history according to the Ragdoll Fanciers Club International
{{Authority control Cat breeds Cat breeds originating in the United States Inbred animals