Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!
One of the biggest, fluffiest cats is also the cuddliest and most relaxed. The Ragdoll is an easy-going snuggle bug known for going limp like a ragdoll when held. They are a consistently popular breed, despite being quite expensive and new to the cat fancy [4, 12]. Let’s meet these friendly giants.
The Cat from Space?
The Ragdoll’s origins are fairly mundane, although there are some creative conspiracy theories about them. A woman named Ann Baker developed the breed in Riverside, California in the early 1960s [4-9, 11, 12]. Baker began with a long-haired, white stray she-cat she found in her neighborhood and named Josephine [5-9, 11, 12]. Baker added other domestic longhairs that she owned or found to the breeding program, selecting for gentle temperaments, large size, and long colorpoint coats [4-8]. She recruited other breeders to help expand her new breed [1, 4, 11]. Persians, Birmans, and Burmese may have been added to the program [7, 8].
Ann Baker named her creation the Ragdoll for their tendency to relax limply when picked up [6, 7, 12]. However, she had increasingly eccentric ideas about why the cats behave this way. She claimed that Josephine only had “normal” kittens until she was hit by a car and had to be taken to a veterinary center where Baker said Josephine’s genes were altered [4, 11]. All the litters she bore afterwards, allegedly, had the Ragdoll temperament. The stories only got stranger, incorporating space alien involvement, CIA experiments, and human-to-cat gene splicing [2, 6].
We can’t say why Ann Baker said those things, or if she truly believed them. It is public knowledge that the other Ragdoll breeders she had recruited started to distance themselves from her and developed the breed to show quality without her [4, 6, 11].
Breed Characteristics
Appearance and Patterning
Ragdolls are big kitties, weighing 10-20 pounds (4.5-9 kg) with females typically smaller than males [4-9, 11]. Ragdolls have long, heavy-boned bodies [1, 6, 11]. Their paws are tufted, and their tails are plumed [6]. Ragdolls all have blue eyes [1, 4-9, 11]. Their fur is semi-long, soft, and silky [4-7, 9, 11]. The fur is longest on their necks, creating a ruff [1, 6, 9].
Ragdoll cats come in four coat patterns: colorpoint, mitted, bicolor, and van [1, 4-8, 11, 12]. They can be any color and can also be lynx (tabby), tortoiseshell, or both [4-6, 8, 11, 12]. Colorpoint cats are darkest on their face, feet, tail, and ears. Mitted Ragdolls have a colorpoint pattern except their paws are white, giving the appearance that they’re wearing white mittens [1, 4-8, 11, 12]. Bicolors are white on all four paws, underbelly, chest, and an inverted V on their face [1, 4-6, 7, 11, 12]. Vans are mostly white with full color only on the ears, tail, top of the face mask, and sometimes scattered on the body [5, 12]. Not all cat associations recognize the Van pattern.
Personality
Ragdolls are very people-oriented and affectionate [4-6, 8, 11, 12]. They love to cuddle and spend time with their humans [4, 6, 8, 9, 11]. They are famously gentle and docile [2, 5-7, 11]. Though they’re reputation for flopping about like a plush toy may make them seem lazy, they actually aren’t. While it’s true that Ragdolls are not an active breed per se, they are quite playful [6, 11]. Some even enjoy learning tricks and games like fetch [4-6, 11, 12].
Ragdolls tend to be “floor cats,” in the words of the Cat Fanciers’ Association [4, 5]. They usually prefer being on or near the ground and aren’t much for climbing, high jumps, and feats of aerial acrobatics [4, 5, 6, 12]. That doesn’t mean they don’t need any space to themselves, though! It just means a Ragdoll will usually prefer something shorter like a scratching post or hideaway box.
Ragdoll Myths
1. Ragdolls are hypoallergenic.
Because their pelt lacks an undercoat, Ragdolls don’t shed as much as most cats [4-6, 9]. Because of this, there is a myth that they are hypoallergenic. However, it is cats’ saliva and dander that cause allergic reactions in people with cat allergies [9]. Less shedding may mean those allergens aren’t spread around the house quite so much, so some allergy sufferers might find Ragdolls easier to be around [9]. But there’s no guarantee. Therefore Ragdolls are not considered a hypoallergenic breed [4, 9].
2. All Ragdolls go limp every time you pick them up.
The breed’s name ensures that it’s reputation precedes it. Many people are under the impression that there is a special Ragdoll mutation affecting the nervous system that causes the Ragdoll flop [2]. However, the truth is that Ragdolls were simply bred to be so relaxed and friendly that they just melt when given affection [2]. Not all of these cats will ragdoll like that, though [2]. Every cat is an individual, and every interaction is unique.
3. Ragdolls do not feel pain.
This is an odd but persistent myth that reportedly goes all the way back to Josephine. The theory goes that because she gave birth to the first Ragdoll kittens after being hit by a car, the kittens and their descendants do not feel pain [1]. Medically, that is ridiculous. I suspect the docile and tolerant temperament of the cats made people think they were insensitive to pain, and people made up a reason why that would be the case. This is completely false, however. Ragdolls may be willing to put up with a lot, but they feel pain and discomfort just as much as any other cat [1, 12].
Living with Ragdolls
Ragdolls are considered a low-maintenance breed. Their fur isn’t prone to matting, thus requires only regular combing [4-7, 9, 11, 12]. The lack of undercoat can cause some Ragdolls to build up grease in their fur, so they need occasional baths [4, 6]. There are professionals who do that if you’re feeling intimidated.
This is a breed that gets along with everybody. They love people, are patient with children, and get along with other animals, including dogs [4, 6, 9, 11, 12]. In short, Ragdolls are great family pets. Because they are calm, cuddly, and not super active, they can be good pets for seniors who need some company [4]. They are soft-spoken cats and not very talkative [6, 8]. This can make them a good option for apartment living where a loud cat might bother the neighbors [8].
Ragdolls do need a lot of attention and are prone to loneliness [4]. If you want an independent cat that won’t mind being left home alone a lot, this is not the breed for you. A Ragdoll is likely to meet you at the door, follow you around, and try to participate in everything you are doing [4, 5, 6, 8, 12]. They just want to be your best friend.
Health Concerns
Ragdolls are pretty healthy cats, probably due to their origins among random-bred cats, but there are a few problems they have a genetic predisposition to. Like other large breeds, they are prone to obesity, so their food intake needs to be monitored carefully [9]. They also have an elevated risk of developing Feline Infectious Peritonitis [6].
Ragdoll cats have a predisposition to urinary tract problems, especially bladder stones [4, 6, 9]. Making sure your Ragdoll stays well-hydrated is important for prevention [9]. Finally, Ragdolls have a unique risk for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the most common form of heart disease in cats [3, 4, 6, 9, 10]. There is a mutation of the myosin binding protein C3 gene prevalent only in the Ragdoll breed that makes them more likely to develop HCM [3, 10]. Cats with two copies of the mutation are at much greater risk [3]. Fortunately, there is now a genetic test for this mutation, called MYBPC3 R820W, that enables breeders to choose not to breed cats that carry it [3, 6, 9, 10].
If you are considering bringing a Ragdoll into your home, remember that even purebred cats end up in shelters and rescues. Look first at breed-specific rescues such as Ragdoll Rescue USA or Merlin’s Hope Ragdoll Rescue in Texas, as well as your local shelter.
Fun Facts
- One name considered for the breed early on was Cherubim. [7]
- Ragdoll cats are slow to mature. They take 4 years to finish growing! [1, 5, 6, 11, 12]
- A Ragdoll named Frank and Louie was the longest-living Janus cat, or two-faced cat. Despite his rare congenital deformity, Frank and Louie lived to be 15 years old. [8]
Works Cited
- Alderton, D. (1992). Cats: The visual guide to more than 250 types of cats from around the world. Dorling Kindersley: London.
- Becker, M. & Spadafori, G. (2006). Do cats always land on their feet? 101 of the most perplexing questions answered about feline unfathomables, medical mysteries, & befuddling behaviors. Health Communications, Inc.: Deerfield Beach, FL.
- Borgeat, K., Casamian-Sorrosal, D., Helps, C., Fuentes, V. L., et al. (2014). Association of the myosin binding protein C3 mutation (MYBPC3 R820W) with cardiac death in a survey of 236 Ragdoll cats. Journal of Veterinary Cardiology, 16(2), 73-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc.2014.03.005
- Braaksma, H. & Guthrie, C. (2022, July 13). Ragdoll. DailyPaws. https://www.dailypaws.com/cats-kittens/cat-breeds/ragdoll
- Cat Fanciers’ Association. (n.d.). About the Ragdoll. https://cfa.org/ragdoll/
- Cattime. (n.d.). Ragdoll cats. https://cattime.com/cat-breeds/ragdoll-cats#/slide/1
- Edwards, A. (2006). The ultimate encyclopedia of cat, cat breeds, and cat care. Hermes House: London.
- Fawcett, K. (2022, May 5). 7 facts about Ragdoll cats. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/78233/8-friendly-facts-about-ragdoll-cats
- Fratt, K. (2022, June 27). Ragdoll cat: Breed profile, characteristics, and care. The Spruce Pets. https://www.thesprucepets.com/ragdoll-cat-breed-profile-4583144
- Meurs, K. M., Norgard, M. M., Ederer, M. M., Hendrix, K. P., et al. (2007). A substitution mutation in the myosin binding protein C gene in ragdoll hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Genetics, 90(2), 61-264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2007.04.007
- The International Cat Association. (2018, August 13). Ragdoll breed. https://tica.org/breeds/browse-all-breeds?view=article&id=868:ragdoll-breed&catid=79
- Thornton, K. C. (2018, January 16). The Ragdoll cat: All about this fascinating cat breed. Catster. https://www.catster.com/cats-101/about-the-ragdoll-cat
Published September 11th, 2022
Updated June 14th, 2023
