History
The Ragdoll line began in the 1960's by a woman named Ann Baker, in Riverside, California. She discovered a white Angora/Persian type of cat who was birthing unique and beautiful kittens. Some of those kittens were kept and bred with a Burmese type and a Birman type sire. The kittens with the look, size, and temperament that Ann wanted were kept and carefully bred to keep the line pure. Only the descendents of these cats are true Ragdolls.
Temperament
~ The Ragdoll is docile and peaceful in nature.
~ The Ragdoll "flop" is not just an adjective, but a factor that we breed for. The reason they are called "Ragdolls" is because when you hold them, they go limp like a ragdoll.
~ They do not have a self-preservation instinct (they will likely approach strange animals), and usually will not fight to defend themselves. This is why Ragdolls are meant to be indoor pets -- making them great for houses and apartments.
~ Ragdolls are playful and each has his/her favorite game to play. They also have spurts of high energy like all other felines.
~ Contrary to popular belief, the Ragdoll does have an innate hunting instinct like all other cats. If it's moving, a cat's instinct is to chase it. The question in a Ragdoll's mind is, "What do I do now that I've caught you?"
~ Ragdolls are known for their high level of trainability and can easily be voice or sound trained. It is easy to train them to use scratch posts, and not your living room furniture. We love to teach our Ragdolls to fetch!
~ As people lovers, the Ragdoll loves to be a part of the family, and will generally be in the same room as a family member. We call them "cat dogs" because of the way they loyally follow us around.
~ Because of their peaceful, loyal, and non-aggressive nature, Ragdolls are the perfect, huggable companion animals for homes with children and other pets.
~ About Ragdolls ~
Size
~ Ragdolls are the largest breed of cat. They reach their mature size and depth of color at the age of three years.
~ An average weight estimate for females is 8-12 pounds.
~ An average weight estimate for males is 10-20 pounds.
Beauty
~ A conversation piece: a Ragdoll in the home is like having a piece of living art. They are stunning. The beauty is even more endearing because their mellow attitude makes it seem like they don't even know how beautiful they are!
~ Ragdoll kittens are born pure white with blue eyes and don't reveal their patterns until they are about two weeks old.
~ The coat is long and as soft as rabbit fur. The coat does not mat easily, so routine visits to the groomer are not necessary.
~ Ragdolls DO shed, although it is much less than most long haired breeds, and might only peak during seasonal changes.
A sturdy stainless steel wide and fine toothed comb is the perfect grooming tool for a Ragdoll. Spending the money on a good tool will only happen once as it will last the lifetime of your cat.
A rigorous brushing for a few minutes twice a week, and a healthy diet, will keep your ragdoll's coat in perfect condition.
Health
Your Ragdoll cat is a substantial investment both financially and emotionally. To ensure the best possible health of your kitten, purchase your Ragdoll from a breeder. BEWARE OF KITTEN MILLS AND BACKYARD BREEDERS!
Ragdolls are a hearty breed with relatively few health problems. A healthy environment combined with complete and balanced nutrition positively correlates with the health of your Ragdoll. With proper care, your Ragdoll could live well past the age of 15!
Because Ragdoll cats live indoors, they are not prone to getting sick often, but that does not make them immune to the germs/parasites that are brought into the home from the outside world. For this reason, and in case your Ragdoll gets outside, you need to have your cat vaccinated and dewormed.
Further, if you have a dog in your home, see that your dog is fully vaccinated, dewormed (esp. heart and hook worm), and is provided preventitive care for fleas, mites, and parasites, and has had rabies shots.
HCM is probably the most common genetic mutation in Ragdoll cats.
HCM
If you own Ragdolls, or have been doing your shopping, you may be wondering what all this business is about HCM.
HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) is a disease of the heart. With HCM, certain parts of the wall of the myocardium (the muscle of the heart) thicken for no known reason. A phenomenon called "myocardial disarray" occurs where the normal alignment of the cells are disrupted which also causes malfuntion in the heart's electrical functioning. HCM is usually asymptomatic until cardiac arrest occurs. The only way to look for it is to test the blood for the genetic mutation. Since this disease is found in humans, in the animal world this is referred to as "Feline Cardiomyopathy."
A genetic test showing a -/- result of the parents means that the liklihood of HCM negativity in your kitten will greatly increase. This does not mean that your kitten will never have HCM. The causes of HCM are multifactorial which means your Ragdoll may contract HCM at some point during the lifespan. A breeder telling you otherwise is misleading you, and is most likely misinformed his/herself.
A cat who is tested with one copy of the gene (-/+ heterozygous) will not get sick; but a cat with 2 copies of the gene (+/+ homozygous) will definitely get sick.
Your BEST chances of having a Ragdoll who will remain free of homozygous HCM for his/her lifespan is to purchase a kitten whose parents and grandparents have a -/- test result.
PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) is an inherited disease that causes multiple fluid filled cysts to grow on the kidneys. PKD is progressive, and the cysts cannot be removed. Since PKD is an inherited disease (and not a genetic mutation) if both parents test negative for PKD, it is impossible for a kitten to have it. PKD has been found in Ragdolls, so be sure your kitten's lines are free of PKD.
This is a lot of info... If nothing else, LEARN ABOUT HCM!!
EDUCATE YOURSELF, AND SHOP YOUR BREEDER!!
Ragdolls are a breed that can cater to any age and family size ranging from children to senior citizens, small or large families, and couples or single people. They are indoor cats that live happily in large homes or small apartments. Having a Ragdoll as a member of your family will bring the elements of beauty, love, life, humor, and peace into your home.
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FIP Vaccine
feline infectious peritonitis
is a viral disease that is progressive and almost always fatal. There is a lot of talk that the FIP vaccination is harmful to the Ragdoll breed. So until there is more information, I would not recommend this vaccination with your kitten. Cats that do not go outdoors are not at great risk for FIP. That being said... indoor cats are not immune to diseases, and it could happen. These are organic living beings, just like humans... and there is a chance that anybody could get sick.
Most vets do not recommend this vaccine; usually because of its lack of empirical evidence on its efficacy, but some do.
There is a clause in our contract that will void health guarantees if the FIP vaccine has been given to a TempleDolls Ragdoll.
Here is a link with info on FIP from Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine
Most importantly, note the final paragraph of Cornell's article stating that the vaccine has little effectiveness. The American Association of Feline Practitioners Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel does not generally recommend this vaccine.
