What is a Ragdoll?
What differentiates Ragdolls from other breeds of cats is their mellow temperament and wonderful disposition. They are the Newfoundlands of the cat world: friendly with people and other pets, large, docile, laid back, and very loving. The name "Ragdoll" derives from their tendency to completely relax and go limp when picked up. They are beautiful cats with a semi-long haired coat that is soft and silky, very easy to take care of and does not mat. They will shed in the spring and fall. They enjoy being brushed but require little or no grooming. Slow to mature, they may reach a weight of 12-18 lbs for the males and about 4 lbs less for the females at 4 to 5 years of age. They are the largest cat breed in the world. They are ideal for indoor living and should only be kept indoors. All traditional Ragdolls have beautiful blue eyes that vary in intensity from a pale blue grey to a deep turquoise blue.
Traditional pointed ragdolls are available in the following patterns: Colorpoint, Bicolor and Mitted (see the 3 patterns illustrated in the logo below from right to left; all 3 cats are seal). They are all born white with the colors starting to show at about 10 days of age and darkening progressively. Pointed means that their faces, ears, feet and tails are darker than the rest of their body.
They are available in many different colors: seal (the 3 cats pictured above), blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, tortie (in females only: cream or red mixed with seal, blue, chocolate or lilac), and lynx (a tabby overlay of any of the previous colors).
If you are curious about pattern and color inheritance in Ragdolls, check this neat table by clicking here. The pattern and color prediction table is courtesy of
A Little History
All Ragdolls have a common ancestor named "Josephine", a white domestic long-haired cat owned in the 1960's by a neighbor of Ann Baker, a cat breeder from California. Ann noticed that Josephine (who was probably in part Persian and/or angora) was producing, when mated with Birman-like and/or Burmese-like males, several litters of kittens that turned out to have an unusual docile temperament. She purchased several kittens from the owner and set out to create a new breed, now known as the Ragdoll. She bred selectively for large size, gentle disposition and the pointed colors.
The following pictures are courtesy of RFCI (Ragdoll Fanciers Club International):
Ann Baker holding Fugianna a seal bicolor.
Ann Baker holding one of her very early litters. Kookie, Toy Sue, & Kookie Tu. They were born in 1966.