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Ragdoll breed description :
Four decades ago, Ann Baker of California, USA founded the Ragdoll
breed. No purebred cats were ever used to "create" the Ragdoll.
Due to the first offspring being very loving and relaxed, Ann
named the breed after little girls' ragdolls. This left the
impression that they could be dangled from one hand. The Ragdoll
does not have a "floppy gene" and conscientious Ragdoll breeders
carefully study and secure those Ragdoll lines that not only have
good health, strong immune systems and great size, but that also
produce extremely loving and trusting kittens.
It is a fallacy that the Ragdoll is immune to pain. On request by
The British Ragdoll Cat Club, a study was performed in 1988 and
the two Ragdolls presented were found to be no different from any
other cats in their perception and response to painful stimuli.
Ragdolls are very clever and with a little bit of training will
soon be playing "fetch" with their owners, come on command and
walk on a harness. Unlike some other cat breeds, the Ragdoll is
not an adventurous breed and thus will do well as an indoor-only
cat, provided that it has enough stimuli to keep it entertained.
As with any other cats, great care should be taken to ensure that
the Ragdoll pet is confined to a very secure house and garden.
The ideal Ragdoll temperament is that of a cat that will greet
your guests, follow you around the house to "inspect and help" and
in general, keep you company. The typical Ragdoll pet is not a
vocally loud cat, but would rather talk to you in a soft, sweet
voice. Although the Ragdoll has been labeled a "lap cat", all
animals have individual personalities. There are some Ragdolls
that would like nothing better than to sit on your lap or be loved
all day long; and then there are others that prefer to sit next to
you, or by your feet.
All purebred cat breeds have a Standard of Points (SOP) for
showing and breeding purposes. The South African SOP describes the
Ragdoll's appearance as a well-balanced cat with no feature
overpowering another. The ideal Ragdoll should be a large,
imposing and strongly built cat with type, size and conformation
being the three most important attributes to be assessed.
The Ragdoll head has a broad modified wedge with slightly rounded
contours and an appearance of a flat plane between the ears. The
forehead is slightly rounded, merging into a gentle concave that
ends in a straight medium length nose with a slightly retrousse
tip. Ears are medium sized, wide set, slightly flared with rounded
tips tilting slightly forward. Eyes are large, oval in shape,
slightly oblique and set wide apart. The Ragdoll should have a
short and strong neck to match a substantially boned, large and
long body and a solid, muscular and broad chest. A fat pad
(greater omentum) is allowed on the lower abdomen. Legs are medium
to long and the hind legs are slightly longer than the front legs.
The plumed tail should be long, in proportion to the body,
tapering slightly to the tip.
The Ragdoll has a silky soft, dense coat of medium length. A ruff
and "trousers" (knickerbockers) are preferred. The coat is
non-matting, and just like with any other cat, it’s shedding
occurs with seasonal changes. Daily grooming is not required
although regular grooming is recommended as it not only removes
loose hair (which will prevent hairballs), but it is also a
wonderful way to bond and relax with your Ragdoll. Ragdolls are
very clean cats and unless you are showing your cat, regular
bathing is not required.
The Ragdoll only matures at around four to five years of age and
point colouring is set by the age of two years. The ideal Ragdoll
is impressive in size with altered males averaging 9Kg and spayed
females noticeably smaller, averaging 6 Kg. A diet of high premium
kibble, fresh water and healthy treats is recommended.
The Ragdoll is available in three patterns and six colours:
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Pattern: Colourpoint Tortie
Colour : Blue/Cream
Name: GR CH Kauffmankats
Cassandra of Raglin
Breeder: Linda Kauffman of Kauffmankats, USA
Owner: Linn Currie, Raglin Ragdolls, Pretoria
Photographer : Robert Currie
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Colourpoint Ragdolls
Mask, ears, feet and
tail are coloured and no white is allowed on the cat |
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Pattern: Mitted
Colour : Seal
Name:
Glacier Kelso Caylin of Raglin
Breeder: Kandy Clarke of Clacier Ragdolls, Montana, USA
Owner: Linn Currie, Raglin Ragdolls, Pretoria
Photographer : Linn Currie
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Mitted Ragdolls
Mask, ears and tail are coloured. Chin and underbody are white, front feet have white
mittens and back legs are white preferably up to the level of
the under body |
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Pattern: Bicolour Tabby
Colour : Blue Bicolour Tabby
Name: SP PM Glacier Frosted Star
of Raglin
Breeder: Kandy Clarke of Glacier Ragdolls, Montana, USA
Owner: Linn Currie, Raglin Ragdolls, Pretoria
Photographer : Linn Currie
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Bicolour Ragdolls
Except for a white
inverted "V" on the face, the mask, ears and tail are coloured.
Under body, front and back legs are white |
Colours:
Ragdolls are mostly available in Seal and in Blue. Chocolate and
Lilac Ragdolls are rare and not available in South Africa. In
recent years, the Red and Cream colours, as well as the Tabby and
Tortie patterns, have been imported to South Africa.
South African Ragdoll History :
During mid-1997 the first Ragdolls for breeding were imported to
South Africa, and in November 1999 the Ragdoll breed achieved full
championship status in the South African show halls. Early in
2000, the non-pointed Ragdoll was awarded full championship
status. At the 2001 Cat of The Year competition, NQ SP PM Raglin's
Mille Miglia, a Blue Colourpoint altered female, was the first
Ragdoll to compete in this prestigious competition and she was
placed joint 6th Best Alter.
There are very few Ragdoll breeders in South Africa.
Unfortunately, as the breed gains popularity, backyard breeders
have been offering so-called "Ragdolls" for sale to the public.
Potential Ragdoll pet owners are advised to confirm the validity
of the Ragdoll breeder by either contacting SACC at 011-616-7017
or the CFSA at 011-792-0676. If the breeder cannot produce a
certified pedigree and kitten registration form, then your kitten
is not a purebred Ragdoll. One advantage of only purchasing a
registered, purebred Ragdoll kitten is that the breeder can inform
you of the line's history of health, temperament and size.
Copyright 2004 Linn Currie
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From Left to Right:
• SP PM Glacier Frosted
Star of Raglin
Pattern: Bicolour Tabby
Colour :
Blue Bicolour Tabby
Breeder: Kandy Clarke of Glacier Ragdolls, Montana, USA
Owner: Linn Currie, Raglin Ragdolls, Pretoria
Photographer: Linn Currie
• Glacier Kelso
Caylin of Raglin
Pattern: Mitted
Colour : Seal
Breeder: Kandy Clarke of Clacier Ragdolls, Montana, USA
Owner: Linn Currie, Raglin Ragdolls, Pretoria
Photographer: Linn Currie
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Rockabyerags Exquisite Lori of Raglin
Pattern: Bicolour
Colour : Seal
Breeder: Jill Hill of Rockabyerags, Illinois, USA
Owner: Linn & Robert Currie, Raglin Ragdolls, Pretoria
Photographer : Linn Currie
• GR CH Kauffmankats
Cassandra of Raglin
Pattern: Colourpoint Tortie
Colour : Blue/Cream
Breeder: Linda Kauffman of
Kauffmankats, USA
Owner: Linn Currie, Raglin Ragdolls, Pretoria
Photographer : Robert Currie
Thank you to Lin Currie
for providing these beautiful photos
and the Ragdoll Cat Profile.
www.ragdoll.co.za
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Ratings out of 10 |
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Compatibility:
-Children
-Other Pets
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8 |
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Grooming |
5 |
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Affection |
8 |
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Playfulness |
7/8 |
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Attention Need |
5 |
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Healthiness |
8 |
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Independence |
3 |
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Activity Level |
6 |
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Vocality |
3 |
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Intelligence |
9 |
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