The Ragdoll Breed

Ragdolls are large, laid-back, semi longhaired cats with captivating blue eyes. They are a pointed breed, meaning the body is lighter in color than the points (the face, legs, tail and ears). Ragdoll cats are carefully bred to produce large affectionate animals in three patterns, two with white (mitted and bi-color) and one with no white (colorpoint). Altered males will usually top the scale at 15-20 pounds; females are proportionately smaller and usually weigh between 10-15 pounds at maturity. Ragdolls are slow-maturing, reaching full coat color at three years, and full size and weight at four.

Ragdolls are also bred for their personality, relaxed, happy, with many going limp in your arms and flopping like a stuffed Ragdoll. They are tolerant with other animals and children. Ragdolls are often compared to dogs because of their friendliness, intelligence, loyal character and tend to be more interested in humans than some breeds of cats. they are known to run to greet you at the door, follow you from room to room, flop on you, sleep with you, and generally choose to be where you are. They are gentle cats, and usually play without extending their claws.
The Ragdoll’s semi long coat is plush and silky, and requires minimal grooming to keep it looking its best. They should be combed with a steel comb on a regular basis to find and remove any loose hair or tangles. Quality coats consist mainly of long, soft guard hairs. Ragdolls, just like all breeds of cats, will shed, usually with the change of seasons. The absence of the thick, dense, insulating undercoats results in reduced shedding and matting. In all, Ragdolls are well behaved, and easy to care for.

Examples of Ragdoll Colors and Patterns