Charming Ragdoll kitten picture

Picture of a Ragdoll kitten by Jon Cartwright

It is perhaps fair to say that there is no more photogenic cat than the Ragdoll. The crystal blue eyes, the symmetrical facial markings and the baby-like face combined with the luxurious, long fur make this cat the most photogenic of all. But don't make the presumption that all Ragdoll cats are like ragdolls i.e. floppy and compliant. They are individuals and you might even meet one which for good reason tends towards aggressiveness. That would be shocking wouldn't it? They are, rightly, one of the most popular cat breeds especially at the moment because they are designed to be full-time indoor cats and the modern world is going towards that way of cat caretaking because of increased urbanisation, increased population size et cetera. If you are considering buying a purebred cat you should consider a Ragdoll. Although I would always recommend going down to your local rescue centre and giving an unwanted cat the life they deserve in a warm and loving home.

Ragdoll Profile Picture

Perfect profile, a photo by fofurasfelinas on Flickr.

This is a nice profile photograph of a beautiful Ragdoll cat. The photograph was taken by Giane Portail AKA fofurasfelinas (on Flickr). The picture is protected by copyright. The Ragdoll is one of the world's most popular purebred cats. The name however is I feel a little misleading. This is a pretty normal cat! Yes, they can tend to me docile, calm and quiet but it depends a bit on the individual cat. Cats do vary in their temperaments.

The Ragdoll head should be a broad "modified wedge". The phrase in hyphens is a cat fancy term that should be dropped in my opinion. It is very strange terminology. I guess it must mean a wedge shaped head that is not entirely wedge shaped! Of course, a cat cannot have a head like a wedge. The head should be wide but in the general shape of a typical domestic cat. The contours of the head should be rounded. This echos the breed standard of the Persian, a similar breed in many ways (e.g. character). The guideline of a round head probably follows the soft nature of the character. The chin and muzzle should be well developed and rounded.

The ears of the Ragdoll should be medium-sized and broad at the base (all ears are actually). The tips of the ears should be rounded. Notice the use of the word "round" again.

The eyes should, of course be blue and large! Diamond blue eyes. Did you know that the Ragdoll has a tendency to develop a pot belly..err I mean a "fatty pad"¹ on the lower abdomen. The Egyptian Mau has what is called a "belly flap". Is that a pot belly too?

You can see the longer fur around the around the neck forming a kind of bib (low key ruff).

This individual cat is Zucca, from the RagBurt cattery. Zucca seems to be a blue pointed Ragdoll. Giane lives in Brazil so this is a Brazilian Ragdoll cat. I don't know how fancy the cat fancy is in Brazil. I should think it is well developed but we don't hear much about it.

Note: 1. Legacy of the Cat page 134.

Curious Ragdoll Picture

This is handsome Ramses. He has a classic, bright, blue eyed Ragdoll appearance. He looks astonished, slightly...The diamond blue eyes are a strong feature of this cat. The history of this cat breed is vague, opaque even, but the eyes are clear.

The placement of the white on the particolor point is subject to a lot of restrictions under the breed standard. In the cat fancy, "particolor" means colors and patterns that come with white.

Curious Ragdoll - Photo copyright Giane Portal.

The Ragdoll is in the top 5 most popular breeds under a long term poll of 4,500 votes that I have run. You can see why. This is a large, docile cat noted for his or her tendency to go floppy when picked up. And the coat is stunning.

Do Ragdolls really go floppy? I don't believe that - unless someone leaves a comment to the contrary. They would be better described as docile cats with even temperaments although individual cats won't even be that.

We are told that they are not interested in going outside. That is a nice quality for a concerned cat caretaker as it prevents the possibility of contracting a disease and putting himself in danger.

Associated: Comparing Ragdoll and Maine Coon

Ragdoll cat photo by Giane Portal

Giane takes lots of brilliant cat photographs so I have chosen this one more or less at random. They are all great photos. You can see some more of her Ragdoll photos on this Flickr page.

You know what they say about Ragdoll in relation to the eyes. Well this cat has the Ragdoll eyes: clear, crystal China-blue. The face looks perfect Ragdoll to me. It is a pointed face like the Siamese but interrupted by the white spotting gene producing a very symmetrical inverted, white "V". This is the way I visualise the Ragdoll face.

Anne Baker the creator of the breed also created a ton of mystery around the creation. This has proved very effective, actually. It was no doubt done deliberate to create interest while seeking recognition for the breed.

It is all fiction, of course! We just have a very attractive long haired that tends to be docile. Do you live with a hyperactive Ragdoll cat?!

Cat Breeds for Apartments

The best cat breeds for apartments are the American Shorthair, British Shorthair, Ragdoll and Persian.  I'll explain why I have made that assessment. Of these four I would chose the British Shorthair.

These are two fantastic British Shorthair cats. Helmi does a great job photographing cats because she also captures the character. You can see the solid, calm, reliable character of this cat breed that makes it suitable for apartment life. However, there should be a greater obligation on the cat's human companion to entertain their cat when living in an apartment, even if that cat is the rather sedate, well mannered Brit SH!

The American Shorthair is a fine all round cat breed and also suitable for children and seniors. The requirements for each group is similar and that is a well rounded, gentle, balanced cat that takes things in his stride and who is in sync. with his human companion.

People (experts) say that the Persian should stay indoors, in which case an apartment seems suitable. This is partly because of the cat's very long fur. It is also a cat that likes routine, quiet and a sense of security. Cats breeds from the same background are: Exotic Shorthair and Himalayan. You can see the passivity of the Exotic compared to the more active Bengal in this video:

As for the Ragdoll, this cat breed has the reputation of being the world's most laid back cat. This is not true because there will be individual cats that step outside the breed trends.

If the breed characteristics narrow down the choice for cat breeds for apartments, the person wishing to adopt should select on individual cat personality with the assistance of the breeder. A quality breeder is important both for advice and cat quality.

Top Cat Breeds For Seniors

It is difficult to provide a formula for selecting the top cat breeds for seniors because seniors have different personalities and lifestyles like anyone else. Some older people are very active and desire to be active as it promotes health. Some elderly people carry an illness, which despite best intentions, slows them down. The elderly active person will be the best cat caretaker as they are at home more and have the time to spend with their cat companion. Their lifestyle supports routine and security, something that cats love.

American Shorthair - highly suitable for seniors.
His name: "Tiger"

 

However, in general the retired person will be less active and seek a quieter lifestyle with minimum demands. That encourages me to think of cat breeds that are similar in character such as the Persian, British Shorthair, Ragdoll. Of these three the Brit is probably best as the others, particularly the very long haired Persian requires regular grooming to maintain the coat. The Brit SH has a fabulous coat to stroke - very therapeutic for an older person.


As to the Persian I would chose a traditional Persian as it is likely that there will be less expenditure in respect of veterinary bills. Two other cats are part of the Persian stable of breeds: the Exotic Shorthair (shorthaired Persian) and the Himalayan (pointed Persian). They are equally as good as the Persian.

The Russian Blue also comes to mind as a cat that likes indoor living. Cats that are suitable to full-time indoor life should be suitable for seniors as well. A lesser known cat that seems to shine is the Pixie-bob. They are solid performers, good with children and quiet. I would recommend this breed as one of the top cat breeds for seniors.

In fact I think a quiet cat is probably an attractive factor in a cat breed for an elderly person. The British Shorthair, already mentioned falls firmly into this category.

I don't think a senior requires a cat that is overly demanding, either. A degree of quiet independence is attractive. In that vein, the Maine Coon comes to mind too although some maintenance is ideally required. And we cannot forget the solid American Shorthair. This cat requires little grooming by their human companion (another important factor) and is quiet. They are gentle with seniors and good with children. The American Shorthair is a popular cat breed too, in the top 10 of all breeds.

The American Shorthair is my individual pick for senior members of society. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list by the way. Also what I am saying here does not exclude the beautiful random bred cat or other individual cats of other breeds.

Picture of Ragdoll Cat at a Cat Show

Cat show cat - Photo Tomi Tapio

The photographer says "very nice nose". And I agree. I think this is a purebred Ragdoll show cat with, yes, a really nice nose. We shouldn't get too excited about a nose though! That said show cats are all about appearance so noses and all the other elements of a cat's physical appearance are important. This cat seems to be a blue pointed Ragdoll. This is a large semi-long haired cat with a laid back character. Back to the nose: I can think of a similar cat that has a nose that is much less attractive: the flat-faced Persian (ultra typed Persian). The picture below shows you what I mean:

Ugly nose? Photo protected by copyright.

How did breeders decide that the appearance of this overbred Persian was attractive? This was created deliberately. Come of ladies, let's go back to a nice nose...!

Ragdoll Cat Picture

I chose this superb Ragdoll cat picture by the celebrated Helmi Flick because I think this individual cat has all the physical attributes of this very popular cat breed. The Raggie, as it is fondly called, is certainly in the top ten most popular cat breeds. I say it is the 5th most popular in fact. He looks like a chocolate point bicolor Ragdoll to me. One reason why they are popular is because they are large. I would say that this cat is the second largest cat breed after the Maine Coon that is registered by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA). The Ragdoll is a pointed semi-longhaired cat. They are said to become limp when picked up. I don't believe it. Please leave a comment if your Raggie does! The history of the origin of this breed is probably the most confusing and opaque of all the cat breeds thanks to the creator, Ann Baker. You will find several different versions! The whole thing is compounded by the history of a "spin-off" breed, the RagaMuffin. Ragdoll breeders became disenchanted with Ann Baker's behavior and franchising system and formed their own group breeding a similar cat, the RagaMuffin whose history is equally confusing. Read more about the Ragdoll and RagaMuffin is you like.

Picture of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Cats

This is a photograph of the cross-section of a cat's heart diseased by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The cat's human companion wanted to find out the cause of death. The photograph was taken by the staff at the Cuyahoga Falls Veterinary Clinic. This photo has been used with permission for teaching/educational purposes at www.pictures-of-cats.org (PoC). I want to thank Ryan G. Gates, DVM of the clinic for granting permission. If people want to use the picture please ask the clinic first.

HCM is the most common cause of heart disease in cats. It is also the common cause of spontaneous death in full-time indoor adult cats¹.

The walls of the ventricles thicken and the muscle fibers are replaced by scar tissue. The heart is weakened because the heart wall becomes less elastic and the chamber smaller.

Increased heart rate, heart murmur, loss of appetite, increased respiratory rate can be signs. In purebred cats the Bengal cat is known to be predisposed - HCM in Bengal cats. Other breeds are also predisposed including the ever popular Maine Coon - see MC health problems. Other purebred cats that can inherit this disease are Ragdolls, British SHs, American SHs and Devon Rexes. The disease usually affects cats from 1-5 yrs of age

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Note (1) Cat Owner's Veterinary Handbook ISBN 978-0-470-09530-0