What is a Ragdoll Cat?
Ragdoll cats get their name from their docile temperament evidenced by them going limp when picked up, much like a rag doll. Thanks to this trait, Realtor.com named them as one of the best cat breeds for apartments. They came in second as the most favorite cat in registration by the Cat Fanciers’ Association.
It is a large and muscular semi-longhair cat with a soft and silky coat that sheds very little. The animals are often known as "puppy cats", "dog-like cats", "cat-dogs", etc., because of their placid nature and affectionate behavior, with the cats often following owners from room to room as well as seeking physical affection akin to certain dog breeds. Ragdolls can be trained to retrieve toys and enjoy doing so.
They get along with other cats and cat friendly dogs. They could live to be 12 to 15 years old. According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), male Ragdolls typically weigh between 15 and 20 pounds, and females between 10 and 15 pounds.
Ragdoll Cats are a POINTED BREED which means that the body is lighter in color than the points. Points are located in the face, legs, tail and ears.
THE RAGDOLL COLORS
SEAL POINT: The body color of the seal point should be an even pale fawn or cream, shading gradually into a lighter color on the belly and chest. Points should be dense, deep seal brown.
BLUEPOINT: The body color of the blue point should be an even platinum gray or bluish tones, shading gradually into a lighter color on the belly and chest. Points should be a deeper grayish-blue tone. Paw pads and nose leather to be a dark blue-gray.”
CHOCOLATE POINT: The body color of the chocolate point should be an ivory color all over, shading if at all to be in the color of the points. The points should be a warm milk chocolate color. Paw pads to be a salmon pink color, nose leather a burnt rose.
LILAC POINT: The body color of the lilac point should be an even milk white color, shading, if any, in the color of the points. The points should be a lilac grey or pinkish tone, the dilute pigment permitting the flesh tone to show through. Paw pads a coral pink tone; nose leather a translucent old lilac hue.
RED POINT: The body of the red point Ragdoll should be a warm, even, creamy white, shading, if any, the same tone as points. The points should be a deep orange red, a “hot” color, the deeper the better. Paw pads and nose leather to be hot pink.
CREAM POINT: The body color of the cream point should be an even white all over, shading, if any, to be same color as points. Points may be any shade of cream from deep cream to a pale cream. The overall impression to be a “dull” color as opposed to a “hot” tone. On deeper specimens the impression will be a very pale cream tone with a lilac overtone. Paw pads and nose leather to be rosy pink.
THE RAGDOLL PATTERNS
SOLID: dark feet and color visible everywhere on the cat, one solid (point) color without recognizable stripes, spots, ticking, white, or silvering.
BICOLOR: This is the Most coveted pattern by people attending CFA Cat Shows and is marked by a facial white upside-down “V” with white legs and white belly.
MITTED: White coloring appears on the ears, tail, and face mask. All 4 feet are white (front mittens don’t go past ankle). Back leg white goes all the way up to the heel. Chin MUST be white for shows, and have a stripe of white that extends from the chin all the way down the belly. Color on body, belly, and chest is a shade lighter than the point color.
Note: Some mitted may also have something called a “blaze” present. This is a white marking between the eyes (on the nose). It can be just a little bit of white, or take up most of the face. Two common varieties are the “hour-glass” blaze, and the smallest version, a “diamond” blaze.
LYNX: Tabby markings (ie: stripes) in the point color over the inherent color and pattern of the cat
TORTIE: The basic tortie is a combination of black and red patches in a random manner
MINK RAGDOLLS
Mink Ragdolls are born with color, unlike the traditional Ragdoll. Traditional pointed Ragdoll kittens usually take several days to begin to show color. The coat of a Mink develops a darker and more richer point color, than the Traditional Ragdoll. The body color of a Mink is a few grades lighter than their points.
Minks do come in the same traditional colors...Blue, Blue/Cream, Seal, Lilac, Flame, Cream, Chocolate and Tortie. Mink Ragdoll also have the traditional coat patterns those being Mitted, Color point, Bi-color and can be accompanied by a Lynx pattern. The eye color of a Mink is a normally a stunning Bluish-Green, (Aqua), reminiscent of a tropical Island ocean.
Traditional Ragdolls
Traditional Ragdolls are a pointed cat meaning they have a darker
color on their ears, tail, legs, and mask with a lighter shade of white or cream to the rest of their bodies. Traditional Ragdoll colors are Blue (slate gray), Seal (dark brown), Lilac, Chocolate, Red, and Cream. All colors can also have an extra pattern with Tortie (color mixed with splashes of red or cream) and Lynx (Tabby) markings or a combination of the two known as “Torbie".
Sepia Ragdolls
Sepia Ragdolls are substantially darker coated than their Mink litter mates. Their body and colorpoints are nearly the same color. Sepias are also born with full color and come in all traditional colors, Seal, Blue, Red, Cream, Lilac and Chocolate. Their eye color are green, gold , blue(ish) and odd eyes are possible. Sepias can only be produced when both parents are minks or if one parent is a Mink and the other Sepia, making them ULTRA RARE Ragdolls.
Solid Ragdolls
Solid Ragdolls are born with their full color, making them the rarest of all Ragdolls. The color they are born with is the color they will be at full grown age. Solids come in black, blue, chocolate, lilac, white, red, cream, blue/cream and calico/tortie, Lynx (Tabby). Solid Ragdolls also come in the same 3 basic patterns (Colorpoint, Mitted, Bi-color). Solid Ragdolls have eyes of green, copper, blue, blue-green, or even odd color eyes.