Ragdoll cats are a pretty popular breed and the reason for that is that they are very friendly, fluffy, and cute. Their social nature lets them get along pretty well with humans. Their name derives from their tendency to relax (like most cats enjoy doing) and let loose when their owner pets them.
History
The credits for this breed go to Ann Baker for it is said that she developed this breed. This happened back in 1960. This breed has similar characteristics and traits (especially in appearance) with Siamese and Birman cats. This woman founded the International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA) in 1971 and she imposed strict guidelines and regulations for breeding this kind of cat under the “Ragdoll” name.
Appearance
Females of this breed have considerably less weight than the males (in contrast with other breeds). Their average weight is 10 to 15 pounds, whereas a male is approximately 15 to 20 pounds. The males are also bigger than the females since they can reach 3 feet in length, whereas the females are almost always a little bit shorter.
Their fur is considered to be medium to long and they are generally fluffy, especially their tails. They lack a considerable undercoat. They are usually born with blue eyes, which match perfectly with their coat, especially when their dominant color is white. Their fur might change colors and develop a bigger variety as they reach maturity. This happens when they are fully 3 years old. Their most usual colors are white, orange, cream, brown/chocolate, and seal. Also, they have different classifications according to their color patterns, such as mitted and lynx to name a few.
Behavior and Personality
Ragdoll cats have very low levels of aggression. You could say they are non-existent. They don’t enjoy fighting, especially with other cats and dogs. They are pretty docile, rarely anxious, and enjoy hanging out with their master and being pet and taken care of. They enjoy humans and their company more than other cats and pets’. They also like to play around and reinforce the bonding they have with their owner and even other people. Affection is something they enjoy most of anything else.
They are among the cat breeds that carry personality traits more like a dog than those of a cat (generally speaking). They tend to follow their owners around the house and like to keep nearby. Thus, they hate loneliness and you should be careful not to let them alone for an extended period, or else they might get seriously depressed.
They love people, even those whom they don’t know yet, so people visiting you will probably be a delight. They also get along pretty well with dogs (provided they have been properly introduced), so it will be OK if you have another pet as long as you know or learn how to introduce them.
Grooming
Thorough grooming must be performed once a week, either by you or a professional. You will have to clip their claws or buy a toy/stand that they can scratch.