Ragdoll Cat Adventures Blog Post 2 → Welcome To Ragdoll Cats For Life

24th March 2022

The Process of Getting My Ragdoll Cats

First of all I did my research. I bought all the books I could find on Ragdolls and searched all the Ragdoll cat websites, some more helpful than others. I will provide a list page with the books and websites I used. I will mention one website I found very helpful- www.floppycats.com. She is a very knowledgeable Ragdoll cat owner and I found her advice and tips to be informative. I also joined several Ragdoll groups on Facebook and I did post questions to the members for some information for example food, litter, toys etc. and they are nice people on there willing to help.

I found the breeder I used via word of mouth but she had a website and I connected with her on facebook. It is important to ensure you purchase from a GCCF registered breeder preferably with a lot of experience and good reviews.

I spoke to her on the phone and went to visit her (when one of her queens had just had a litter although at that point they were all sold so I was on her waiting list!) That was the defining moment for me as when I met her cats I definitely knew they were the cats for me. It was good to see how the environment is and how well socialised the cats were and how they were cared for. She promised to contact me as soon as she had the next litter of kittens and I could choose which I wanted. I could also consider as well as what sex of kitten but also what colouring. Ragdolls come in various types such as blue point, seal point, lilac point, chocolate point and flame point. They can be mitted or non-mitted.

After about one month, the breeder contacted me to let me know about more new arrivals. Unfortunately, this was during the first Covid wave so I was not able to visit in person so the communication and viewings were via Whats App video and messages. Although not ideal,at least I could see my babies and hear them on the video.

I decided on a boy and a girl initially and the breeder suggested a seal point boy and a blue point girl in the litter (note- they cannot be sexed until they are about three weeks old and they look all white when they are born!)

Next stage is securing your kittens with a deposit, deciding on names and then planning for their arrival. I would say in hindsight, I think I bought a lot of unnecessary things that ended up not being used or required but better to be well equipped to start off with. I will discuss more about this in my next blog post and will provide a page with information on the types of products I have bought and used that have been helpful or not necessary. I will give some advice on kitten-proofing and staging. I will also tell why I ended up with two boys, not a boy and a girl as I initially thought.

What Is A Ragdoll Cat?

The Ragdoll cat as legend has it, was descended from Josephine a feral cat living in California in the 1960s. She was struck by a car and after she recovered, her kittens produced all the winning traits that would become the hallmark of the Ragdoll cat including large heavy build, soft downy fur, docility and laid-back personality. The original bloodlines of Ragdolls can be traced back to Ann Baker’s Ragdoll cats. It was she who developed the breed from the original Josphine. Ragdolls are beautiful, friendly, loving cats know as gentle giants of the cat world.