My Ragdoll Cat Adventure Blog Post 11 → Welcome To Ragdoll Cats For Life

3rd April 2022

Playing With Ragdolls

I make some time every day to play with Jack and Tom. Some days they are very energetic, some days they are lazy. I can normally engage them in something though even if it is just for 15 minutes. I think it is very important to regularly play with your Ragdoll cats as it helps reduce boredom, it keeps them fit and it is a wonderful way to bond with them.

I have noticed that they respond to different types of play depending on their personality or what mood they are, and it is best to tailor your play to this principle. Also, watch their body language and eye contact to see if they are getting excited and enjoying the game. If they decide to just wander off then they are obviously not enjoying that particular game so you try something else.

Jack and Tom do have a mountain of toys but I have found that the simplest games are often the best. Cardboard boxes are a must. I have three set up in the kitchen at the moment. They seem to love going inside small spaces and then peeping out at you and they love blankets, towels and scarves. I have placed some of my larger scarves over the top of the boxes to create a sort of tent type thing and they love going inside then jumping out at me. Jack loves his feather wand so I hide behind the boxes and waggle it about and he loves watching it and waiting to pounce. Whereas Tom likes his flingy coils and mesh poles and he likes to chase them across the floor into the box. Also I created a great game for him where I placed various coils on the stair bannister between the railings and then he runs up the stairs and knocks them off.

I think Tom prefers games where he can use his paws to reach for a toy and then chew it while Jack prefers chasing and jumping (jumping Jack ha ha!) They also enjoy it when you hide a toy under a mat or a blanket and they have to find it and pull it out. There are some more sophisticated puzzle games you can get for cats although I have not tried these yet but they might be something to trial in the future.

Ragdolls are very intelligent and inquisitive and they do get bored easily so remember to rotate the toys and the games every so often to keep them engaged. Using regular household items like cardboard and plastic boxes, blankets, towels can save you money (as long as they are safe to play with and if you notice any chewing of them then best not to use it.)

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.