Developed by Ann Baker in the 1960’s, this beautiful blue-eyed “chocolate box kitty” is a human-made breed, specifically bred to be trusting and people orientated. The name Ragdoll was chosen because of the cat’s tendency to lie limp in the owner’s arms. Many of them still do this but it is not a guaranteed characteristic in all Ragdolls and it is definitely not a gene.

This is an INDOOR breed unless their home offers a completely secure garden or enclosure. The Ragdoll has no survival instincts whatsoever. They will go under the wheels of a car without a second thought. They also cannot defend themselves against dogs or other cats entering their territory. They tend to be clumsy and will slip and fall from walls or balconies. Contrary to what many books say, they do jump and climb like any other cat - they just don’t always do it with as much grace!

Single cats are not suitable for homes where the owners are out for most of the day as they will pine. They adapt well to apartment living or travelling with their owners in a carrier or on a leash. Completely reliant on protection from, and interaction with their owners, Ragdolls are not cats that will cope on their own.

Ragdolls are excellent with children as they are gentle cats. However, they need to be handled with care by children in return. Although some books claim that Ragdolls have a high pain threshold, this is not proven and too much rough handling will cause the cats to stress unnecessarily. The same applies to other household pets. Due to their size, not all Ragdolls enjoy being carried around and they may not be lap cats – but they do want to be around their humans as much as possible. They are considered almost dog-like in the way that they follow their owners around the house. As kittens they can sometimes be rambunctious. They do settle down with maturity, although they tend to remain playful for years

Ragdolls are pointed cats – the kittens are born white and they colour up as they mature. They continue to darken in colour all their lives. All true Ragdolls have blue eyes and they are found in a variety of patterns and colours. The most common colours are seal, blue and red with mitted, bi-colour or tabby (lynx) patterns

Maturity is slow in a Ragdoll. These cats are one of the larger breeds and a mature male can weigh anything from 6 kg – 11 kg. Females are smaller. They continue to grow until they are about four years old. They have a tendency to be quite a heavy cat although they are not necessarily big eaters. Their fur is medium haired, sometimes almost rabbit-like in texture. Depending on the density of the undercoat, they may require grooming a couple of times a week. It is not advisable to clip or shave a Ragdoll. They keep cool in Summer by lying on the cold tiles and sleeping through the heat of the day

Health-wise, Ragdolls in South Africa are generally a hardy breed. At one point they were affected by HCM and PKD, but recently imported lines have been genetically tested for, and guaranteed clear of, these life threatening conditions. Regular vaccinations, sterilisation and their indoor, protected lifestyle contribute greatly to these cats spending many happy years with their owners.