Ragdoll Information - Pictures showing examples of traditional colors and patterns below ;)

Ragdoll kitties were developed in the 1960s in California by a woman named Ann Baker. She bred a few neighborhood strays, a big and beautiful white long-haired cat named Josephine and a pointed cat named Daddy Warbucks, and their offspring were so distinctive that a new breed of cat was born. Ms. Baker bred further, attempting to keep all of the characteristics of the new breed she had begun, and to 'set' the breed to towards the standard that Ragdolls are held to today. She formed her own cat association, and only sold her new Ragdoll kitties to people she approved of to continue to further the breed. I have heard that those breeders of whom she approved and supplied with kittens were to give her a portion of monies made on each kitten, and were only allowed to outcross at her consent, and that she made further demands as well. These demands were such that the new breeders broke off from her association and began their own. Ms. Baker, who was a bit eccentric at best and a total nut at worst also spred some pretty odd stories about her new kitties, that they had alien DNA, that they had human DNA, that they did not feel pain, etc. All of the aforementioned stories are TOTALLY UNTRUE, and the worst was that these special kitties felt no pain. They are so laid back and loving that they probably show less pain that they feel, but they totally feel pain like any living creature. Regardless of Ms. Baker's stories, she did begin the most wonderful, most loving breed of kitties in the world today, Ragdoll kitties.

The breed requirements and standards set by the leading cat associations today state that Ragdolls are: A BLUE EYED POINTED CAT, MEDIUM TO LARGE BONED WITH SEMI-LONG SILKY COAT. In my opinion, that is the only Ragdoll acceptable. Solid color Ragdolls are not Ragdolls. Ragdolls with any other color eyes but a clear blue are not Ragdolls.

In my opinion, the most striking thing about a Ragdoll cat, other than their great and obvious beauty, is their amazing personality. They were named "RAGDOLL" cat because they are so loving and trusting that many of them go limp in your arms when you pick them up, like a child's rag doll toy. They love human companionship, and as I write two are draped across my desk, two are in the chair behind me, one on my feet and two in the hall outside my office. They greet you at the door when you come home, and gaze into your face with their stunning blue eyes and purr and 'make muffins' while they are purring. We have several that sleep with us every night, upside down on the bed, which being upside down we call "flopping". They are so very comfortable with their families that they habitually lie upside down on their backs with their fluffy tufty toes in the air, hoping for a tummy rub. They are intuitive and sweet, and gentle and playful. I think they are kitty heaven on earth!!

Ragdoll kittens are all born white, like all pointed cats. Their colors and patterns rapidly emerge as they grow. They come in three main patterns and 6 colors. The traditional colors are seal, a rich brown, and blue, a soft silvery-gray. There are also four remaining colors, chocolate, a lighter brown, lilac, a pinky-gray, flame or red, which is a strong orangy-red, and cream, which is a soft orange sherbert color. I only breed in the traditional colors, and so you will see the colors and patterns and types in those colors pictured below. In addition, they have two additional 'types' a lynx type which has some striping and a 'tortie' or 'torbie' style which refers to type and color.

The three patterns are colorpoint, mitted and bicolor. The colorpoint kitty is marked like a Simamese kitty (but in no other way is like a Simamese kitty) , dark head, paws and tail, darker color on the back or 'saddle' of the kitty, and tummy and rest of body a lighter shade of the same color. The mitted pattern is the same as the colorpoint, but a mitted Ragdoll kitty has white on their coat as well. The white is on their paws in the shape of white mittens, and their chin is white, with a white chest ruff and the white extending down from the chin and chest to the entirety of their tummy, and on down their hind legs. The bicolor pattern has even more white than the mitted. With a bicolor Ragdoll, the head only has a mask which makes their ears colored, and the mask entends around halfway down their faces with a distinctive inverted "V" over their foreheads. Their chest and ruffs are white, as are their entire front legs and paws. The white extends down from their chest over their entire underside, and both hind legs are white as well. Their backs or saddles are a soft shade of their color, and their tails and ears and masks are the only truly dark portion of their bodies.

NOTE: Ragdoll cats are a larger, and more slowly maturing breed of cat. Their magnificent coats do not gain the rich coloring of an adult until they are around 3-4 years old, nor do they stop growing until they are around the same age. A female can be from around 8-12 pounds and a male around 12-15. They can also be much larger, with a male up to 20 or more pounds. Although the breed is to be a medium to large sized cat, my particular bloodlines tend more to the medium, with some notable exceptions!

In my opinion, the most striking and most distinctive pattern is the bicolor pattern. Nothing else is quite as dramatically "Ragdoll" to me. But I do love and breed mitted kitties as well and will have pictures of those also. Here are some pictures to define the three main patterns:

BICOLOR PATTERN

This is a picture of a SEAL BICOLOR kitty of mine named CFA Champion RaggleDazzle Bewitched of BellaLuna. We call her Sammi. She is 6 years old, and is a show/alter. Notice her striking blue eyes, her distinctive dark seal mask and tail, and her white chest, legs, paws and tummy. See the lighter shade of her 'saddle' on her back. She is a perfectly marked and extremely well loved and spoiled example of a Seal Bicolor Ragdoll. Thanks to Rebecca for this girl!

Here is a perfect example of a BLUE BICOLOR Ragdoll. She is another beloved and spoiled girl of mine, CFA Premier Kissykat's Lavender's Blue Dilly of BellaLuna. We call her Dilly Bug. Notice again, the stunning blue eyes, the soft silvery-gray coloring, (called blue) with her mask and tail being a darker shade and her back or saddle being a lighter shade of blue. Her chest, ruff, legs and tummy are all a pure white, and she is the most loving, sweet girl you could ever meet. She is also very large-boned and has a silky long coat. She is my soul-mate kitty, and I adore her and she adores me!! Thanks to Kathleen for this girl!!

MITTED PATTERN

Here is an example of a SEAL MITTED Ragdoll girl. Her name is RaggleDazzle All that Jazz of BellaLuna, (we call her Ally), and she is the sweetest and most loving little girl. Notice how her darling little face is dark, as are her front legs and tail. Her perfectly marked paws are a snowy white, her chin is white, as is her chest and tummy and back legs, and her back is a lighter shade of brown. She is not quite fully mature yet being only around two years old, but she does have the rich and stunning coloring and markings of a seal mitted adult.

Here is an example of a baby BLUE MITTED Ragdoll kitten. This is our precious Mia Mia Meow when she was a baby girl. Notice her dark ears and face, and darker legs, ending in the white mittens on her precious little paws. You can see she is getting a bit of color on her back, just starting to come in. She was only around three months old in this picture!! She is a big and strong boned girl now, with a gorgeous coat and a loving disposition!!

LYNX PATTERN

Here is an example of a SEAL LYNX BICOLOR. This is our precious RaggleDazzle Tiggles of BellaLuna. Notice the stunning dark blue eyes, they are especially gorgeous! You can see the 'stripey' or lynx pattern on his mask where it would typically be solid in a regular bicolor. A correct lynx always has white around the inside of their ears, as Tiggles does here, and white eyeliner around their eyes, as he has as well. He is now living with his best friend and half-sister, RaggleDazzle Leah of BellaLuna with Rose and her husband. They have passed their tests, and are certified nursing home kitties, going with Rose to spread love and cheer to the elderly and lonely every Sunday. Thank you Rose for loving my babies!!

TORTIE OR TORBIE PATTERN

Coming as soon as I can find a good picture! Thanks for your patience while I rebuild my site.