Characteristics/Temperament:
The Ragdoll cat has a very gentle and relaxed temperament and affectionate
nature. They got the name Ragdoll from the common perception that
these cats go virtually limp and relax when picked up, unlike most
other cats.
Ragdolls are sometimes called "puppy-cats" because of their inclination
to follow
their owners from room to room and meet them at the door. They are
an intelligent breed and easily learn tricks like Fetch or Beg,
and to use a scratching post.
The gentle Ragdoll is also good with children and is easy to introduce
into a multi-pet household.
Physical Description:
Ragdoll cats are sweet-faced and muscular, with an overall impression
of elegance and balance.
Ragdolls are commonly described as large, fluffy, floppy cats with
broad chests and large blue eyes. Most Ragdoll kittens are born
completely white and start developing color one to two weeks after
birth and continue developing color until 2 years of age.
The semi long coat on Ragdolls is plush and silky like rabbit fur,
and it sheds very little; therefore, they rarely have hairballs.
The Ragdoll is a pointed breed, which means that the body is lighter
in color than the points (the face, legs, tail and ears). All Ragdolls
have blue eyes.
There are three standard patterns (colorpoint, mitted, and bicolor)
and six official colors (seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red(flame)
and cream) and can come in any combination of these colors and patterns.
PATTERNS:
A colorpoint has dark points, with a lighter shade on the body.
They have no white markings.
A mitted has the same points as the colorpoint, with the exception
of having pure white "mitts" on the front paws and "boots" on the
back legs, as well as a stripe of white fur on the underside, from
the under-edge of the chin, along belly, to base of tail.
A bicolor has dark pointed ears, mask, and tail (like the colorpoint),
but it has a pink nose and an upside- down "V" shape of white over
the nose (in the mask).
A tortie point has random "patches" of the point color (usually
seal) along with swirls of cream or red.
A lynx point has tabby markings mixed in with the colorpoint, mitted,
or bicolor pattern.
COLORS:
A seal point has dark brown/black points, with a light tan body
color. Similar to Siamese coloring.
A chocolate point is a "dilute" version of seal (the recessive);
it has milk chocolate-colored points and an ivory color body.
A blue point has dark gray/blue points, with a frosty light-gray/silvery
body color.
A lilac point is the "dilute" version of the blue (the recessive);
it has pinkish-gray points, with a frosty white body color.
A flame point has dark orange points and a white body.
A cream point is the "dilute" version of the red (the recessive);
it has very light orange/ivory points and a white body.
A seal tortie has cream swirled in with the seal point color, showing
"patches" of seal rather than solid seal on the points.
A blue tortie has cream swirled in with the blue point color.
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