The Ragdoll Cat
Bailey, Balou & Jack
Seal Pointed, Blue Pointed & Blue Bi-colour
~The Origins~
Here is the history how I understand it to be.
The information is from reliable sources.
The Ragdoll cat was created in the 1960's in the USA by Ann Baker, a quirky Persian breeder who lived in Riverside California. She developed a friendship with her neighbour Mrs. Pennels who fed and cared for a colony of free roaming, semi-feral cats.
Ann used to borrow a cat from her neighbour, he was a black persian like male named 'Blackie' his father was unknown but his mother was 'Josephine', a non-pedigree white Angora type female, with an uncertain disposition, she had produced a number of wild kittens very much like herself. Josephines parentage was unknown but genetically she was a bicolour.
Josephine was said to have been hit by a car and layed in the street for a few days intill being found and was then taken to the local university and nursed back to health. After the accident and being cared for by humans she became more relaxed and friendly, as did her future kittens, they were also thought to be impervious to pain.
Ann became interested in the relaxed and sweet nature of the kittens and so selectively started to line breed some of them.
When Ann went to borrow Blackie from Mrs. Pennels, she saw another one of Josephines sons, this time sired by another unknown father, she described him as being most impressive and said to resemble a Birman cat with white mittens, a white chin and chest, a nose blaze and tail tip. She borrowed him and called him 'Rageddy Ann Daddy Warbucks'.
Ann acquired a daughter of Blackie and Josephine named 'Buckwheat' a black solid female similar to a Burmese but thick furred.
Ann was then given another one of Josephines daughters this time sired by Daddy warbucks, her name was 'Raggedy Ann Fugianna' who was a badly marked bicolour.
The colourpointed gene also the colour genes for chocolate and dilute blue had been passed to Buckwheat from her father Blackie and so Buckwheat mated to Daddy Warbucks produced the first colourpointed Ragdoll 'Raggedy Ann Tiki ' who was a chocolate female. In the same litter was a seal mitted male 'Raggedy Anne Kyoto' also a black solid male 'Gueber' and a solid black and white male 'Mitts'.
By selecting cats with the look and temperament she wanted for her breeding programme, Ann created the standard Ragdoll type. This breed was selectively bred over many years for desirable traits, such as the large size, gentle nature and a tendency to go limp when picked up, they are known best for their unique temperament.
All Original Ragdolls are descended from Ann Baker's cats through matings of Daddy Warbucks to Fugianna and Buckwheat, all descended from Josephine. The cats mentioned above were the foundation cats of the breed we know today as the Ragdoll. It is not possible to take the origins of the Ragdoll further as Josephines parentage was unknown.
Sadly Josephine was put to sleep after attacking a neighbours dog when defending her kittens.
Denny and Laura Dayton from the Blossom Time cattery were one of the first breeders to aquire Ann's Ragdolls for breeding in the late 60's and are credited with bringing the Ragdoll breed to worldwide recognition by various cat registration organizations.
The 12 first Ragdoll cats to arrive in England were imported by two ladies from Norfolk; Lulu Rowley of the Petil lu cattery & Pat Brownsell of the Patriarca cattery in 1982 from Deny & Laura Dayton's Blossom time cattery.
Any cats purely decsended from the first 12 imported Blossom time Ragdolls are known today as 'Old English' and are believed to have a certain look with a soft expression and smile.
More Ragdolls were later imported from different catteries who also purchsed their Ragdolls from Ann Baker and these lines are known today as 'Old American'.
Any Ragdoll which is purely decsended from only the 4 Traditional colours with lines going all the way back to the first Raggedy Ann Ragdolls is known as a Traditional or Original Ragdoll.
In the mid 90's the first red and tabby series Ragdolls (new colours) were imported from the USA, this widened the Ragdoll gene pool. It is believed that the new colours came from Ann Baker herself by outcrossing to Persians.
Many more outcrossings were done by other breeders in the USA outcrossing to other breeds such as Persians, it is believed this is where the Ragamuffin breed comes from.
~Colours & patterns~
The 4 Traditional colours of the Ragdoll are seal and chocolate, and their dilutes- blue and lilac.
The new colours are red, dilute cream and tortie.
They are either solid pointed, tortie pointed, tabby pointed or tortie-tabby pointed which may be transposed over each of the three patterns- colourpointed, mitted and bi-colour.
~The 'type' of the Ragdoll~
A medium to large imposing cat with a semi long silkie coat- which requires light grooming.
Ragdolls have a broad head with a flat plane, well developed cheeks with a rounded well developed muzzle and firm chin with level bite.
Ears medium in size and set wide apart tilted slightly forward.
The nose should be medium in length with a gentle dip and slightly retrousse at the tip.
They have stunning large eyes ranging from a cool pale blue to a deep sapphire colour.
The body is heavy set with a broad chest with the legs being medium in length, paws are large and tufted.
They are striking in appearance and when mature most Ragdolls have a neck ruff and knickerbockers on their hind legs and a long bushy tail.
They can take 4 years to reach full maturity.
~Temperament~
The Ragdoll cat typically has a gentle and relaxed temperament. When socialized correctly rom birth they are attentive and affectionate members of the family that enjoy and seek out human companionship.
Ragdoll cats remain playful throughout their lives and are sometimes called puppy cats because of their tendancy to follow their owners around and meet them at the door. They are an intelligent breed and easily learn tricks like Fetch or Beg.
Because of their non-defensive nature, a Ragdoll should never be allowed outdoors unattended!
They are not streetwise and probably wouldn't survive if left to wander outdoors.
Ragdolls are NOT impervious to pain.
The male Ragdolls are often more laidback than the females but when neutered there isn't much difference between the two so when picking a kitten it's the personality which is most important and not the sex of the kitten.
