Ragdolls are known for their calm nature, long hair, blue eyes, affectionateness, and ease of handling.
Ragdoll breed standard is defined as its characteristics, ideal appearance, and temperament of a breed.
The standard of breed is helpful for breeders in producing Ragdoll cats according to the Ragdoll breed standard.
In this article, I will talk in-depth about the breed standard of the Ragdoll.
So don’t worry.
Let’s dive deeper into this
Table of Contents
History of the Ragdoll Breed
The history of the Ragdoll breed is quite interesting. In the 1960s, an American breeder (Ann Baker) developed the breed in Riverside, California.
They begin with a white domestic longhaired cat named Josephine and other domestic cats she found and owns.
After some time, Josephine produced kittens that had a docile temperament and a tendency to go limp when picked up.
Baker’s cats included Daddy Warbucks, a seal point with white feet, and Blackie, an all-black male.
She trademarked the name “Ragdoll” and set up her registry, and enforced strict standards for who wanted to breed or sell under that name.
In 1993, the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) began registering Ragdolls.
In 2004, the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) gave the Ragdoll full recognition.
General Appearance
The general appearance of a Ragdoll cat denotes many things, such as body structure, coat, and color. It only shows the outer look
1. Body structure
The body structure of Ragdoll cats is large, muscular, broad-chested, and short-necked, which is why they are considered to be one of a good-looking appearance.
Ragdoll cats are generally known to be medium to large cats, larger than most other cats.
2. Coat
This luxurious cat breed has a soft, silky fur coat similar to rabbit fur.
Ragdoll cat feels softer than other cats because of their silky fur coat, and a fluffy ruff around their neck enhances their look and elegance.
3. Color
They are available in many colors like seal, chocolate, red, cream, blue, lilac, lynx, tortoiseshell, and more.
Because of many color combinations, Ragdoll cats are known for their colorpoint pattern.
Their eyes are blue with a dark rim, their neck and paws are dark brown, and their bodies are completely white or cream.
Head and Face Features
The shape and size of the head are big and broad, with wedge-shaped faces, slightly rounded face shape, and the forehead is slightly rounded (not domed).
The area between the ears is flat and plane, and their skull is of medium size.
Their ears are medium-sized, broad at the base, and rounded tip, and slightly tilted forward.
If we talk about its eyes, it is blue, large, vivid, oval, moderately wide-set, and the external holes of the eyes are in line with the base of the ear.
Their chin is well-developed. Muzzle: Rounded, medium in length; in line with the wedge. Neck: In proportion to the head and torso.
Temperament and Personality Traits
Ragdolls are known for their gentle, affectionate, and calm nature, which is why they make great family pets and companions.
Because of their gentle, affectionate, and calm nature, they develop social and friendly behavior. They enjoy playing with their owner, kids, and other pets.
Their interaction with humans and other pets is excellent due to their gentleness, and they love to spend time with them due to their adaptability.
Size and Weight Standards
At birth, their weight is between 85 and 115 grams (3 to 4 ounces). Around 6 weeks of age, they grow rapidly and gain twice their birth weight.
In the 12 weeks. They gain weight between 900 grams to 1.4 kilograms (2 to 3 pounds).
When they are 6 months of their age, they weigh around 1.8 to 2.7 kg (4 to 6 pounds). This depends on their genetics, diet, and care.
This chart shows a relation between weight and size or length
| Age | Weight Range | Length Range |
| 1 Day | 2.8 – 4.3 Ounces | 3 – 4 Inches |
| 1 Weeks | 6 – 8 Ounces | 4 – 6 Inches |
| 2 Weeks | 9 – 12 Ounces | 6 – 7 Inches |
| 1 Months | 1 – 1.5 Pounds | 7 – 8 Inches |
| 2 Months | 1.5 – 2.5 Pounds | 8 – 9 Inches |
| 3 Months | 3 – 4 Pounds | 9 – 10 Inches |
| 6 Months | 5 – 7 Pounds | 12 Inches |
| 1 Year | 7 – 12+ Pounds | 13 – 16 Inches |
| 2+ Years | 9 – 15+ Pounds | 16 – 21 Inches |
Health Considerations
Health is a common issue, whether it is for humans or animals. Some common health problems occur in Ragdoll cats.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and Congenital heart defects are common heart diseases that occur in Ragdoll cats.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM): This is a genetic problem that can lead to heart failure, as the heart muscle thickens.
Congenital heart defects: Generally, 30 out of 100 Ragdoll cats are born with a congenital heart defect.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD): This is a genetic kidney disease that causes the kidneys to be abnormal.
Along with that, Ragdoll cats are also prone to other health problems such as urinary tract infections, dental disease, hairballs, obesity, retinal detachment, and muscular dystrophy.
FAQ
Conclusion
The breed standard is a written description of the breed’s conformation, such as the ideal characteristics of the breed, temperament, and general appearance. These breed standards apply to the Ragdoll cat.
A breed standard is helpful for the breeder to produce the breed as per their requirement. Because they detect the health issue and curse it
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