I saw Blue for the first time one day when I walked into the "neighborhood" of the shelter's cat condo. Several cats were loose in the room, playing with toys and scratching on the cat furniture. But Blue was more interested in me. He was rubbing himself against my leg with his fluffy white coat, his pretty blue dots giving the reason for his name. When I hugged him, he looked at me with his dazzling blue eyes and melted into my arms. I rocked him like a baby - it was hard to put him down. Two weeks later, when I came back to the shelter, Blue was gone. I wasn't surprised that he had found a home.
Blue was a Ragdoll - a very special breed of cat that is not only beautiful to look at but also amazing to hold. He had found his way to the shelter because his owner had passed away. The beauty, charm and warmth that I had seen in Blue meant that he would not be without a home for long.
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Photo: cynoclub | Getty Images[/caption]From rags to riches
Unlike some cat breeds that have existed for hundreds of years, the Ragdoll is a relatively new animal in the feline world.
Developed in the 1960's by breeder Ann Baker in Riverside, California, the Ragdoll has modest origins. Ann Baker adopted a white long-haired stray cat she named Josephine and mated her to another stray cat she adopted in the neighborhood. The resulting kittens had a very endearing personality. Baker decided to create a new breed and selected cats for their appearance and temperament.
Today, the Ragdoll is a popular breed that has a luxurious appearance and a great reputation as a show cat. But more importantly, Ragdolls are known to be great companions.
"My favorite thing about the Ragdoll is that it's a perfect fit for city life and for people who need an emotional support animal," says Nancy Hamilton, Ragdoll breeder in Burke, Virginia. "I discovered the Ragdoll when I was trying to find a pet for my autistic child. I wanted an indoor, loving pet that would help bring my daughter out of her shell. It would have to endure inappropriate play at times, be hypoallergenic and enjoy cuddling up to her, but also require little maintenance. It wouldn't need to be groomed or take daily walks during the work day. I found all this and much more in the Ragdoll".
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Photo: cynoclub | Getty Images[/caption]The outer beauty of Ragdoll
Friendliness is just one of the amazing characteristics of Ragdoll. All Ragdolls should have a semi-long, fluffy, silky coat and bright blue eyes. Ragdoll coats come in four patterns: bicolor, van, mitted and colorpoint. These patterns are visible in six different colors: seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red and cream. The dots of the Ragdoll, which are located on the face, legs and tail, can be solid, lynx, torbia or torbia (a cross between lynx and torbia).
Ragdolls are solid, medium to large cats, with heavy bones and a long rectangular body. Their legs are moderately long, as is their tail.
But if the Ragdoll is beautiful to look at, the personality of the breed is its most valuable trait.
"There is no other breed of cat that is as friendly as the Ragdoll," says Nancy. "The breed has a personality closer to that of the domesticated dog. Ragdolls are extremely happy to see people and are outgoing, friendly and loyal. They are ideal pets because they greet their owners at the door and sit with humans on the couch or on their lap. They want to please and spend time with their humans, much more like a type of dog than a breed of cat".
Top photography by princigalli | Getty Images.
