The kittens are raised in a home like atmosphere with lots of love, attention and training. Kittens are wormed 3 times and get 2 rounds of (4 way) shots at which time are veterinarian checked. The adult cats are tested for Ragdoll Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) (heart disease). Ragdolls are "like potato chips" – it is hard to have just one! The “Ragdoll” is one of the most popular cat breeds an
d makes a marvelous addition to any household that wants a beautiful, relaxed, and loving feline companion. They also make great companions for owners who may be less active, such as older folks. They are social and loving with a laid back disposition, this cat gets along beautifully with other pets, dogs and people. They are great cats for households with children, as they almost never scratch, are slow-paced, non-aggressive, and sweet-tempered and are so relaxed that they can endure the rigors of being handled by small children. They rarely use their claws, thus are considered to be "soft-pawed." They should never be de-clawed, since there is no need for this. They love to snuggle and sleep with you, but will not disturb you in your sleep. The desire to be near their family has earned them the affectionate nickname “puppycat.” The Ragdoll travels well and can be taught to follow hand signals, fetch, walk on leashes and come when called. Playful throughout their lives, these cats mature and get their color slowly over three to four years. People are totally in love with this breed and rave about the Ragdoll's wonderful personality because these cats will follow you around, greet you at the door, watch TV with you, and take an interest in any activity you are performing, without being irritating and intrusive, as some breeds can be. The Ragdoll is a breed of cat best known for its docile, sweet, affectionate, relaxed temperament, almost "floppy" nature, along with high intelligence. The Ragdoll is one of the largest domesticated breeds of cat, with a large muscular frame, a sturdy rather squarish body, and relatively short legs. With an average lifespan of fifteen to eighteen years. Full-grown females can weigh between eight and fifteen pounds, with the males being substantially larger: from twelve to over twenty pounds! A semi-long-haired cat with a soft and silky coat the texture of rabbit fur. They shed little except in the spring and fall and even then, the soft textured hair tends to stay atop surfaces and is easily picked up with a damp cloth. The breed has a plush coat that is comprised mainly of long guard hairs and not much undercoat, so there is little shedding and matting, making the grooming care of these cats simple and easy. Once-a-week brushing is adequate, a process the cats often relish. They have striking blue eyes and a distinctive Colorpoint coat. Its name derives from the cat's tendency to go completely limp and relaxed, conforming to the shape of the space made available to it, like a ragdoll would. With a friendly, easy-going temperament and seemingly little fear. The Ragdoll is only suitable for indoor living as, it has no instinct to defend itself against attack. The breed appears to have no "fight or flight" response, and has been reported on occasion to approach fast-moving cars and vicious dogs, with very unfortunate results. This tendency explains further why these cats should remain exclusively as indoor cats, only going outdoors for short periods of time with the owner's supervision. The history of the breed is rather odd. The Ragdoll originated in California in the 1960s, with a woman named Ann Baker and a regular, non-pedigreed, Angora-type long-haired white cat named Josephine. After producing several litters of "average" kittens, Josephine was injured by a moving car and taken to the vet hospital at the University of California, where she was nursed back to health. After healing, Josephine produced litters that were fathered by several unidentified "Birman" cats. Both Josephine and her kittens seemed to have developed a more docile and relaxed temperament after the accident, and some of her kittens showed Siamese-type point coloration. Josephine also seemed to have become immune to pain. These developments led Ms. Baker to concoct several fanciful theories about Josephine. One theory she put forth was that a secret government genetic experiment had been performed on Josephine during her treatment at the University of California. Another claim she made was that the new litters of kittens were so relaxed specifically because their mother had had a car accident while pregnant. Yet a further theory she espoused was that alien or human genes had somehow gotten mixed into Josephine's breeding process, and had altered the genetics of subsequent litters. Needless to say, none of these theories appeared to have any basis in fact whatsoever, but it was true that Josephine's kittens were being born with unusually placid good natures, and with the tendency to go totally limp when handled. These qualities seemed so desirable that Ms. Baker purchased several kittens from Josephine's owner, who lived behind her, and set out to create anew the breed called Ragdoll. Breeding very selectively, Ms. Baker produced "Blackie," an all black Burmese-like male, and "Daddy Warbucks," a seal point with white feet. More breeding with these two males created a bi-colored female named "Fugianna," and a brown-black Burmese-type female named "Buckwheat." According to documentation, all contemporary Ragdolls are descended from the matings of Daddy Warbucks to Fugianna and Buckwheat. Along with creating fanciful stories to explain Josephine's unusual change in temperament, Ann Baker took an unusual approach to establishing the name "Ragdoll." Instead of registering it with the traditional cat breeding associations, she trademarked the name, set up her own registry – the International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA) – and enforced very strict standards for anyone who wanted to breed and sell cats under the name of Ragdoll. The breed essentially remained in her "possession," until a rebel group broke rank with the IRCA, with the goal of establishing mainstream recognition of the breed. Today, the Ragdoll is accepted by all major cat registries.
