Ragdoll History & Traditional Vs. Non- Traditional Variations
The Ragdoll is the worlds most popular breed of cat due to their loving and beautiful nature and traditional varietes include a distinct colorpoint coat and blue eyes, non traditional varieties include Cinnamon, Fawn, and Lilac including solid patters, there are many varieties to the color patterns which makes choosing just one very challenging! It’s physical characteristics are fairly large and husky, and it has a semi-long and silky soft coat. American breeder Ann Baker developed Ragdolls in the 1960s in Riverside California, (our small cattery, is in the same county and the City next door, in Corona, CA!)
They are best known for their docile, placid temperament and affectionate nature. The name Ragdoll is derived from the tendency of individuals from the original breeding stock to go limp and relaxed when picked up, though this is not always the case as personalities still vary from cat to cat.
Ragdolls are often known as “dog like cats” or “puppy-like cats”, due to their tendency to follow people around, their receptiveness to handling, and their relative lack of aggression towards other pets. Our Ragdolls are friendly with children and dogs, they are very curious and like to meet new people when we have guests. We find that this is one of the most obvious personality differences from a domestic breed (we have rescue cats as well, and encourage rescues) however our domestic cats tend to keep to themselves with new people in the house, whereas our Ragdolls socialize, introduce themselves and spend time showing off their personalities and beauty to newcomers.
A “traditional” Ragdoll cat adheres to the established breed standard, typically having a white coat with distinct “points” of color on the face, ears, paws, and tail, while a “non-traditional” Ragdoll displays color patterns not recognized by cat associations, like solid colors or “mink” patterns where the pointed color is more saturated and present from birth, rather than developing on a white coat; traditional Ragdolls always have blue eyes, while non-traditional Ragdolls may have different eye colors depending on their color pattern.
Key differences:
- Color pattern:Traditional Ragdolls have a “point” color pattern with a white base and darker color on the extremities, while non-traditional Ragdolls may have solid colors, “mink” patterns where the pointed color is richer and present from birth, or other variations not recognized by breed standards.
- Eye color:Traditional Ragdolls always have blue eyes, while non-traditional Ragdolls can have different eye colors depending on their color pattern, like green or aqua.
- Kitten color:Traditional Ragdoll kittens are born white and develop their point colors later, whereas non-traditional “mink” Ragdoll kittens are born with their color.
- Breed recognition: The International Cat Association (TICA) recognizes both types of Ragdolls, and both types of Ragdolls are breed to have the maintain the general personalities of the breed.
Examples of non-traditional Ragdoll colors:
Solid:A cat with a solid color all over, not displaying the traditional point pattern
Mink:A rich, darker version of the traditional point colors, often with a slightly different eye color
Sepia:Similar to mink, but with even deeper color saturation and potential for golden-green eyes