TriggerPoint
French Bulldogs & Ragdoll Cats
History of the Ragdoll
The origins and development of the Ragdoll breed is difficult to establish and is somewhat shrouded in myths. Nonetheless, there are certain things that we do know for sure.
Ragdolls were established in the early 1960s by a woman in Riverside, California named Ann Baker. The first Ragdoll cat was a Persian mix that was struck by an automobile, she was named Josephine. Josephine is believed to have belonged to one of Ann Baker’s neighbors.
Josephine had a litter of kittens and Ann Baker noticed these kittens were larger and seemed friendlier than other cats. On one account, Ann Baker attributed the characteristics to the car accident Josephine was involved in. Ann Baker was known to make many claims regarding the origins or her cats.
Josephine’s offspring inspired Ann Baker to start breeding Ragdoll cats. She acquired one of Josephine’s kittens, a female named Buckwheat, and registered her with the National Cat Fanciers Association (NCFA) in 1963. Ann Baker began breeding Buckwheat with a Birman cat to produce a seal point kitten with white feet named Daddy Warbucks. Daddy Warbucks is attributed with being the father of the Ragdoll cat breed.
Ann Baker began breeding Ragdolls from Daddy Warbucks and established her own cat registry in 1971 called the International Ragdoll Cat Association. Ann Baker went on to trademark the name “Radgoll” and required anyone breeding the cats to pay royalties for the use of the name. She stated there are five differences between Ragdolls and other cats.
When describing her cats she stated that:
(1) Ragdoll cats are much larger than other cats,
(2) are impervious to pain,
(3) do not have self-preservation instincts,
(4) have non-matting fur,
(5) go characteristically limp when held. On some accounts Ann Baker claimed the characteristic Ragdoll traits were the result of Josephine being struck by a car.
Ann Baker's breeding program consisted of a handful of breeders contracted under her. She was paid a royalty fee for every kitten sold.
The breeders once loyal to her were now having doubts about how to develop the breed without losing the integrity that these wonderful cats deserve. Because of this, several breeders broke off from Ann Baker and continued breeding Ragdolls for what they are - highly affectionate companions - with a lot of love to share with humans.
Denny Dayton was an instrumental figure in the history & development of the breed. After he broke away from Ann Baker, he fought hard to make the breed legitimate and acceptable by cat fanciers' standards. Dayton succeeded and in 1967, the Ragdoll breed was first recognized in the United States.
Dayton is the originator of RFCI (Ragdoll Fanciers Club International) the most reputable and highly respected Ragdoll cat registry in the world. Dayton also worked very hard to get the breed recognized by TICA
In 1971, Baker created her own cat registry & association known as IRCA (International Ragdoll Cat Association).
In December 1975 Ann Baker had the name "Ragdoll" patented for the first time. The patent is valid until the year 2005, and allows only IRCA breeders to use the name.
The Daytons and the other breeders, however, did not feel that the restrictions placed upon the use of the name applied to them because they had purchased their cats prior to the time of the patent.
Ann Baker has since passed away. She will be remembered for her persistent battle to promote the breed - although many of the methods she used in doing so remain questionable. But Ann Baker's most remarkable achievement was giving us the Ragdoll breed. There is no debate about that anywhere!
Today there are over 500 breeders worldwide and the Ragdoll breed stands on solid ground, despite its controversial early years and development.
The above facts are from The Ragdolls Fanciers Club International www.rfci.org
Ragdoll
The Ragdoll is a cat breed with blue eyes and a distinct colorpoint coat. It is a large and muscular semi-longhair cat with a soft and silky coat. Developed by American breeder Ann Baker it is best known for its docile and 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. Particularly popular in both the United Kingdom and the breed's native United States, ragdoll cats often are known as "dog-like cats" or "puppy-like cats" due to behaviors such as their tendency to follow people around, their ease at being physically handled, and their relative lack of aggression toward other pets. HistoryIn the 1960s, a regular non-pedigreed white domestic longhaired cat named Josephine produced several litters of typical cats. Josephine was of a Persian/Angora type and had litters sired by several unknown male Birman or Burmese-like cats, one of which had the Siamese point coloration. Josephine later produced kittens with a docile, placid temperament, affectionate nature, and a tendency to go limp and relaxed when picked up. When a subsequent litter produced more of the same, Baker purchased several kittens from the owner who lived behind her, and believing she had something special, set out to create what is now known as the Ragdoll. The breed was selectively bred over many years for desirable traits, such as large size, gentle demeanor, and a tendency to go limp when picked up, as well as the striking pointed coloration.Out of those early litters came Blackie, an all-black Burmese-like male and Daddy Warbucks, a seal point with white feet. Daddy Warbucks sired the founding bi-color female Fugianna, and Blackie sired Buckwheat, a dark brown/black Burmese-like female. Both Fugianna and Buckwheat were daughters of Josephine. All Ragdolls are descended from Baker's cats through mating of Daddy Warbucks to Fugianna and Buckwheat.Baker, in an unusual move, spurned traditional cat breeding associations. She trademarked the name "Ragdoll", set up her own registry ca. 1971, the International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA), and enforced stringent standards on anyone who wanted to breed or sell cats under that name. The Ragdolls were also not allowed to be registered in other breed associations. The IRCA is still in existence today but is quite small, particularly since Baker's death in 1997. IRCA cats are not recognized in any major cat breed organization or cat show.In 1975, a group led by a husband and wife team, Denny and Laura Dayton, broke rank with IRCA with the aim of gaining mainstream recognition for the Ragdoll. Beginning with a breeding pair of IRCA cats, this group eventually developed the Ragdoll standard currently accepted by major cat registries such as the CFA and the FIFeSince the spread of the Ragdoll breed in America during the early 1960s, a breeding pair of Ragdolls was exported to the UK. This was followed by eight more cats to fully establish the breed in the UK, where it is recognized by the Governing Council of the Cat FancyIn 1994, a second group decided to leave the IRCA and form their own group due to increasingly strict breeding restrictions. This group later established the Ragamuffin breed. Because Baker owned the rights to the name "Ragdoll", no offshoot groups were legally able to call their cats Ragdolls until 2005, when the trademark on "Ragdoll" was not renewed.The largest international Ragdoll breed club is the Ragdoll Fanciers' Club International (RFCI). Breed descriptionTemperamentThe Ragdoll is marketed by breeders as having a docile, calm and floppy nature with claims that these characteristics have been passed down from the Persian and Birman breeds. Opinions vary as to whether this trait might be the result of genetic mutation. The extreme docility of some individuals has led to the myth that Ragdolls are pain-resistant. Some breeders in Britain have tried to breed away from the limpness due to concerns that extreme docility "might not be in the best interests of the cat"Breed standard marketing and publicity material describe the Ragdoll as affectionate, intelligent, relaxed in temperament, gentle, and an easy to handle lap cat, (not inconsistent with universal domestic cat behavior). The animals are often known as "puppy cats", "dog-like cats", "cat-dogs" et cetera due to their placid nature and affectionate behavior, with the cats often following owners from room to room as well as seeking physical affection akin to certain dog breeds. Ragdolls can be trained to retrieve toys and enjoy doing so.Physical characteristicsThe Ragdoll is one of the largest domesticated cat breeds with a sturdy body, large frame, and proportionate legs. A fully-grown female weighs from 8 to 15 pounds (3.6 to 6.8 kg). Males are substantially larger, ranging from 12 to 20 pounds (5.4 to 9.1 kg) or more. The genes for point coloration are also responsible for the blue eyes of the Ragdoll. More intense shades of blue are favored in cat shows. Although the breed has a plush coat, it consists mainly of long guard hairs, while the lack of a dense undercoat results in, according to the Cat Fanciers' Association, "reduced shedding and matting". Mitted Ragdolls, which weren't allowed titling in CFA until the 2008-2009 show seasons, are often confused with Birmans. The easiest way to tell the difference is by size (the Ragdoll being obviously larger) and chin color (Mitted Ragdolls have white chins, while Birmans have colored chins), although breeders recognize the two by head shape and boning.Ragdolls come in 6 different colors: red, seal, chocolate and the corresponding "dilutes", including blue, lilac, and cream. This also includes the tortoiseshell pattern in all colors and the three patterns. "Traditional" Ragdoll kittens are born white; they have good color at 8 – 10 weeks and full color and coat at 3 – 4 years. The four different patterns are:Pointed – One color darkening at the extremities (nose, ears, tail, and paws).Mitted – Same as pointed, but with white paws and abdomen. With or without a blaze (a white line or spot on the face), but must have a "belly stripe" (white stripe that runs from the chin to the genitals) and a white chin.High Mitted Bicolor–Same as mitted, with white paws, chest and abdomen. White V mark on the face. The color can be blue, seal, red, chocolate, and cream.Bicolor – White legs, white inverted V on the face, white abdomen and sometimes white patches on the back. (Excessive amounts of white, or "high white", on a bicolor is known as the Van pattern, although this doesn't occur nearly as often as the other patterns.)Lynx – A variant of the above type having tabby markings. (Information from Wikipedia)
RagaMuffin
Ragamuffins are a muscular, heavy breed of cat needing approximately four to five years to fully mature. The physical traits of the breed include a rectangular, broad-chested body with shoulders supporting a short neck. These cats are classified as having a "substantial" body type. Ragamuffins come in all coat colors and patterns, with a medium-length coat that increases in length toward the stomach. Although the coat is thick and plush, it does not readily mat or clump and is easy to care for.
The head is a broad, modified wedge with a moderately rounded forehead and a nose dip. The body should appear rectangular with a broad chest and broad shoulders and moderately heavy muscling in the hindquarters, with the hindquarters being equally broad as the shoulders. There should be a fatty pad in the lower abdomen. Fur length is to be slightly longer around the neck and outer edges of the face, resulting in the appearance of a ruff. The fur should increase in length from the top of the head down through the shoulder blades and back, with the coat on the sides and stomach being medium to medium long. Every color and pattern is allowable, with or without white. Some color patterns, such as pure white, are rarer than others and are generally in greater demand.
Ragdoll background
In the 1960s, a regular, non-pedigreed, light-grey, domestic long-haired cat named Josephine (of unknown Angora or Persian stock), who had produced several litters of typical kittens, eventually produced a litter of unusually docile kittens. When the subsequent litter produced more of the same, Ann Baker (an established cat breeder) purchased several kittens from the owner and set out to create what is now known as the Ragdoll. The sires were of unrecorded Birman or Burmese ancestry.
In the mid 1970s, after many of the original Ragdoll breeders left, Baker decided to spurn traditional cat breeding associations. She trademarked the name "Ragdoll", and set up her own registry, International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA). Baker imposed stringent standards on anyone who wanted to breed or sell cats under that name. The IRCA Ragdolls were also not allowed to be registered in other breed associations.
Breed divergence
In 1994, a group of IRCA breeders decided to leave and form their own group because of the increasing restrictions. Owing to Baker's trademark on the name Ragdoll, the group renamed its stock of IRCA Ragdoll cats Ragamuffins. While the originally proposed name was Liebling, the name Ragamuffin was put forth as an alternative by one of the group's founders and it was chosen.
In the spirit of bettering the breed's genetic health, personality, and temperament, the group out-crossed to Persians, Himalayans, and non-pedigreed domestic long-haired cats. The group also allowed some out-crossing to original Ragdolls (which ended in 2010 for ACFA-recognized Ragamuffins). Only cats with at least one Ragamuffin parent and an ACFA-accepted out-cross currently qualify to be called ACFA Ragamuffins. Cat Fanciers' Association Ragamuffins may only have Ragamuffin parents.
The first cat association to accept the breed at full show champion status was the United Feline Organization (UFO), and while some major cat associations still refuse to accept the Ragamuffin as a recognized breed (primarily because of its close association with the Ragdoll), it was accepted into the American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA). Finally, the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) accepted them into the Miscellaneous class in February, 2003 and advanced them to Championship class in February, 2011.
The most obvious difference between typical Ragdolls and Ragamuffins is the lack of point coloration in the latter, a trait that was bred out, while remaining desirable in the earlier breed. (Information from Wikipedia)
