Ragdoll cats and their origins

March 11, 2003 7:35 AM

Ragdoll cats have interesting personalities, a devoted following, and a very, very strange creation myth.
posted by mcwetboy (12 comments total)

Pixie-Bobs have a similar unlikely myth of origin.
posted by y2karl at 7:59 AM on March 11, 2003

They're really nice cats, for SPACE ALIENS! (no really, they're wonderful kitties, I've known a couple of them and they're really sweet and cuddly) Not to make a gross generalization, but the vast majority of cat breeders I've met are almost as crazy as the Ragdoll lady.

Munchkins are just plain-old mutants, no aliens involved.
posted by biscotti at 8:18 AM on March 11, 2003

No, these cats are truly mutants.
Dear lord.
posted by bonheur at 8:44 AM on March 11, 2003

Don't forget Honey Bears (a variety of Ragdoll). But a cat that might not purr? Sheesh.

Still, as a fan of large cats--my male cat is a svelte 13.5 pounds--I've always wanted a Maine Coon Cat.
posted by thomas j wise at 9:16 AM on March 11, 2003

My favorite breed: adorable shelter cats that need you to adopt them.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 9:22 AM on March 11, 2003

We think one of our adorable shelter cats, Murphy, might be part Ragdoll. (He's entirely black, but has most of the other physical characteristics, including the slack-bone thing.) He is the sweetest, most laid-back cat we've ever had, never outgrew his soft kitten fur, and weighs in at 17.5 pounds.

Of course, that site says it's unlikely. Hmph.

I'm with Thomas on large cats - we've never had otherwise. Murphy's 'brother' is a 15-pounder, the smallest cat we've ever had.
posted by fujikosmurf at 9:47 AM on March 11, 2003

Ragdolls are very nice cats indeed. But there are a few things that nobody mentions about big breed cats, including Ragdolls, Ragamuffins, Maine Coons, and Norweigan Forests. Nothing that makes me regret my choice of cat (if you believe the human has a choice in the matter), but there you are.

First, when a cat that large wants to play, you play. And when it smacks you with a paw, claws or no, it can smart a bit. Even rubbing against your leg might cause you to loose your balance if you are not expecting it.

Ragdolls particularly like the laps of their favorite human. For that matter, they like to occupy the bed, and if the human is pushed aside, that's okay with them.

Finally, large cats have large poops. No polite way to say the truth.
posted by ilsa at 9:58 AM on March 11, 2003

One of my cats, Ozymandias, can't purr, due to a throat infection as a kitten. He makes whiffly noises and you can feel his larynx vibrating, but no purring comes out. Doesn't seem to bother him at all, but I do miss it.
posted by tabbycat at 1:19 PM on March 11, 2003

While every experience i've ever had with Ragdolls has been positive, i plan on sticking with my good old Siamese. i've always been of the opinion that cats should be heard, and there's nothing like the vocalization of a Siamese who wants food/ love to let you know that she is there.

And biscotti, yes, munchkins are in fact mutants, but they also rock! You just know that someone with a dachshund looked at their cat and said "why can't you be more like the damn dog?"
posted by quin at 1:58 PM on March 11, 2003

I'll stick with my moggie. He came from an animal shelter when he was 8 weeks old, and he's the sweetest cat you'd ever want to meet, and well worth the cost of his upkeep (he's spoiled and gets the expensive cat food; he eats better than I do!).
posted by eilatan at 4:39 PM on March 11, 2003

i've always been of the opinion that cats should be heard



You have not heard the voice of The Bottomless Well of Need...
posted by y2karl at 8:12 AM on March 12, 2003

Twisty Cats, are the weirdest of all.
posted by dipolemoment at 11:39 AM on March 12, 2003