Ragdoll

🌍 Overview

The ragdoll is a large, semi-longhaired breed developed in California in the 1960s by breeder Ann Baker, who selectively bred for an extremely docile temperament. The name comes from Baker's foundation cat Josephine, who the CFA records was so placid that she went limp when held, though the registry adds the part nobody quotes: that characteristic is uncommon in modern Ragdolls. The name outlived the trait. What did survive is the temperament: they are among the most laid-back and people-oriented cat breeds, known for following owners from room to room and being exceptionally gentle with children. They are also slow to mature, reaching full coat color at two years and full size and weight at four.

📋 Quick Facts

📜 History

Baker did not simply breed the cats, she tried to own them. Around 1971 she set up her own registry, the International Ragdoll Cat Association, and in December 1975 she trademarked the word Ragdoll for the sale of live cats, then licensed breeders on terms she controlled. That same year Denny and Laura Dayton took a breeding pair out of the IRCA and worked instead toward recognition by the mainstream registries, and theirs is the line behind the standard used today. The CFA accepted the Ragdoll for registration in 1993 and advanced it to championship status in 2000.

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