The Ragdoll 

 

This is the birthplace where the Ragdoll breed began.

Ann Bakers cattery where it all began in 1963

  The late Ann Baker of Riverside, California (USA) is the founder of the Ragdoll breed. Ann Baker recounted the history of the Ragdoll as follows: Ann's neighbour, Mrs Pennels, owned a white Angora-type female, called Josephine. Josephine often had kittens, but they were all wild like their mother.

Ann Baker & Raggedy Ann Fugianna

  Josephine was run over by a car and left lying by the side of the road for a couple of days. Eventually she was taken to the local university for treatment. Ann firmly believed that during her time at the university, Josephine was "genetically manipulated", resulting in future kittens being loving, relaxed, "floppy" and unable to feel pain.

Josephine - Mother of the first Ragdolls

  Today, this belief in Josephine's genetic manipulation is rejected as a fallacy as the Ragdoll experiences pain in the same way as any other breed of cat. As far as the "floppiness" is concerned, kittens and cats from any breed could present this trait - it is not caused by any genetic characteristic, but rather by the way in which the kitten is raised and socialised.

 

 

Raggedy Ann Daddy Warbucks

 Ann acquired three of Josephine's half-related kittens from her neighbour – Pretty Boy, "a cat with the appearance of the Sacred Cat of Burma" (The Birman breed) which Ann later called Daddy Warbucks; Buckwheat (a black non-pointed female); and Fugianna (a badly marked Bicolour female).  

Raggedy Ann Buckwheat

  These three cats became the founding Ragdolls, producing the first Ragdoll kittens. In the summer of 1965, a litter of four kittens were born - two pointed and two non-pointed kittens. Ann ruled the Ragdoll breeding programme with a strict hand, registering and patenting the name Ragdoll and franchising out future breeding stock under strict contracts.

 

Ann Baker

Raggedy Ann Kioto & Raggedy Ann Tiki

 Remaining protective over her kittens, Josephine fought with the family dog. It is alleged that Mr Baker, who had had enough of Josephine's protectiveness, had Josephine and her kittens destroyed, thereby ending the life of the founding queen of the Ragdoll breed.

 


       Denny & Laura Dayton. They bought the first Ragdoll Breeders Rosie & Buddy from Ann Baker in 1969. Denny created the Ragdoll Genetic Chart and together they started the Ragdoll Society in 1975, it later became the RFC/RFCI.
 

The Old Ann Baker with one of her Ragdolls

 Ann Baker passed away in 1997.

 

 

 History: Ragdolls were developed in the 1960’s by Ann Baker ; a
breeder in California. She bred Josephine, a loving, gentle, longhaired white female
 carrying Siamese (pointed) markings, to other longhaired cats carrying Siamese markings.
Her original stock consisted of sturdy, free-roaming cats. By selecting individuals with
 the look she wanted for her breeding program, she created the type standard for the Ragdoll.

  Ragdolls are easily described as a large, pointed cat
 with blue eyes. Ragdoll males average 14-18 pounds, although it is not uncommon for
an altered male to reach 20 pounds or more. Ragdoll females are proportionately smaller
usually averaging 9-13 pounds. The Ragdoll is a slow maturing breed. Ragdoll kittens are
 born pure white and can take up to two weeks before accurate color and pattern can
 be determined. Ragdolls will grow very slowly and take up to 3-4 years to reach full
color and weight maturity.

Ragdoll Grooming: The Ragdoll coat is medium to long in length and is
soft, silky, and almost bunny-like in texture. Their coat is low shedding, almost non-
matting, and very easily maintained. It is recommended to comb your Ragdoll at least
once a week, with an increase to at least twice a week during the shedding seasons
(1-2 weeks during spring and fall).

Ragdoll Temperament and Characteristics: One of the biggest
reasons the Ragdoll has become so well known is for its relaxed and easy going
temperament. Ragdolls are a trusting and loving cat. They are highly domesticated and
many do not posses the “fight” instinct nor do they use their claws for self defense.
For these reasons the Ragdoll must be a strictly indoor cat! The relaxed, trusting nature
 of the cat is also why a lot of Ragdolls posses the ability to go limp or floppy when
 picked up. They lie relaxed and almost motionless in your arms like a child’s
rag-doll, hence their name