23 Things You Should Know Before Buying A Ragdoll Cat

Before buying a Ragdoll there are many things you should know. If you are looking to buy right now the first thing you will notice is the purchase price of these cats, especially when compared to adoption. While this may seem fairly high it actually does not cover or take into account many of the other hidden costs that are entailed with owning a Ragdoll.

The Ragdoll cat breed is among one of the most popular pets you can buy or adopt within the United States. It is very popular with families looking for cats to purchase or adopt due to their friendly temperament and the fact they make great companions.

With that being said, lets take a look at the things you should know before committing to buy one of these beautiful cats.

Buying A Ragdoll Is Expensive

If you are considering buying a purebred Ragdoll from a highly trusted and reputable cat breeder. You should expect the price to be $1000 and up. This price may seem high but the cost factors in the payments a caring, good breeder will pay for initial vaccinations, registering the new kitten and genetic screening to ensure the cat’s health.

Once you have purchased a Ragdoll cat the expenses do not end here. We’ve made a list of some of the extra expenses you should expect to pay for:

• Food & cat litter.
• Accessories such as litter trays, bowls, beds, cat carriers.
• Toys and play equipment such as cat trees or scratching posts.
• Cat grooming equipment
• Pet health insurance
• Annual health checks and vaccinations
• Monthly worm, flea and tick treatments
• Neutering or Spaying
• A cattery or a cat sitter to look after the cat while you go on vacation
• (Possible) Carpet cleaning, pet-friendly cleaning sprays, etc.
• (Possible) Cat proofing for house cats.
• (Possible) Cat flaps/doors to allow entry and exit for outdoor cats.

One of the key areas to consider most when looking to buy a Ragdoll cat is pet insurance. Typically for a 1-year-old Ragdoll you should expect to pay somewhere around $25 per month. However, there are cheaper and more extensive and expensive options available for protecting your ragdoll cat’s health.

So factoring in all these additional expenses. it’s definitely worth your time doing your research and trying to calculate an estimate of just how expensive your ragdoll cat’s health and well-being will be. However, no matter the cost. It will still not come close or compare to the joy and friendship you will receive from these beautiful cats.

Two Cats Are Better Than One

This might sound like some kind of cliche saying, however, it is a very true one. Owning two cats instead of one will always work out for the better and is actually highly recommended.

This is simply because Ragdolls can get bored and love to be social. So owning a second cat especially if they are indoor cats will allow them to socialize together and feel happy in each other’s company when you are not home.

Owning or buying two Ragdoll cats can also prevent some of the bad habits that some pets can exhibit. Namely, the chewing or scratching of furniture will be reduced due to them being occupied with each other.

They also love to play together which is adorable and great entertainment. The only downside for you is that the overall expense of owning two Ragdolls and ensuring you have all of the things needed for two pet felines.

They Will Be Friendly With Other Pets

Just like owning two cats, Ragdolls can get along fine with other pets such as dogs. Introducing a new Ragdoll Kitten into your home which already has existing pets should be fine if they are allowed time to get used to each other.

However, you should be more cautious if you already own an older Ragdoll or cat who has established its territory in the home and allow the introduction of the new pet more time and take it slow where they will gradually get used to each other.

Ragdolls Are Good With Children

One of the reasons Ragdolls are so popular among people looking to buy a cat is because they are well known for being good with children.

They will often follow children around the home as they love to know what they are up to. However most of the time they will take a back seat and find somewhere to sleep or rest overlooking them playing.

With children, you will need to ensure, especially if this is a new pet or the first pet they have owned that they treat them kindly. For many children, this will come perfectly naturally as they will love having another play companion.

While Ragdoll cats do have a high tolerance level and good temperament. Even the kindest of cats can become unruly if treated badly, provoked, or teased.

They Love To Play

Ragdolls absolutely love to play! When they are young kittens they will love to play with toys, roam around and get up to all kinds of mischief.

As they become older most cats may seem to become more docile, however, they do not lose this love of playing. It’s actually highly recommended to continue playing with them each day to keep their minds active and feed the hunter’s instinct which is built into these cats.

Buying your ragdoll cat toys from time to time and playing with them consistently is also a great way for the owner to bond with their cat. They will start to build a great amount of trust and friendship with you as you entertain each other.

They Need Plenty Of Excercise

Ragdolls are large cats by nature so it’s important to ensure they get a good amount of exercise. This is especially important if like many owners you have indoor cats.

Exercising an indoor cat simply involves keeping them stimulated and having them run around. Cat toys are great for this especially ones you can throw around that the cat can hunt and find.

Outdoor cats are a lot easier when it comes to exercise. They will often go outside and explore the surrounding area by jumping onto fences, running, and often times hunting which is in their nature.

If you do not ensure your ragdoll cat has a good amount of exercise this can actually lead to the Ragdoll becoming bored. In some cases, this can also lead to obesity, poor health, and the cat exhibiting bad or unwanted behaviors.

Luckily for those of you who may not have the required time to ensure your ragdoll cat gets enough exercise in the day, you can actually purchase cat accessories for your home such as climbing trees which are a great way to ensure your ragdoll cat is entertained and moves around as much as possible.

Ragdoll Cats Can Have Health Problems

If you plan to buy your ragdoll cat from a reputable breeder who screens for genetic illness’s then this should already cover most of the bases regarding your ragdoll cat’s initial health.

However, if you plan to adopt a rescue Ragdoll cat from a shelter or plan on adopting from an owner that does not provide the cat’s health history then you cannot be sure of your Ragdolls future health.

While we would never want to put anyone off adopting a Ragdoll cat in need of a loving home, it’s important to know some of the health problems commonly associated with the breed.

We have listed below some of the common health problems affecting Ragdolls:

• Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): The symptoms normally present themselves as instability and abnormal posture. This is due to a loss of nerves in the cat’s lower spinal cord which weakens the muscles of there hind legs.
• Hip Dysplasia (HD) – This is a genetically inherited malformation of the hip joints.
• Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) – This is an inherited disease that can be passed down from the cat’s parents where cysts form in the kidneys.
• Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) – The disease leads to thickening of the walls of the hearth and overall enlargement of the heart.

As the genetic screening of cats, record keeping, and medicine improve with the advancement of technology. We hope one day these commonly associated health problems want be a factor when adopting or buying a Ragdoll Cat.

However it’s highly important to ask the breeder, owner, or shelter for information regarding these issues that affect the cats health.

They Enjoy Keeping You Company

Ragdolls are highly sociable cats and will love to follow you around as your companion ensuring they do not miss a thing!

Often if you try to go into a room and close the door you will hear your ragdoll cat meow or tap the door wanting to be let in. This is by no means a bad thing and if anything displays just how much you have bonded with your ragdoll cat.

Some Ragdolls are lap cats and will happily curl up on your lap while you relax. Others will prefer to find a comfy spot close-by to sit and observe. It fully depends on your Ragdolls personality.

If you are looking for a cat that loves attention, being stroked and fussed over. Then a Ragdoll Cat really is the perfect cat for you.

Ragdoll’s Are Curious Cats

Like many breeds of cats, Ragdolls have a high tendency to be very curious by nature. If you buy any new items for your home or go shopping they will often be found sniffing and inspecting the bags, boxes, or packaging in case they find anything interesting.

Around the home, you will often find them climbing into cardboard boxes, venturing under beds, or into cupboards. This may be one of the reasons cat proofing some areas of the home becomes important.

When new guests arrive at your home they will also be very curious about them. Often they will check them out and observe them for a while before coming for a closer look.

They Can Be Trained And Are Clever Cats

Ragdolls are often refereed to as being the “Dogs of the Cat World” simply because of the characteristics they share.

Just like dogs, Ragdoll cats are loyal and make good companions. They can also be trained quickly to use litter trays, go through cat flaps, and abide by daily routines.

If you feed them at set times of the day they will train themselves to remember the time using an internal body clock and be waiting near the bowl or will come to find you.

Unlike most cat breeds, Ragdolls can also learn to respond their name which is great news if you plan on having an outdoor cat.

Some owners have even described how they use their cat as an alarm clock in the morning. Over time they will learn the usual times you wake from sleeping, so even on the weekend when you are expecting a well-deserved lie in you will find these cats waiting at the bottom of the bed or pestering you affectionately to get up.

They Don’t Like Being Left Home Alone

Ragdolls are very social and like the company of their owners or other pets. They do not like being left alone for extended periods and it’s highly recommended not to leave your ragdoll cat home alone for more than 24 hours.

With indoor cats, if you need to leave them home alone for a time you can ensure they have things to play with, a clean and refreshed litter tray and accessories like an automatic pet feeder which will provide them with food and water throughout the day.

Outdoor cats are usually easier to leave home alone throughout the day. This is because they will often go outside exploring and you simply need to ensure they have access to fresh food and water. You do need to be cautious however of bad weather or things like roads, construction work going on in your area to ensure your ragdoll cat’s safety.

It’s a great idea whether your Ragdoll is an indoor or an outdoor cat if you plan to leave them home alone for an extended period to have trusted friends, family or neighbors come to check on them and refresh food and water if needed.

You Should Get Them Insured Right Away

Cat health insurance is vital if you plan on adopting or buying a Ragdoll. It’s important to be aware beforehand of the annual costs that are involved with insuring a cat.

If you do your research and come to the conclusion you may not be able to afford the monthly premiums, then it’s quite likely you may not be able to afford the cost of any expensive one-off medical treatments your ragdoll cat may require one day.

The cost of taking your Ragdoll cat to the vets when complications or illness present themselves can stack up quickly especially if they require repeat appointments and treatments.

We highly recommend getting your ragdoll cat insured right away as we would not want to see owners unable to afford unexpected and expensive treatments. There would be nothing more devastating than being unable to provide your ragdoll cat with the treatment it requires.

Another important thing to know is that if your Ragdoll is not insured and develops a condition or illness that is treated. It’s highly likely if you go seeking cat insurance after that many providers will not be willing to cover the condition or illness of your ragdoll cat should it arise again.

If you have already insured your ragdoll cat and claimed for a condition or illness’s treatment, they will continue to pay out again if the condition presents itself and requires further treatment or expense.

Ragdolls Have A Long Lifespan

A fit and healthy Ragdoll can have a lifespan up-to or around 10 – 14 years on average, with many owners claiming to have cats live much older.

One of the key factors for insuring your Ragdoll cat lives a long and happy life is monitoring your ragdoll cats growth and health.

You should also keep track of your Ragdoll’s annual vaccinations, health checks, and diet to ensure you promote good health and well-being in your ragdoll cat.

Exercising your ragdoll cat should also not be overlooked and you should spend time with them playing each day to keep their mind and bodies active.

Neutering Or Spaying A Ragdoll Is A Good Idea

Indoor male Ragdoll cats if left unneutered can be difficult pets to own. This is because they will exhibit behavior that comes naturally to them such as the following.

• Spraying around the home on carpets, furnishings to mark their territory.
• More aggressive behaviour which makes it difficult to pet and play with them.
• Chewing or generally destructive behaviour.

Indoor unspayed female Ragdoll’s when they come into season will also become unruly. They will often try to escape the home and try to get outside with the likely reasoning being to find another cat or mate.

They can also worry owners with a change in characteristics during this time so it’s important to know how owning an unspayed female Ragdoll can effect your ragdoll cat’s habits.

It’s a good idea to seek advice from the breeder about neutering or spaying when buying a male or female Ragdoll or alternatively seeking advice and help from a veterinarian.

Ragdoll’s Sometimes Need Help Grooming

Ragdoll cats often have long luscious fur which they take great pride in grooming for themselves. However, some cats will have a hard time managing it all for themselves.

It’s highly recommended from the moment you adopt or buy a Ragdoll that you get them used to grooming brushes. Kittens will find it easy to get used to the brush and sensation of being groomed.

Older Ragdoll cats have a harder time being introduced to grooming or changes in your habits. While it’s not impossible to start grooming an older cat, you will have an easier time starting this routine from when they are young.

Overtime a Ragdoll’s beautiful fur can knot or become matted. If left untouched this can become unmanageable and actually begin to effect your ragdoll cat’s health causing sore spots or irritation.

Using the right tools when helping your ragdoll cat groom itself is important. Fine and thick metal brushes usually help groom the toughest spots. However, if your ragdoll cat suffers from problem areas you can resort to giving them a very light trim. If in doubt take them to the vet who can remove problem areas using clippers and offer advice on home grooming.

Keeping up a good grooming routine from day one will help ensure you do not need to resort to such measures and will help guarantee the health and happiness of your ragdoll cat.

They Can Shed Fur

Just like many other breeds of cat, Ragdolls do shed a lot of fur throughout the year. This is normal and usually a part of their in-built body cycle.

Grooming your ragdoll cat will help you keep control of how and when your Ragdoll sheds its fur. However, it worthwhile ensuring you have a good vacuum cleaner to help pick up any remaining shedding or fur that can be found on carpets, floors, and furniture.

Another great tool we highly recommend is a lint roller. When holding, petting, or generally making a fuss of your ragdoll cat you will notice sometimes your clothes or couch are littered with hair. A lint roller solves this issue quickly allowing you to pick up and remove any hair from clothing, chairs, or upholstery.

Ragdolls Like To Scratch Things

Ragdoll’s and many other cat breeds share one thing in common and that is, scratching things. While this may seem like a bad habit or something to be avoided it actually plays a key part in your ragdoll cat’s health and happiness.

Here are some of the reasons why Ragdoll cats scratch things:

• It helps them remove the dead outer layer from their claws.
• They apply their scent and mark territory around the home helping them to feel more comfortable.
• To help stretch and flex their bodies.
• To work off excess energy and show excitement.

When or where they will decide to scratch things is not certain but you can try to control it by providing them with objects they are allowed (preferred) to scratch such as a cat scratching post, cat trees or scratching mats.

Over time your ragdoll cat will become accustomed using these objects in part of its daily routine to scratch its claws and stretch. Every cat is different so ensuring you choose the right accessories or items for them to scratch safely in your home can take time, but will be well worth the effort!

They Can Suffer From Dental Problems

Just like humans Ragdoll cats can also suffer from a range of dental problems or complications that will effect their overall health.

While in most cases these may be hard to spot as an owner it’s important to check your ragdoll cat’s teeth regularly and try to prevent a common problem among cats which is Gingivitis. This is redness, irritation, and inflammation around the base of the cat’s teeth. If left untreated this can lead to more serious gum disease and possibly tooth loss.

The best coarse of action to prevent these health problems is to start brushing your ragdoll cat’s teeth occasionally. We highly recommend starting this routine when they are young kittens and they will quickly get used to having their teeth cleaned.

You can buy for your Ragdoll a special toothbrush and cat-friendly toothpaste to help prevent dental problems. If you are unsure what to buy or need help and advice with your ragdoll cat’s teeth, we highly recommend seeking the advice of vets and taking your ragdoll cat for regular check-ups where they usually examine the teeth and mouth.

Ragdoll Cats Are Fascinated By Water

Ragdoll’s unlike most cats are actually fascinated by water. You will often find them flicking water out of their bowls or sitting next to the faucet while admiring and playing with the flowing water.

Ragdoll owners also talk about their cat’s love of climbing in the shower or watching them while they bathe. Much to the amusement of the owner.

While they do enjoy being around water, surprisingly Ragdoll’s do not actually require regular baths. They groom themselves by licking their fur. This usually keeps them clean enough not to require bathing from the owner.

They Make Noises Like Trilling And Chirping

Ragdoll’s can make meowing sounds just like many other cats. However unlike some cats they can also trill and chirp.

They can make these trilling and chirping sounds at any time throughout the day or sometimes at night. Most commonly it’s a sign of excitement and frequently heard when your ragdoll cat is by a window, watching birds or other animals.

The trilling noise a Ragdoll can make sounds high-pitched and emanates from the throat. A chirping noise you can hear your ragdoll cat make sounds a bit like a short meow or as we refer to it a “half meow” or “lazy meow”.

In general Ragdoll cats are probably more vocal than other cats, but it’s never annoying and only ever adorable.

You May Need A Cat Sitter

If you are planning to go on vacation or will not be home with your ragdoll cat for an extended period it’s important to ensure you have arranged for someone to watch, feed, and keep them entertained while you are away.

Sometimes you are lucky enough to have trusted friends, family, or neighbors living close-by who will be happy to help and care for your ragdoll cats while you are away then this is a good option.

If you do not have these options available to you then you have a few more of the following options available:

• Hiring a local reputable cat sitter – Often they can be found online or in local newspapers advertising their services. They will have access to your home and visit each day to feed and comfort your ragdoll cat before leaving.
• Using a local Cattery – They also advertise Online and there is usually more than one location in the surrounding area you can take your ragdoll cat to. They offer the benefit of around the clock care for your ragdoll cats while you are away.

Out of the two options here we prefer using a cattery for our Ragdoll’s while we are on vacation.

This is simply due to the fact we have found a trusted cattery in our area that provides a good environment and care for our cats while we are away. We have also used them since they were kittens so they have become familiar with the surroundings.

You Need To Socialize Your Ragdoll

It’s highly important when a Ragdoll is at a young age to socialize them. They should be introduced to adults, children, and other pets at an early age to help ensure they are accepting of them.

This also helps greatly to mould your ragdoll cats characteristics helping them to be more warm and friendly to guests and in general.

If a Ragdoll is not helped to be social early on, in later life they can become unruly or wary of changes to people or environment.

They Can Grow Into Large Cats

As one of the largest breeds in the cat kingdom, it should be no surprise just how large Ragdoll cats can grow. They can and most likely will grow into gentle giants.

They can range in height from 8 to 16 inches and weigh 8 to 18 pounds which for cats is fairly large outgrowing most small dogs or other pets.

Due to how big Ragdoll’s can get when they become older it’s worthwhile keeping track of this using a growth chart to record height and weight.

This can be easily achieved by measuring and weighing the cat. You can also request the size and weight of your ragdoll cat when you take them to the vets for a check-up.

From the time you own a Ragdoll as a kitten all the way until they are fully grown can bring great satisfaction to the owners.

Conclusion

We greatly hope that after reading through this post you can now go out with most of the information you need to make an informed decision on whether adopting or buying a Ragdoll is right for you.

There is not much more in this world that has given us more joy than watching our two beautiful Ragdolls “Felix” & “Freddy” grow into large, friendly, loving companions.

We wish those of you that choose to adopt a new cat into your home long happy lives together.