Thinking of getting a Ragdoll -advice please

[Just2MoreSeasons]

Hi
It's a long story, but the short version is we'd like a kitten/young cat and would like my young children 6 and not yet 1, to be able to play with and help look after it (or at least pet it). I love the sound of the friendly nature of Ragdolls but my biggest concern is that many sites seem to think that Ragdolls should not be allowed out of the house:-/
I spoke to a rescue centre worker who basically said that advice is usually given because owners worry about their cats being stolen and that actually it does the breed a disservice to keep it in the house. That cats should go out and hunting is part of its basic needs.
I had written off the idea of Ragdolls as I would like our cat to use the cat flap for toiletting but now I'm confused and wonder if I can put them back on the list to consider?
For those saying we should get a rescue cat, there is a back story

[iwantavuvezela]

Our (male) cat is a rag doll. Best cat I have ever had. Loves snoozing inside, goes outside happily, is friendly, loving and such a character. I cannot tell you how much I love him!

[Meredithgraze]

I'm not sure about rag dolls but I have a burmese and the vet advised me that the only reason you wouldn't let them out is because they are valuable. Mine goes out as I believe they should. I understand you might have your heart set on a rag doll as they are so beautiful but I would def recommend Burmese. So loving and beautiful too with less hair shed as short hair opposed to the long hair rag doll.

[Joeybird79]

I have 2 Ragdolls and they are both house cats and lead a very happy life. They are both very relaxed and chilled out and we regularly exercise them with toys. The run around the house and eat a very good diet. Our breeder told us that theft would be an issue if we let them out but also that the cats are very tame and could just be picked up without much of a fight. I would also worry they are a bit soft and would lie down in the middle of the road paws akimbo and get run over.

They are amazing cats with a fantastic temperament, more like dogs really in terms of personality. I'd thoroughly recommend the breed.

[Joeybird79]

Standard Ragdoll sleeping positions!

[Just2MoreSeasons]

Ohh, responses, thanks so much
Yes, actually, the lady I spoke to also recommended Burmese but added that they sometimes get older kittens back at the rescue as they re very chatty.
Also, we've never bought a cat before (last one was from a rescue centre). Is there anything we should look for from a breeder, or can anyone recommend a breeder (we are a little south of the Midlands)?
And, sorry, another question, do you think getting a Ragdoll cross might be an idea? I'm guessing that's a silly question as it's anyone's guess as to whether the friendly Ragdoll nature will come though....
Gorgeous pictures joey!

[Just2MoreSeasons]

Oh, and I'm also getting mixed messages about whether to go for male or female. Any common differences (apart from the obvious?

[MidnightVelvetthe4th]

Hi, I have a rescue Ragdoll girl, she's 6 now & she's lovely.

Basically Ragdolls are very very interbred, there were very few foundation cats & part of the reason why the Ragdoll breed is so amiable & friendly is that the aggressiveness has been intensively bred out of them. So the very reasons why Ragdolls are a perfect cat match with young children is also the reason why they cannot go outdoors. My Ragdoll wouldn't be able to survive outside, she wouldn't know what to do with an angry cat, a dog, a fox, she wouldn't know how to cross a road & yes anybody could pick her up & take her away. My girl is very dim, she falls off the sofa & lands on her back & she has no street smarts in the slightest! This summer she let a moth back her into a corner! A moth! My dad's 2 spaniels came & got into the room where we keep her when they are here, by the time I'd run up the stairs & got to them after hearing them bark she was cowering under a chair & had been sick from fright. She didn't swipe them on the nose or hiss, she just tried to run away from them.

We had ours from a breed specific Ragdoll rescue & part of the rehoming conditions were that they had to remain an indoor cat. Particularly an adult cat who has never had to cope with being outside before, I think that suddenly throwing them into an environment which they cannot deal with is beyond cruel.

I have one litter tray, my girls uses that & I've not had any problems with weeing or pooing in other areas of the house.

Try researching on Ragdoll breed websites, not to buy but I bet you all of them say that a Ragdoll is an indoor cat!

[MidnightVelvetthe4th]

If you did want to consider a Ragdoll rescue there's one in Stourbridge, its called Ragdoll Rescue & Rehome UK & there's a fb page. I think they closed the website...

To make sure you get the right one, the first pic is a Ragdoll/Persian apricot cross, the second pic is a white deaf kitten called Bluebell :)

[Floralnomad]

Ragdolls are generally friendly but many are not lap cats and can be quite aloof . My mum has an indoor Ragdoll , he's 14 , he has never shown any interest in going outside . Personally I wouldn't spend hundreds of pounds for a pedigree cat if I were going to allow it to roam I would go to the local cat rescue and get them to advise on which cats they have that are friendly and will be suitable to live with children . There are plenty of rescue cats that will be equally as friendly as a Ragdoll .

[UptownFlunk]

Ragdolls are not recommended to go outside because they are very gentle and not aggressive in the slightest - any feistiness has been bred out of them - which means they do not fare well against other aggressive cats, dogs or unkind human beings. My girl is very clever but she is so trusting she would let other cats attack her and other people pick her up. They are also very beautiful cats - I've lost count of the amount of people who have gasped when she's walked into view, I'm really not making this up! This combination means they are very pinchable and cat theft does happen as I had a Siamese as a child that was definitely stolen. I am lucky as I have an enclosed back garden with high walls and my Ragdoll has never shown any interest in trying to scale them. She isn't fussed about going outside at all and would happily be a complete house cat if it was necessary. My advice is if you are going to get a Ragdoll and you are going to let it outside then get a company to completely cat proof your garden.

Also, please be aware that Ragdolls are very loving generally & love company, they get very lonely if left on their own for long so if you're going to be out of the house for long periods each day you're best to have another animal - cat or dog - to keep them company.

[UptownFlunk]

By the way, the rescue centre worker was talking nonsense. Not all cats want to go outside & hunt, I also have a British Blue who has no interest in going out either!

[Bogburglar99]

You might want to look into a Siberian? I have one who is stupidly friendly, very good with the kids but is also happy and capable of going outside except when it's raining

[bodenbiscuit]

Our ragdoll also sleeps that way haha

[Dieu]

I had one many years ago. To be honest, he didn't have much in the personality department, but was a nice, inoffensive wee thing. I would definitely recommend not letting them out (they don't have much in the way of intelligence street smarts or survival instinct), as I thought he'd be fine in our very secure back garden, but he jumped the high fence and ran away . I would highly recommend getting either a shorthaired breed if you must get a pedigree (Claude used to get poo stuck to his backside, it was horrendous), or a moggy that can go outdoors.
It wasn't really for me, but that's not to say your experience won't be different. And sometimes it doesn't hurt to see the other side!

[VenusRising]

Gorgeous cats here!

Our short haired half Siamese/ Burmese ( tonkinese) also sleeps this way, and is also an idiot regarding outside threats; so she's a house cat.


They do need company, work from home if you can, or if you have to leave them for a few seconds leave a radio on for them, and try and rearrange your life to make them happy!

[LastInTheQueue]

Our ragdoll goes outside - mainly under supervision, but we have taught her to use the (microchip) catflap if she wants to go out on her own. She chooses not to. She still uses her litter tray in the house.
She was raised as an indoor cat and we have slowly taught her that it's ok to go out, but it's been very slow and, as I said, under supervision, as she's really not very streetwise. As an example, the wind scared her to the point that she refused to move, and after jumping the garden fence I found her completely and utterly lost just 10 feet away from it. She also seems to think every cat in the neighbourhood is a friend and doesn't always get that they don't all want to play...

We didn't get her because she was a ragdoll though - she needed rehoming and we were able to offer her a good home. Personally, I would always look for a cat needing a home, rather than a specific breed. She's loving and cuddly, but I think my common as muck moggie loves cuddles even more.

[LastInTheQueue]

oh, and here she is...

[SuperCee7]

Ragdoll cats haven't really been bred to be outdoor cats. All those qualities you seem to like about them are the same reasons they do not fair well outdoors. They are also much more prone to being stolen.
Cats are easily litter trained, you can get litter trays with lids on them and they're easy to clean and it's another part of being responsible for your pet that your children can learn.

[TaintedAngel]

I adore my ragdoll, but he is most definitely an indoor cat. We intended to have him as an indoor cat from the start, which is a bonus as he is a timid thing and wouldnt last in the great outdoors.

He loves people but is scared of children and hides when there are children in our house. And he casts furr like nobody's business. Wouldn't change him for the world though.

When we move to a more appropriate house, we are going to build an enclosure out the back garden so he can go outside safely.