Owners of Ragdolls

[MinimalistMommi]

Please can you tell me the good and the bad things (if there are any) about owning a Ragdoll cat! I really want to make an informed decision!

Good things - well they are generally very affectionate, calm, ground dwelling cats. Mine love to shadow humans round the house. On the bad side, they really don't like the humans not to be around. Don't get one if you cant spend much time with them. They are also really not to be let outside, they are too trusting/not streetwise.

I have known people who have had a raggie who isnt a lap sitter, but they still like to be close. Their coat doesn't matt, just needs a brush now and again.

They can have genetic kidney and heart problems, so make sure the breeder tests for those, esp HCM.

They are also huge when fully grown, which is a plus in my book, but they are rather big cats.

If there is anything else you want to know?

Thank you for you reply!
Do they wake you up in the night to play? I really need un-disturbed sleep because of health issues.

My children have asked because they grow into big cats do they do very big poos and is the litter tray very smelly? (I said we need to clean it out a lot as I'd read Ragdolls need clean litter trays to want to use them)

I'm a stay home mum so I'll be able to give the Ragdoll lots of company everyday, although I'm very happy to do this & play lots, do they 'bother' you all day long for attention? Will I be able to take a bath in the day, or will it be scratching at the bathroom door to get in. I hope this comes across as right, I will love fussing a cat lots but I have everyday stuff I need to do as well

Does this breed climb curtains, particularly scratch at furniture a lot?
Sorry for all the questions but I really want to go into this with my eyes wide open and not just get a kitten on a whim IYKWIM as a kitten is for life and I want to be responsible. When I was young my family never owned a cat so I'm clueless.

You are welcome!

Yes, they do wake me up at night now and again, but less now they are not kittens anymore. They will scratch and yowl at the door to be let into the bedroom/toilet/bathroom if they are shut out. Im not sure if this is a particular ragdoll thing, I think other breeds get attached to their humans. My raggies would be put out if they didn't get to sleep in our beds, on pillows etc.

Furniture. Again, not a ragdoll thing, but a cat thing, my leather sofas are ruined, as are a couple of chairs. There are things you can do to deter them from sofas but to expect no scratches at all would be optimistic.

Poo...not particularly big, just cat sized...litter tray isnt smelly as long as you scoop as soon as they poo, and twice a day for wee. I change the litter twice a week, and honestly, it doesnt smell at all. A covered tray helps with this, I think. Any cat likes a nice clean tray. We only have had wee problems when we have had a sick cat to deal with, they are very good with their litter trays, but I don't think that's to say all raggies will be the same.

Playing alone, they do play with each other, but prefer to play with a human and will bother me to play. They really do get very attached to their humans. I would never get a single kitten, they work better in pairs.

I do ignore the cats when its not convenient, but thats not to say they dont take great exception to this.

Have you considered a less full on breed? A British shorthair, or a Russian blue perhaps? I used to have a very sweet Russian blue, and my sister in law has one. They are sweet, but not so full on as ragdolls.

Oh, climbing curtains - not so much, they are more ground level cats, and as long as you have a cat tree, they will play on that, not the curtains.

On the plus side, they are ever so chilled out, calm, cuddly cats, and will follow their chosen person around all day..and they are beautiful! Oh do beware, their colors do change as they grow up, they start off white, and develop over 3 or so years. Most dramatically one of mine went from very pale chocolate to full on dark brown seal between 1 and 2 years of age.

I just remembered..shedding! There will be white hairs on more or less everything you wear, and you will need to buy loads of those sticky clothes rollers. A vacume good with pet hair is also a must! For some reason the hairs are always white even if the cat is mainly brown.

Are the Russian blues indoor cats? I'm specifically looking for an indoor cat as we live in a city centre.

My MIl has a pedigree long hair cat and there is hair everywhere!

It does sound like a Ragdoll is pretty full on, I want a cat I can really love and will follow me around but I would like a bit of peace occasionally too It doesn't sound like I could soak in the bath for an hour with the door shut...if the door was open I wonder if it would jump into the bath water....

www.russianblue.org.uk/intro.html According to the russian blue website, they are fine indoors.

I think any cat can be an indoor cat, as long as you have things for them to do and climb on. A cat tree is really essential if they aren't going to go outside, as is a good scratcher.

All cat shed, and all cats scratch and occasionally miaow and demand attention. All poo smells, you just have to flush it quickly and keep the litter box clean.

My cats will wait for me just outside the shower, in the bathroom, follow me to the toilet and demand to come in, cry if they get stuck outside the bedroom and want into a bed. Don't get me wrong, ragdolls are lovely, very very sweet natured, and affectionate, and they are not all the same. You might well get one that likes to be near you, but not on you, and doesnt cry if it is lonely. I love cats and much prefer them to dogs, but dogs are more trainable.

CatKitson it's seems like such a tough decision for me! I'm having a hard deciding as I'm nervous about owning a cat bc my family never had cats growing up. I know I sound silly by the way.

Minimalist, you will manage just fine if you do decide to get a cat. Really, they are not hard to take care of, and my cats give back far more than the time and money it costs to keep them. That said, if you are going to be upset by scratching furniture, walking on surfaces, cleaning up poo, miaowing at night now and again, and hair being shed, perhaps it is not a good idea.

I adore my cats, they are part of the family and the children love them too. They are funny, sweet little creatures. I didn't grow up with cats either, but couldn't imagine not having them. If you arent sure, then perhaps leave it a while, or consider a different type of pet?