Ragdoll cats are not like typical cats...

Lyannaa · 2025-02-10T07:56:05+00:00

I often think that they are like another, separate animal all of their own. Especially the boys. The girls, whilst still docile, are a bit more feisty and do hiss if they are put out by another cat. My boy cats can't physically hiss. One of them has never done it in the 8 years I've had him and the other one made an attempt at it, once and all that came out was this 'ehhhhhhh' sound [grin]

romdowa · 10/02/2025 08:06

I think all pure bred cats are very different to normal moggies. I've a cornish rex and I've never had a cat like it.

Toddlerteaplease · 10/02/2025 08:43

Same with Persians.

HoldingTheDoor · 10/02/2025 08:46

I’ve had a ragdoll. Personally I didn’t find him that different to other cats except that he never lay on my lap and was considerably dopier than your average cat.

Original poster

Lyannaa · 10/02/2025 08:52

Yes, I think ragdolls are a bit too big to be comfortable on a lap. One of our ragdolls will sit on your lap if there's a cushion on top first 😄

OP posts:

insomniaclife · 10/02/2025 08:59

Mine has the most pitifully tiny mieow I've ever heard. As for hissing ... I doubt it very much. And the biggest purr in the galaxy

PoorLion · 10/02/2025 09:18

We need a photo OP.

My female ragdoll, is a lapcat, loud and pisses on soft furnishing if she can.

Toddlerteaplease · 10/02/2025 09:20

Lyannaa · 10/02/2025 08:52

Yes, I think ragdolls are a bit too big to be comfortable on a lap. One of our ragdolls will sit on your lap if there's a cushion on top first 😄

My first Persian would only do that. Then we graduated to towels, then my knee.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 10/02/2025 09:51

I think that while some cat breeds undoubtedly do have behavioural traits, these traits also exist in a subset of the moggy community. I also suspect that some owners have an element of confirmation bias to fit the expected behaviour patterns of their pedigree cat.
My mogs have all been very different but Basil behaviourally is very like my childhood Burmese - very needy, talks to us all the time, follows us everywhere, and answers when you talk to him. One of my previous cats was quite ragdoll like in being a complete pudding who was so relaxed you could do anything with him (he also never hissed). Sybil only sits on a lap if you have a cushion or a blanket for her to sit on.
While traits like these seem to define some breeds, in the moggy landscape they all do exist, but you won't find out what you've got until the cat moves in.

ImagineRainbows · 15/02/2025 14:46

I think my Ragdoll’s are more like dogs at times. 2 of them play fetch, they never allow me to go the toilet in peace and they come running up to me when I get home from work for a fuss. Wouldn’t have anything else now even if my house is full of fluff. Photo of the most we’ve had in the house at once when we had 2 litters at the same time!

Ragdoll cats are not like typical cats...

Squidtentacles · 15/02/2025 15:01

I agree they are not like ordinary cats! I think often people don't understand why they are indoor cats (yes, I know some people do risk them going outside) because they don't get that they are different. We have 2. They are very different to each other too, one is very much more a Ragdoll in temperament than the other. They are half brothers (same father) but adopted by us at separate times. The only time one of them hissed was when they were introduced. The other one immediately went submissive and that was that. They bonded straight away!

Doyouthinktheyknow · 15/02/2025 21:38

They are different, my girl ragdoll is very dog like, she follows me everywhere and I can rarely go to the toilet alone.

She does go out but she doesn’t go beyond the garden. She sort of growls rather than hisses, it’s a low guttural sound only used when a cat enters her garden. She hates other cats! She is a proper ‘only’ cat.

We got her as a rescue aged 4 years, she’s an ex breeding queen which I am sure has contributed to her issues of which there are many. She definitely isn’t a lapcat but she is a ‘no personal space’ cat.

Original poster

Lyannaa · 16/02/2025 01:26

ImagineRainbows · 15/02/2025 14:46

I think my Ragdoll’s are more like dogs at times. 2 of them play fetch, they never allow me to go the toilet in peace and they come running up to me when I get home from work for a fuss. Wouldn’t have anything else now even if my house is full of fluff. Photo of the most we’ve had in the house at once when we had 2 litters at the same time!

Aww - so cute. Yes, one of ours plays fetch. His favourite thing to fetch is hair bobbles 😄 what I've noticed as well is that they jump all over any activity you're doing like wrapping a present or putting some furniture together.

OP posts:

sashh · 16/02/2025 07:59

Lyannaa · 16/02/2025 01:26

Aww - so cute. Yes, one of ours plays fetch. His favourite thing to fetch is hair bobbles 😄 what I've noticed as well is that they jump all over any activity you're doing like wrapping a present or putting some furniture together.

Show quote history

They are helping. You could not assemble furniture without their help.

rrrrrreatt · 16/02/2025 08:34

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 10/02/2025 09:51

I think that while some cat breeds undoubtedly do have behavioural traits, these traits also exist in a subset of the moggy community. I also suspect that some owners have an element of confirmation bias to fit the expected behaviour patterns of their pedigree cat.
My mogs have all been very different but Basil behaviourally is very like my childhood Burmese - very needy, talks to us all the time, follows us everywhere, and answers when you talk to him. One of my previous cats was quite ragdoll like in being a complete pudding who was so relaxed you could do anything with him (he also never hissed). Sybil only sits on a lap if you have a cushion or a blanket for her to sit on.
While traits like these seem to define some breeds, in the moggy landscape they all do exist, but you won't find out what you've got until the cat moves in.

Edited

We have rescues (generic long haired) and they show a lot of the traits being discussed here so I think it is a broader subset. They’re both very affectionate and adoring - a bit like a dog. They chat away to us and call out when they come back in, come to their names, follow us round the house, greet us when we get in, etc.

They’re my first cats so until I saw this thread I didn’t realise these traits were anything other than standard cat behaviour. They came to live with us when they were still under 1 after living in a box for months so it can’t be learnt behaviour on their part.

biscuitsandbooks · 16/02/2025 08:59

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 10/02/2025 09:51

I think that while some cat breeds undoubtedly do have behavioural traits, these traits also exist in a subset of the moggy community. I also suspect that some owners have an element of confirmation bias to fit the expected behaviour patterns of their pedigree cat.
My mogs have all been very different but Basil behaviourally is very like my childhood Burmese - very needy, talks to us all the time, follows us everywhere, and answers when you talk to him. One of my previous cats was quite ragdoll like in being a complete pudding who was so relaxed you could do anything with him (he also never hissed). Sybil only sits on a lap if you have a cushion or a blanket for her to sit on.
While traits like these seem to define some breeds, in the moggy landscape they all do exist, but you won't find out what you've got until the cat moves in.

Edited

Totally agree with this.

Original poster

Lyannaa · 16/02/2025 15:42

Well weren't the original ragdolls moggies anyway? They were bred in America by a lady who had a very unusually floppy cat after an accident I think.

OP posts:

ImagineRainbows · 16/02/2025 18:56

Lyannaa · 16/02/2025 15:42

Well weren't the original ragdolls moggies anyway? They were bred in America by a lady who had a very unusually floppy cat after an accident I think.

Technically most pedigree cats come from moggies that were selectively bred to create a breed.

The Ragdoll foundation cats are described as an Angora type cat, the one that had the accident, and a black moggie male. There is also records showing a Burmese type cat was introduced to the mating plan at one point and Ann Baker, the creator of the Ragdoll, was a Persian breeder so there will have been Persians mixed in also. Ann Baker was also a bit mad and made all sorts of impossible claims about the Ragdoll’s so there’s a lot not truthfully known about her breeding practices and what was introduced.

Riverswims · 16/02/2025 19:34

ImagineRainbows · 15/02/2025 14:46

I think my Ragdoll’s are more like dogs at times. 2 of them play fetch, they never allow me to go the toilet in peace and they come running up to me when I get home from work for a fuss. Wouldn’t have anything else now even if my house is full of fluff. Photo of the most we’ve had in the house at once when we had 2 litters at the same time!

oh my goodness 😻

thenewaveragebear1983 · 16/02/2025 19:40

I agree. They don’t seem to feel fear/natural caution like other cats. My ragdoll girl has never once bared her claws. My Labrador licks her from head to tail and she just lies down and lets her 🤷‍♀️

PlumpHobbit · 16/02/2025 21:06

I couldn't have anything else I absolutely adore the breed. We have mine and DHs BSH and I feel she's just got so much more personality. My parents have them as well

I worship the ground mine walks on and am completely and utterly besotted by her and obsessed with her i love her a ridiculous amount.

She has such a character, we can chat away. Mine is another who Will follow you to the loo and if in the mood will sit on your lap for a chat while you're on the loo! We also have "smooches" where she will come onto your lap if on the bed/sofa for a chat. However they are definitely not lap cats, she's usually there for 5-10 minutes, has her smooches, then moves on. They like to be WITH their people rather than ON them

She will have crazy time with her toys, tail going right up and over her back, and will sometimes bring you a toy, howling to tell you she's got something

She's got a real character- DH doesn't worship her as much as I do, and if he's told her off over something, she will then bide her time before doing something she knows annoys him - going behind the tv, lifting the corner of the rug and flapping it about. Once she was shut downstairs with him, trying to pull up the carpet, so he put a cushion to block her off. She then threw up on the cushion.

They definitely can't sense danger and should never be allowed out unaccompanied.

Mine definitely believes she is a princess who rules the house (and who could argue with something that looks that beautiful!)

I do sense she will be jealous when the baby arrives, she did hiss at DH BSH for the first few days but now gets along well with him, unless their bundling gets a bit too rough, then she will hiss. Nail trims depending on whether she's in the mood either she's perfect or each nail gets a rumbling growl. No lashing out just a clear sign that this isn't what she would like to be doing right now! Very petulant.

I would love more of them, there's just something very special about a ragdoll.

As an aside has anyone else noticed theirs are prone to obsessions, usually cyclical? They will be fixated with a couple of things for a bit, then change to something else, before randomly going back to the original obsession?! Both mine and my parents do it.

Runninghappy · 16/02/2025 21:34

I have two and I love them so much. Both come to the door to greet me every time I come home. My girl kitten is a lap cat and she sits on me even when I go to the loo. The boy 3 year old likes to be close, but not on you. Neither have ever hissed, never seen their claws. The kitten is the greediest thing ever and I think she’s going to be huge. She plays fetch with a mouse. The boy isn’t clever enough. They definitely shouldn’t be allowed out but thankfully neither try.

Teaandsympathy34 · 17/02/2025 09:28

I have one! She's nearly four years old and I've had her for about 4 months (ex breeding queen). I'm besotted too: She's so beautiful and has a lovely temperament. My DD (7) gets too excitable with her and picks her up like a Teddy, but she's still really gentle. Never hissed, growled, shown her claws. She just hides when she's has enough. I'm her favourite person. She'll seek me out and likes to sit near me while i'm pottering in the kitchen, ideally in a spot where she's just out of my view so that I nearly fall over her when I move.

We're going away for three days over half term, and I'm going to miss her. Wonder what she'll be like when we get back.

Here's a picture of her squeezing into a padded envelope.

Original poster

Lyannaa · 17/02/2025 11:52

Teaandsympathy34 · 17/02/2025 09:28

I have one! She's nearly four years old and I've had her for about 4 months (ex breeding queen). I'm besotted too: She's so beautiful and has a lovely temperament. My DD (7) gets too excitable with her and picks her up like a Teddy, but she's still really gentle. Never hissed, growled, shown her claws. She just hides when she's has enough. I'm her favourite person. She'll seek me out and likes to sit near me while i'm pottering in the kitchen, ideally in a spot where she's just out of my view so that I nearly fall over her when I move.

We're going away for three days over half term, and I'm going to miss her. Wonder what she'll be like when we get back.

Here's a picture of her squeezing into a padded envelope.

Oh she’s so cute! Did you get her from a ragdoll rescue?

OP posts:

Teaandsympathy34 · 17/02/2025 15:07

@Lyannaa The breeder rehomed her with me. I was extremely lucky that I was looking for a cat at the same time that it was coming up to her retirement. Even though I've only had her 4 months, I trust her that when she's play fighting with my hand, I know she won't use her claws or teeth. Wouldn't have done that with my previous moggies who I had from kittens.

Sunflowersinthewind · 17/02/2025 15:17

This is a long thread with barely any photos to show for itself