Ragdoll cat---tell me about them

I'm having the joy of integrating a "new" cat into my two cat household. It's been a bit of a circus at times, lots of laughs as they learn to interact. She's not really a "new" cat but lived next door and came around to visit when her slave came to visit me. She's a very sweet (to humans) and affectionate cat. She's a big long-haired calico who has spent her entire life as the cat of a little old man. When she wants attention, it should be NOW. She's very verbal but I'm still trying to sort out the needs from the wants.

I've just found out that she shares many of the characteristics of the Ragdoll breed. Not physical characteristics but the traits of going limp when picked up, tolerating handling well, walking at heel like a dog, not aggressive toward other pets.

Anyone here have experience with them?

One of the stranger things I've noticed is that she drools when she is groomed. Is that typical of the breed? She loves the grooming, actually expects it. Her former slave did it for her at least once a day. The directions I was given were as follows: Put her brush on the bathroom cabinet and when she wants you to use it she'll knock it to the floor. She's a clever cat. Only took her a couple of days to settle in and realize that I knew the rules.

Yes, we have had a few rag dolls... going limp is a trait of the breed. So is treachery.

They feed on the souls of the young, so... no... not kid friendly. Adults only experience chronic fatigue, so no one connects the dots.

I have connected the dots. NEVER speak Latin phrases around a rag doll...

EVER

(Other than that, they are pretty OK cats...)

a reply to: madmac5150

What about getting them wet?

And feeding them after midnight?

Do those things matter?

originally posted by: incoserv
a reply to: madmac5150

What about getting them wet?

And feeding them after midnight?

Do those things matter?

Nope. But, no conversational Latin... some portals can never be closed...

a reply to: incoserv

Getting them wet? Mine doesn't mind getting wet at all. She goes out in the rain to do her business when my other two look at each other and say, "Not enough sense to get in out of the rain."

I was also told that she might need a bath about once a month in the summer. It's just a guess but I think those baths she endured were due to the little old man's phobia of flea infestations.

a reply to: madmac5150

This one is great with kids. Every one of the little old man's great-grandkids have wagged her around the house and yard. The girls dress her in doll clothes and push her about the yard in a baby stroller.

I tend to think that she's a reincarnation of my first cat. She followed me like a dog, rode in a wagon, sometimes beside my pet chicken and allowed herself to be dressed in doll clothes.

I do get the treachery though. She is a shameless food thief. Gone are the days when I can leave a bit of food on the table for a late night snack.

originally posted by: diggindirt
a reply to: madmac5150

This one is great with kids. Every one of the little old man's great-grandkids have wagged her around the house and yard. The girls dress her in doll clothes and push her about the yard in a baby stroller.

I tend to think that she's a reincarnation of my first cat. She followed me like a dog, rode in a wagon, sometimes beside my pet chicken and allowed herself to be dressed in doll clothes.

I do get the treachery though. She is a shameless food thief. Gone are the days when I can leave a bit of food on the table for a late night snack.

I was being facetious... mostly...

They are very sweet cats. We have had several, and they are quite wonderful.

NO LATIN PHRASES. EVER.

Awesome cats...

My mom had one that was adopted from a shelter. Beautiful cat but didn't like other cats and had a miserable existence in a multi-cat household. So I took her in once I purchased my own house. She seemed to be very needy for companionship and would meow incessantly (like she was scolding me) when I came home from work. So I adopted a 9 month old cat to be her friend. AT first it worked out because the new friend was younger than the ragdoll, and obviously trying to charm the ragdoll into liking her. But eventually ragdoll became jealous of friend and when I would hold & pet friend, ragdoll would poop on the floor right in front of me. So ragdoll went to live out the remainder of her life at my grandma's where she was an only cat in the apartment of an elderly lady who was house-bound. One creepy thing about the ragdoll is her "meow" sounded like the cry of a human baby.


Sal

a reply to: diggindirt

a reply to: diggindirt

We got lucky enough to inherit one, and now we're sold enough that we're likely going to actually buy one.

Teddy Bear was a wonderful animal. He was so quiet and gentle most of the time and he just sort of owned every space he walked into ... never met a stranger sort of guy ... not even the vet on the day we took him in with a brain tumor that was ultimately what took him from us.

It took him about two days to settle into our house with our two ladies. I've never had an adult cat settle into a home with two already established adult cats so quickly or easily. There was literally only one or two growls and quiet hiss, and that was it. Three days later, he was playing with our eldest cat at the time (yes, playing - I have enough experience to know the difference).

He was always where we were, and hated to be shut out. Closed doors were offensive, as they are to all cats, but more so if the whole family was on the other side.

One of his previous owners had declawed him on all four, so he really loved to be brushed and groomed and scratched about the ears where he couldn't do himself anymore. He wasn't a drooler, but I know of cats who do, so that's not unusual. They're just really, really relaxed.

Ragdolls are awesome family cats.

a reply to: ketsuko

I'm glad for all the good reviews they're getting. She certainly seems to be a pretty laid-back cat concerning humans but not so tolerant of other beasts. She's said some pretty nasty sounding stuff to the residents, especially the male, but they pretty much just mutter back at her or ignore her. But even that behavior is minimal now. She seems to be feeling safer but still doesn't sleep anywhere near the floor, only on an elevated surface.

Similarly to what you describe, she does seem to want to be with her person when she's indoors. But because she was raised by an elderly couple she was trained not to twine around ankles whilst relating her tale of hunger woes. So she sits patiently beside her bowl and recounts my shortcoming as her slave. I promise to try to do better as I continue my kitchen chores.

I'm rather pleased because this is the easiest integration I've ever had with a full grown cat. I suppose it is because she's lived next door and they've interacted often.

Her little old man came to visit her recently. She hadn't seen him since his abrupt departure for parts unknown (in her mind) about a month ago. When I heard them arrive I plucked her up from her perch and went to greet them. She was on my shoulder like a baby and when she heard his voice, just like a baby she turned and reached out for him. It was a precious moment.