# Ragdoll breed questions



## Vorguen

Hello, I have wanted a lap cat my whole life.. while i have had affectionate cats i havent had one yet who will just being in your lap for a long time

i heard ragdolls are this way, and i am very interested in one

for the sake of curiosity, since i am short on money... how much do they usually cost?

are ragdolls cats with generally good health? Do they have any typical problems? (Behavioral, health, or otherwise)


Anything to know about them the better.. thanks!


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## catloverami

Generally speaking, most_ longhair_ cats will not stay in your lap very long. They just get too warm and then move away. A shorthair is more likely to be a lap cat, but it really depends on its temperament as well. If you really want a purebred lap cat that likes to get in your lap every chance it has, get a Devon Rex or a Sphynx. The hairless Sphynx may need a weekly bath tho to reduce oil on its skin.

Breed: Devon Rex

Breed: Sphynx


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## doodlebug

Even if a breed is known for being lapcats, there's no guarantee that the kitten you choose will be a lapcat. Your best bet is to go to a shelter and spend some time with the cats to find one who likes to sit in your lap. If you really want a purebred, consider adopting a retired adult who's personality is already formed.

Regarding your comment about being short on money...Cats don't come with any sort of warranty, even young ones. You need to be able to afford the initial costs...adoption or purchase fee, litter box, scratching post/cat tree, bowls, toys etc. Kittens will need additional booster shots, deworming, possible spay or neuter. And then there's need for an emergency fund....I spent several hundred dollars on both Kobi and Holly within the first month I had them. First Kobi had a URI that had us at the e-vet, then a UTI. Holly had diarrhea issues and then a sprained tail. So plan your finances before taking on more responsibility.


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## Mimosa

Two of my four longhairs love to be nice and toasty on my lap 
No two cats are the same and there is never a guarantee a cat of a certain breed will have the exact temperament or the exact character trait you liked so much from the breed's decription.

There are several inherited health problems I am aware of in the Ragdoll breed; HCM (heart disease), PKD (kidney diease) and CIN (kidney disease)

Personally I would not buy a Ragdoll from a breeder that does not screen her Ragdolls for HCM by ultrasound before every litter (males yearly), I have seen too many Ragdoll owners coming to the online messageboards with stories about their cats dropping dead to HCM at a young age and too many breeders claiming their cats are healthy without any test results to back them up (those people must have ultrasonic vision themselves).
There are also labs offering DNA testing for HCM but that does not seem to reliable as of yet.

PKD can be tested reliably by DNA so that only has to be done once.

Most Ragdoll breeders I know also get blood drawn and the kidneys examined for indications of CIN when the HCM ultrasound is done.


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## Dave_ph

Note the Raggie in my icon on the left. I'm an obvious Ragdoll expert. You should not question anything I say. 

A Raggie has a good chane of being a lap cat. They love people. Fay was a lap cat before her jealous step-sister the colorpoint decided to train her to be nervous near me. That and she got BIG. Way to big to be comfy on my lap but she does like being held and will mountaineer her pudgy little body up my front to be held while she hands onto my shoulder with her front paws and purrs and nuzzles in my ear. There's a limit to how long I can comfortably cradle a 15 pound cat there. Back when she was only 7 pound she liked to perch on people shoulders.

Raggies get big. A female runs from about 12 - 15 pounds when they reach full size at about 4 years. Males are even larger. They need a jumbo sized litter pan.

A 'pet quality' Raggie from a breeder is about $600 but you can get them on the adoption circuit or you might get a retired breeder cheaper. I adopted mine from a failed breeder. I got a pure bred Siamese Colorpoint from my vet when she was confiscated from a breeder. People pass on and leave their Raggies behind. Give one of those a good home.

My Raggie does not go limp when you pick her up. She does do the floppy cat on the floor trick though. 

Cats 101 Animal Planet ragdolls. 

Cats 101: Ragdoll : Video : Animal Planet


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## Susan

When I decided to adopt, I too wanted a lap cat and decided to adopt a Ragdoll since I had read they loved to sit on laps. That's how I ended up with Muffs, a purebred Ragdoll. Muffs HATES to sit on laps. She absolutely refuses to go anywhere near my lap. She also hates to be picked up. I asked my vet about her at first, because I thought I was doing something wrong. He said he had about a half dozen Ragdoll patients and not one of them liked to sit on laps. That said, I have no regrets in adopting Muffs, because I absolutely adore her. 

Anyway, don't simply assume that a Ragdoll will be a lap cat...they may and they may not. 

My other cat, Abby, is a Ragoll/Persian mix. She likes to sit on laps.

As for other characteristics...Muffs is extremely gentle, very quiet (meows about once every two months), follows me from room to room, is very well behaved, and doesn't like to jump (so she doesn't end up on counters very often). 

Regarding price...I paid $800 for Muffs, although she was already spayed and microchipped, which saved me a fair bit in vet costs (spaying is very expensive in Canada). You can often find Ragdoll mixes in shelters. As I said above, Abby is a Ragdoll mix and she's a cuddlebug!


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## Vorguen

Ah I see. Well I already have the stuff for cats (Cat houses, scratching posts, litter boxes, etc) and I'm not interested in having another cat right now because we CAN'T afford it but since my wife and I love Ragdolls we're considering saving up for one.

That was it


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## Pawsitively Nicole

There are some very smart individuals here who know their breed 

I do want to say though that I don't think bringing another cat into your home at this time would be wise. The money you would spend getting a ragdoll could get your 8 month old female fixed and medically checked and whatnot. Also she seems to be having stress issues so bringing another cat in will not help that.

Edit: Lol, I am having the worse luck with your threads. We commented at the same time


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## Gloworm

Agreeing that no two cats are alike, even of the same breed. I have two kittens from the same breeder (though they are not related) They are exotic shorthairs, with an exotic mother and persian father.

Both will happily sit on laps, however, Mushroom (blue) will constantly be on my lap. he will wander over and force himself into my lap and is a total lovebug. My other kitten Gloworm likes attention but very much on his own terms and is nowhere near as fussy.

As Susan has said, not all Ragdolls have the 'floppy, belly rub loving, lap cat' personality people seem to desire them for, and I know many people who have went to visit ragdolls and seem to be surprised when they actually MOVE of their own accord


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## Vorguen

Haha I agree. For those worried.. don't be! I don't plan on having a Ragdoll for several years now. We are only getting cats as we are financially ready for them


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## Abbie

Ohh, just to add- I have two Ragdolls. Evie is the cuddliest little love bug and would live on my lap if possible. Infact... She sits on my lap when I'm on the loo! She's very much the Ragdoll breed, she matches the temperament exactly. Mitzi, however, is not a lap cat. This may be because she's a 14lb cat so it's just not comfy, however I think it's more to do with her Diva attitude! She loves a cuddle, but on her terms- first thing in the morning and last thing at night are guaranteed belly tickle times. If she's feeling like a snuzzle, she'll flop down next to me on the sofa and lay her head on me- but she won't sit on my lap (this may be because there is a resident Evie there!)

I can say Ragdoll's are the loveliest cats. But then all cats are. My moggy, Tammy, is just as lovely and she'll sit on laps too. 

I got my girls at 1 and 2 year old- so they weren't as pricey as kittens. Evie cost her original owner as a kitten £600, Mitzi cost £400 as a kitten.


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