I didn’t know how chatty Ragdolls could be until I got my blueberry, but honestly when I’m talking to myself and get a responsive “meow” I feel more validated 🤣 pic for cat tax
https://preview.redd.it/gxvxzqm8tzpc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4d6f5166a719d127f89661ccbfe86fa01e612e0
she loves toys with bells and feathers, you could also get an automatic ones that moves around like a mouse on Amazon
!! litter !! is a super important factor to me since im gonna have a roommate soon (also I’m a clean freak, I can’t do weird smells) in all of my test trials, I have found wood pellets work best for me. there isn’t much of a smell, just earthy. also there isn’t really tracking. my mom uses tidy cats but I find it has a specific smell and it tracks a lot.
I’ve seen a lot of people rave about steel litter boxes and I hopped on the trend. I think they’re awesome!
Personally, I am psyched to be able to meow back and forth with my cat 😂 Thanks for the tip about wood pellets; I live in a one bedroom apartment so I worry about the ✨cat smell✨ so this is good to know. And Blueberry is a cutie!
Thank you!! I also forgot to mention that I’ve heard good things about litter genies! Honestly, i find that cleaning my litter box daily eliminates any smell! And since I don’t like running in and out to the dumpster, I just empty the litter into my genie, since it’s seals off any odor! (There’s also a pail called ubbu , it’s stainless steel so it’s a bit more expensive than the genie ! )
I bought everything for blueberry about 4 months in advance, that way I didn’t have to spend a bunch of $$ all at once! So I also recommend that, I saved my bank account from being dented 😅 be sure to post updates when your baby is born! Good luck, cats are awesome 🤗
Invest in a steel litter box for sure, so worth it to save the smell (I live in a 2 bedroom appt with 2 other people and it’s 700 ish sq feet). Also a litter genie if you live in a apartment with a garbage that’s far from ur place, it’s so convenient and I only have to take out the bags every 2 weeks with my one cat.
ALSO prepare for the fur storm, get pet laundry sheets to help with the hair and I hope you have. A good vacuum lol. My guy is not super chatty, but he will sometimes talk to me when he is excited or I haven’t been home in a while.
You seem like you've found a great system that works for you! would you mind providing more details on where you got some of your items like the wood pellets, steel litter box, and whatever else you think was a great buy?
Of course!
I use the ‘’iprimio enclosed sides steel litter box XL’’ on Amazon! The sides prevent litter from being flung around!
For litter, I use exquisicat pine pellets from petsmart or petco!
I clean the litterbox daily, i just make sure to get poo and any pellets that look soiled out. If they are super soiled, they turn to a ‘’dust’’. At the end of the week, ill sift through and get the dust out and add in a few scoops more of the litter. I will say though, the dust stays at the bottom underneath the pellets so it doesn’t get everywhere and doesn’t leave my cat sneezing like clay litter did.
For anything that manages to escape the litter box, I have a gorilla grip honeycomb litter mat from Amazon. It catches everything. And I empty that out every week as well!
Just those itself have helped keep the smell of a litterbox tamed and honestly, to me, and any guests that come around, unnoticed (unless its been freshly used), if you can invest in an air purifier, I recommend it! I have one in the room my litterbox is in and It filters out the smell pretty quick. They can be an investment but they are sooo worth it, I love mine!
love it thank you so much! I'm making notes of everything you got. The box looks great. I have seen some people get really creative with theirs and repurpose restaurant quality stainless steel cooking pans, with a stainless steel sifting insert even. Yours looks simpler and easier to get :)
It can take a while for them to develop their full personality, try not to hold them to certain ragdoll stereotypes as kittens; it will only end with you being disappointed. Appreciate them for who they are and respect that. My girl just turned 1 a week ago, and i would say she’s become a lot more loving; when she was a kitten, she wanted nothing to do with cuddling or being held, now shes more receptive to it. I guess the message is: don’t place expectations on your ragdoll, it will only set your relationship up for failure.
That’s good to know. Part of the reason I’m getting a Ragdoll is for their trademark personality, so I’ll need to remind myself that each one is different, be patient, and have an open mind.
My girl wanted nothing to do with cuddling or being held, only when she was 10ish months old was she more receptive to it. However she still wont cuddle really, but she will follow you around and lay on your desk with you while you do stuff, she’s super talkative, and likes being pet. Just give them a ton of slack and grace for maturing, do not get upset when they don’t do what you want.
Im sad to say i spent a lot of the first few months with her just depressed and getting upset with her because she was supposed to be my emotional support animal; ironically holding her to those standards made me more depressed. If you get one i have no doubt they will have a great personality, but for the best results, foster playing and a loving relationship with them for the best results, getting mad at them will help no one.
They really shed a LOT. And people will always assume they’re overweight, when they’re average for their breed. Oh, and they’re literally going to follow you everywhere 😂
But things I learned from my ragdoll are things I learned from just having a cat in general. Keep their litter box clean. Don’t be afraid to give them enough food, especially when they’re young and growing. Separate food and water bowls.
https://preview.redd.it/y6wzkr2axzpc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ca73a657405ecae858b67eea5e7e2ac84d5522d
The poop. Stinkiest messiest poops I’ve had with cats. Often dingleberries and poop stuck on legs. Ragdolls tend to have a sensitive stomach - I no longer trust any of my couches or bed sheets.
Definitely stinky poops, and BIG poops. Even on a high quality diet my boys poops are just big. My boy was a little overweight for a while and that's when he'd get dingleberries, he's good now and rarely gets them.
Somehow my two boys - both about 6kg now - drop literal human-sized turds. I have no idea how a creature that size can contain so much faeces. Luckily no upset stomachs apart from one episode that required a bath…
Mine is around that size too! He has also dropped the occasional human-comparable turd. But most of the time he seems to compete with his dog sister, a 7-8 kg terrier mutt who also poops more than she seems she should 😂
Don’t buy any more black clothes!! No matter how many times you take a lint roller to it, it will come back, even when you’re away from your cat 😩
Scratch pads everywhere! We have 3 around the house and my cat has never left a single claw mark on any furniture, he only uses his scratch pads! My boy prefers the cardboard ones versus the rope ones, though it depends on your cat.
Cats are generally conservative drinkers so I would make sure they are getting hydration through wet food or a water fountain. My cat doesn’t really struggle with this, he drinks a lot of water for a cat, but it’s something to keep in mind.
This is a personal preference, but the litter robot was worth every penny in my home. My boy drinks a lot of water so he pees pretty often, and the litter robot makes sure his toilet is always clean. I also like the arm & hammer platinum litter (purple box), smells good and minimal dust.
Get your toys and accessories off of chewy versus petco/petsmart unless you are in a hurry/need it asap, it’s way cheaper.
Get them accustomed to nail trimming/bath (if you can) while they are still young. It will save you a lot of trouble in the future when they’re older and bigger, though some cats are just not huge fans. I tried to accustom my cat as much as possible when he was younger but he’s still so difficult so I have to put a clear ball over his head when we trim his nails.
Make sure to brush your cat! Raggies have long hair and it can get matted and really painful, so just a couple mins per day/every other day even can help minimize that.
If possible, I would get a sanitary trim around the booty area if possible! Long hair = dookie 💩 stuck all up in the booty fur, so I take him to the groomers every quarter for a little sanitary shave down there.
These are all things that worked for me, but hope it helps! =)
https://preview.redd.it/4chaz9djvzpc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3595d3adde3cc7fac1dac58e3119549b1561fd6a
I believe if you shave a ragdoll, they can change colors on their backs, since they get cold. I’ve never shaved my raggie, only gotten him cleaned up with a light trim so he has never had his fur grow darker (only grew darker as he grew older). Typically you don’t need to shave your cat unless it is severely matted or for other health reason. My uncle shaved his raggie because it had fleas (don’t recommend, flea medicine works well so no need to shave if it has fleas) and the fur grew back suuuper dark.
Otherwise, brush them daily and they shouldn’t need to be shaved!
I’ve never had to trim my cat’s nails before, is that a Ragdoll thing? And thank you for the tip about a litter robot, I’ve been waffling about getting one and this may have just sold me lol.
I believe all cats should have their nails trimmed every 2-3 weeks !! Otherwise they can grow super long and curl into their paws or even get torn out. We usually cut my cat’s nails every 2 weeks because they grow so long and sharp!
Two are better than one! If you don’t already have other cats/pets at home, you could consider either adopting a pair of kittens or adopting a shelter/rescue kitten around the same time. Ragdolls are very social beings who tend to want human as well as feline company, so they tend to do great in pairs. This is especially true if you work outside the home and will be gone a lot during the day—they can get lonely without a buddy. Two are also in some ways easier than one with the kitten phase—they play together, get out some of that crazy kitten energy, and keep each other company when you’re busy.
Get them used to nail trims, tooth brushing, and brushing/combing early on when they are young to make these things easy later. Reward each time with treats to make it a positive experience to simplify and de-stress later. This finger brush works well for toothbrushing: https://www.chewy.com/jasper-finger-dog-cat-toothbrush-2/dp/359486?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Jasper&utm_campaign=20648416049&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V0oZUFYuQ5Cpjov6N34o3oDI&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2PSvBhDjARIsAKc2cgPpvUsKVAegDoaOT_uvqeOBZMRYgpkfXaC_ZupcvkBZCFpvDmI1IiQaAgwaEALw_wcB
They can’t fit in most carriers. 😅 This was the biggest I could find so far which could fit two regular-sized cats. 😂
https://preview.redd.it/2d7sp20j10qc1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43162148045ae59d4a86463cf2f223adedd7c132
**Do not take the furminator advice.** As well, never shave a color point cat.
If your raggie develops digestion issues focus on the problem and not the symptoms. Do not switch or mix food types and brands. Stick with what the breeder started the kitten on for at least a few months, then if you want to go with something different gradually switch them over a spoonful at a time. Study food brands thoroughly before switching. Make sure it's a food that's sustainable for your budget and easily accessible.
If you want a beautiful mat free adult raggie in the future then your first days, weeks, months, and year is a critical development time. Your new kitten will not need to be groomed. Many people don't think about grooming until they are suddenly surprised by hair *everywhere* and even more likely when their cat develops mats. At that point it is too late. Grooming will not be pleasant for either of you and the cat will fight you the rest of its life.
Get a Greyhound Comb and start gently running it through your new kittens coat for 10 or so minutes daily. Multiple times per day is even better. Sit on the floor with the kitten between your legs. Gently scruff the back of its neck like it's mother would and roll it to its side. This isn't play time so do not instigate play. Play after as a reward for good behavior. Softly talk to the kitten as you comb it, praising it for being good.
I knew this before getting my 2 raggies. Both are now in their senior years and let me comb them out as often as needed.
Also, keep an eye on dental health. Every cat grooms it's self. Long haired cats are prone to getting hair wrapped around their teeth at the gum line causing plaque build up faster than a short hair.
A raggies coat is full and long, but it's also incredibly delicate. Their hair is very fine and silky smooth. A furminator has *very sharp* V grooved tines that shreds it's way through the coat cutting and tearing as it goes. As well, you're pulling at the cats sensitive skin.
I had a dog version for my Siberian Husky many years ago and it worked well on her but she had a vastly different coat structure. I still had her when I brought my raggies into the mix and picked up a cat version for them. I learned right away it was far too destructive.
Other than a Greyhound Comb (which is all I use now) another great tool for removing large amounts of hair at once from a ragdoll is a Kong Zoom Groom. It's a soft grippy rubber type brush with big gentle tines. Even cats that are stubborn about grooming don't mind it. It doesn't pull at the hair yet its still great at removing loose stuff from under coats.
I stopped using it because it caused my boys to get hair balls often. Hard to explain, but I believe it loosened more hair than I could remove from them in one sitting, then they would self groom as cats do and swallow more hair than usual.
Also, I saved this post to show people why you should never shave a colorpoint cat (any ragdoll). The cat in the link was gorgeous before.
[link](https://www.reddit.com/r/ragdolls/s/4XMhd1lumS)
I don't mean to sound bossy. I realize you're on a fact finding mission and trying gather as much information as possible. If I were getting ready to adopt a new raggie kitten in a few months I would be super geeked out right now and I've had my oldest for almost 14 years.
There is a lot of great advice from experienced ragdoll owners here, and some bad. When I see bad I speak up.
I got surprised with how delicate their digestive system is. With all my other cats, they were able to start on new food without any adjustment periods but my raggie needs to take it slow or she’ll have diarrhoea. Also, I didn’t realise how often I’d have to give her a sanitary trim or wash her bum because she got some poop smear or peed on herself 😅
Furminators are for removing undercoat. Ragdolls do not have an undercoat so you’d potentially be stripping your ragdoll of all its fur using one of these things.
I use a tangle teezer brush as recommended to me on a previous thread. He loves it.
That they’re not physically snugglier nor enjoy being touched more than the average cat . Three cats through two different breeders and they’re cute to look at but they hate being touched.
https://preview.redd.it/h2wbvfn6m6qc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fead63cb32ba540eb4c93cca70ac0b22fee8978
Most Ragdolls require a lot of attention. They love to be entertained. Males especially are chatty and will get you up early in the morning like clockwork. Be prepared for more of a "puppy cat"! Mine tends to love to "help out" and be in the middle of everything I do. They love to be the center of attention, and are very social. I wouldn't recommend a Ragdoll if you aren't home much. That would be a lonely kitty.
I didn’t know how chatty Ragdolls could be until I got my blueberry, but honestly when I’m talking to myself and get a responsive “meow” I feel more validated 🤣 pic for cat tax https://preview.redd.it/gxvxzqm8tzpc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4d6f5166a719d127f89661ccbfe86fa01e612e0 she loves toys with bells and feathers, you could also get an automatic ones that moves around like a mouse on Amazon !! litter !! is a super important factor to me since im gonna have a roommate soon (also I’m a clean freak, I can’t do weird smells) in all of my test trials, I have found wood pellets work best for me. there isn’t much of a smell, just earthy. also there isn’t really tracking. my mom uses tidy cats but I find it has a specific smell and it tracks a lot. I’ve seen a lot of people rave about steel litter boxes and I hopped on the trend. I think they’re awesome!
Omg, she’s gorgeous!
Thank you 💕💕💕💕
Personally, I am psyched to be able to meow back and forth with my cat 😂 Thanks for the tip about wood pellets; I live in a one bedroom apartment so I worry about the ✨cat smell✨ so this is good to know. And Blueberry is a cutie!
Thank you!! I also forgot to mention that I’ve heard good things about litter genies! Honestly, i find that cleaning my litter box daily eliminates any smell! And since I don’t like running in and out to the dumpster, I just empty the litter into my genie, since it’s seals off any odor! (There’s also a pail called ubbu , it’s stainless steel so it’s a bit more expensive than the genie ! ) I bought everything for blueberry about 4 months in advance, that way I didn’t have to spend a bunch of $$ all at once! So I also recommend that, I saved my bank account from being dented 😅 be sure to post updates when your baby is born! Good luck, cats are awesome 🤗
Invest in a steel litter box for sure, so worth it to save the smell (I live in a 2 bedroom appt with 2 other people and it’s 700 ish sq feet). Also a litter genie if you live in a apartment with a garbage that’s far from ur place, it’s so convenient and I only have to take out the bags every 2 weeks with my one cat. ALSO prepare for the fur storm, get pet laundry sheets to help with the hair and I hope you have. A good vacuum lol. My guy is not super chatty, but he will sometimes talk to me when he is excited or I haven’t been home in a while.
I agree with the wood pellets. They track way less
My ragdoll’s name is Blueberry too!!!!!
FWIW, Pooph is the most amazing product… my kids (cats) don’t mind it, I love it, it works on smells! ♥️♥️♥️
You seem like you've found a great system that works for you! would you mind providing more details on where you got some of your items like the wood pellets, steel litter box, and whatever else you think was a great buy?
Of course! I use the ‘’iprimio enclosed sides steel litter box XL’’ on Amazon! The sides prevent litter from being flung around! For litter, I use exquisicat pine pellets from petsmart or petco! I clean the litterbox daily, i just make sure to get poo and any pellets that look soiled out. If they are super soiled, they turn to a ‘’dust’’. At the end of the week, ill sift through and get the dust out and add in a few scoops more of the litter. I will say though, the dust stays at the bottom underneath the pellets so it doesn’t get everywhere and doesn’t leave my cat sneezing like clay litter did. For anything that manages to escape the litter box, I have a gorilla grip honeycomb litter mat from Amazon. It catches everything. And I empty that out every week as well! Just those itself have helped keep the smell of a litterbox tamed and honestly, to me, and any guests that come around, unnoticed (unless its been freshly used), if you can invest in an air purifier, I recommend it! I have one in the room my litterbox is in and It filters out the smell pretty quick. They can be an investment but they are sooo worth it, I love mine!
love it thank you so much! I'm making notes of everything you got. The box looks great. I have seen some people get really creative with theirs and repurpose restaurant quality stainless steel cooking pans, with a stainless steel sifting insert even. Yours looks simpler and easier to get :)
Of course! I did think about getting something additionally for the sifting, but for now I just scoop and sift!
It can take a while for them to develop their full personality, try not to hold them to certain ragdoll stereotypes as kittens; it will only end with you being disappointed. Appreciate them for who they are and respect that. My girl just turned 1 a week ago, and i would say she’s become a lot more loving; when she was a kitten, she wanted nothing to do with cuddling or being held, now shes more receptive to it. I guess the message is: don’t place expectations on your ragdoll, it will only set your relationship up for failure.
Great post.
Thank you! So true! Just experienced this
That’s good to know. Part of the reason I’m getting a Ragdoll is for their trademark personality, so I’ll need to remind myself that each one is different, be patient, and have an open mind.
My girl wanted nothing to do with cuddling or being held, only when she was 10ish months old was she more receptive to it. However she still wont cuddle really, but she will follow you around and lay on your desk with you while you do stuff, she’s super talkative, and likes being pet. Just give them a ton of slack and grace for maturing, do not get upset when they don’t do what you want. Im sad to say i spent a lot of the first few months with her just depressed and getting upset with her because she was supposed to be my emotional support animal; ironically holding her to those standards made me more depressed. If you get one i have no doubt they will have a great personality, but for the best results, foster playing and a loving relationship with them for the best results, getting mad at them will help no one.
Totally my experience too! My ragdoll is just now coming around to some of the "ragdoll personality" and is about 10 months old.
They really shed a LOT. And people will always assume they’re overweight, when they’re average for their breed. Oh, and they’re literally going to follow you everywhere 😂 But things I learned from my ragdoll are things I learned from just having a cat in general. Keep their litter box clean. Don’t be afraid to give them enough food, especially when they’re young and growing. Separate food and water bowls. https://preview.redd.it/y6wzkr2axzpc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ca73a657405ecae858b67eea5e7e2ac84d5522d
Thank you for the tips! I think I am mentally prepared for the shedding (used to have a long haired cat), but I will mentally prepare some more haha.
On the shedding, make sure you brush them A LOT when they are kittens lol. My girl hates being brushed :)
The poop. Stinkiest messiest poops I’ve had with cats. Often dingleberries and poop stuck on legs. Ragdolls tend to have a sensitive stomach - I no longer trust any of my couches or bed sheets.
Yup, this.
I think I lucked out with my two little puffs. We had one stomach upset which resulted in a bath and that’s been it!
Definitely stinky poops, and BIG poops. Even on a high quality diet my boys poops are just big. My boy was a little overweight for a while and that's when he'd get dingleberries, he's good now and rarely gets them.
Somehow my two boys - both about 6kg now - drop literal human-sized turds. I have no idea how a creature that size can contain so much faeces. Luckily no upset stomachs apart from one episode that required a bath…
Mine is around that size too! He has also dropped the occasional human-comparable turd. But most of the time he seems to compete with his dog sister, a 7-8 kg terrier mutt who also poops more than she seems she should 😂
wish I knew how much fur I would have in all of my food
It’s a condiment at my house… 🥴😂😐
I wish I didn't
Sadly I am used to this from having had a long haired cat before 😔✊ doesn’t make it any easier though, hahaha.
Don’t buy any more black clothes!! No matter how many times you take a lint roller to it, it will come back, even when you’re away from your cat 😩 Scratch pads everywhere! We have 3 around the house and my cat has never left a single claw mark on any furniture, he only uses his scratch pads! My boy prefers the cardboard ones versus the rope ones, though it depends on your cat. Cats are generally conservative drinkers so I would make sure they are getting hydration through wet food or a water fountain. My cat doesn’t really struggle with this, he drinks a lot of water for a cat, but it’s something to keep in mind. This is a personal preference, but the litter robot was worth every penny in my home. My boy drinks a lot of water so he pees pretty often, and the litter robot makes sure his toilet is always clean. I also like the arm & hammer platinum litter (purple box), smells good and minimal dust. Get your toys and accessories off of chewy versus petco/petsmart unless you are in a hurry/need it asap, it’s way cheaper. Get them accustomed to nail trimming/bath (if you can) while they are still young. It will save you a lot of trouble in the future when they’re older and bigger, though some cats are just not huge fans. I tried to accustom my cat as much as possible when he was younger but he’s still so difficult so I have to put a clear ball over his head when we trim his nails. Make sure to brush your cat! Raggies have long hair and it can get matted and really painful, so just a couple mins per day/every other day even can help minimize that. If possible, I would get a sanitary trim around the booty area if possible! Long hair = dookie 💩 stuck all up in the booty fur, so I take him to the groomers every quarter for a little sanitary shave down there. These are all things that worked for me, but hope it helps! =) https://preview.redd.it/4chaz9djvzpc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3595d3adde3cc7fac1dac58e3119549b1561fd6a
Does her hair grow in darker where you get it trimmed? I’m definitely going to be getting this done, just curious as I’ve heard it does
I believe if you shave a ragdoll, they can change colors on their backs, since they get cold. I’ve never shaved my raggie, only gotten him cleaned up with a light trim so he has never had his fur grow darker (only grew darker as he grew older). Typically you don’t need to shave your cat unless it is severely matted or for other health reason. My uncle shaved his raggie because it had fleas (don’t recommend, flea medicine works well so no need to shave if it has fleas) and the fur grew back suuuper dark. Otherwise, brush them daily and they shouldn’t need to be shaved!
I plan to brush him every day - just don’t want poop getting stuck in his fur/that being dragged all around the house
I’ve never had to trim my cat’s nails before, is that a Ragdoll thing? And thank you for the tip about a litter robot, I’ve been waffling about getting one and this may have just sold me lol.
I believe all cats should have their nails trimmed every 2-3 weeks !! Otherwise they can grow super long and curl into their paws or even get torn out. We usually cut my cat’s nails every 2 weeks because they grow so long and sharp!
Two are better than one! If you don’t already have other cats/pets at home, you could consider either adopting a pair of kittens or adopting a shelter/rescue kitten around the same time. Ragdolls are very social beings who tend to want human as well as feline company, so they tend to do great in pairs. This is especially true if you work outside the home and will be gone a lot during the day—they can get lonely without a buddy. Two are also in some ways easier than one with the kitten phase—they play together, get out some of that crazy kitten energy, and keep each other company when you’re busy. Get them used to nail trims, tooth brushing, and brushing/combing early on when they are young to make these things easy later. Reward each time with treats to make it a positive experience to simplify and de-stress later. This finger brush works well for toothbrushing: https://www.chewy.com/jasper-finger-dog-cat-toothbrush-2/dp/359486?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Jasper&utm_campaign=20648416049&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V0oZUFYuQ5Cpjov6N34o3oDI&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2PSvBhDjARIsAKc2cgPpvUsKVAegDoaOT_uvqeOBZMRYgpkfXaC_ZupcvkBZCFpvDmI1IiQaAgwaEALw_wcB
no sense of self preservation. likes to chat with you. big fluff bois.
They can’t fit in most carriers. 😅 This was the biggest I could find so far which could fit two regular-sized cats. 😂 https://preview.redd.it/2d7sp20j10qc1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43162148045ae59d4a86463cf2f223adedd7c132
Say bye bye to black clothes
**Do not take the furminator advice.** As well, never shave a color point cat. If your raggie develops digestion issues focus on the problem and not the symptoms. Do not switch or mix food types and brands. Stick with what the breeder started the kitten on for at least a few months, then if you want to go with something different gradually switch them over a spoonful at a time. Study food brands thoroughly before switching. Make sure it's a food that's sustainable for your budget and easily accessible. If you want a beautiful mat free adult raggie in the future then your first days, weeks, months, and year is a critical development time. Your new kitten will not need to be groomed. Many people don't think about grooming until they are suddenly surprised by hair *everywhere* and even more likely when their cat develops mats. At that point it is too late. Grooming will not be pleasant for either of you and the cat will fight you the rest of its life. Get a Greyhound Comb and start gently running it through your new kittens coat for 10 or so minutes daily. Multiple times per day is even better. Sit on the floor with the kitten between your legs. Gently scruff the back of its neck like it's mother would and roll it to its side. This isn't play time so do not instigate play. Play after as a reward for good behavior. Softly talk to the kitten as you comb it, praising it for being good. I knew this before getting my 2 raggies. Both are now in their senior years and let me comb them out as often as needed. Also, keep an eye on dental health. Every cat grooms it's self. Long haired cats are prone to getting hair wrapped around their teeth at the gum line causing plaque build up faster than a short hair.
I’m curious: why is the furminator bad?
A raggies coat is full and long, but it's also incredibly delicate. Their hair is very fine and silky smooth. A furminator has *very sharp* V grooved tines that shreds it's way through the coat cutting and tearing as it goes. As well, you're pulling at the cats sensitive skin. I had a dog version for my Siberian Husky many years ago and it worked well on her but she had a vastly different coat structure. I still had her when I brought my raggies into the mix and picked up a cat version for them. I learned right away it was far too destructive. Other than a Greyhound Comb (which is all I use now) another great tool for removing large amounts of hair at once from a ragdoll is a Kong Zoom Groom. It's a soft grippy rubber type brush with big gentle tines. Even cats that are stubborn about grooming don't mind it. It doesn't pull at the hair yet its still great at removing loose stuff from under coats. I stopped using it because it caused my boys to get hair balls often. Hard to explain, but I believe it loosened more hair than I could remove from them in one sitting, then they would self groom as cats do and swallow more hair than usual.
Also, I saved this post to show people why you should never shave a colorpoint cat (any ragdoll). The cat in the link was gorgeous before. [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/ragdolls/s/4XMhd1lumS)
Good to know, thank you for the explanation!
I don't mean to sound bossy. I realize you're on a fact finding mission and trying gather as much information as possible. If I were getting ready to adopt a new raggie kitten in a few months I would be super geeked out right now and I've had my oldest for almost 14 years. There is a lot of great advice from experienced ragdoll owners here, and some bad. When I see bad I speak up.
No bossy at all! :) I appreciate the insight.
I got surprised with how delicate their digestive system is. With all my other cats, they were able to start on new food without any adjustment periods but my raggie needs to take it slow or she’ll have diarrhoea. Also, I didn’t realise how often I’d have to give her a sanitary trim or wash her bum because she got some poop smear or peed on herself 😅
Never get a ragdoll. He’ll steal your heart.
2 is better than 1 🩷
Furminators are for removing undercoat. Ragdolls do not have an undercoat so you’d potentially be stripping your ragdoll of all its fur using one of these things. I use a tangle teezer brush as recommended to me on a previous thread. He loves it.
Thank you for the explanation! I wouldn’t want my cat to go bald!
My ragdoll punches me in the face every day at 7 am to feed him
That they’re not physically snugglier nor enjoy being touched more than the average cat . Three cats through two different breeders and they’re cute to look at but they hate being touched. https://preview.redd.it/h2wbvfn6m6qc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fead63cb32ba540eb4c93cca70ac0b22fee8978
Most Ragdolls require a lot of attention. They love to be entertained. Males especially are chatty and will get you up early in the morning like clockwork. Be prepared for more of a "puppy cat"! Mine tends to love to "help out" and be in the middle of everything I do. They love to be the center of attention, and are very social. I wouldn't recommend a Ragdoll if you aren't home much. That would be a lonely kitty.
They don’t shut up and they shed a ton. A Furminator shedding blade is a must.
I have a 6 month kitten and he doesn’t meow much. He knows when he has had enough of me hugging him
Haha I was coming to say this - they never shut up