Ragdoll cats and kittens

I only recently heard of these cats. There seems to be a bit of a craze going around where people who live in small flats are buying them because they are reputed to be very docile and are sold as "lapcats".
All the ones I know of never go outside and it doesn't seem like much of a life for an animal that normally ranges over distances, climbs and hunts.

I've been told that this instinct has been bred out of them but it still seems to me to be a dull life for an animal.

Any thoughts on this, cat lovers ?

Re: Ragdoll cats and kittens

Hmm don't come cheap, do they but then if you're a cat lover I suppose they will be in demand, they look very sweet. I know someone who has a cat and it must be 5 now and has never been outside and seems happy enough I suppose they must get used to being indoors.

Re: Ragdoll cats and kittens

I know someone who has one, my son in law's parents, they are not really like ordinary cats in that they have had the wish to go outside and hunt bred out of them.
They are happy to be patted and played with and seem a bit oblivious to it really. They even 'sit' like a rag doll which is strange, but they are very short on personality which is a bit sad.

Personally I like a cat like mine who is an ordinary cat that I got from cats's protection.

Re: Ragdoll cats and kittens

We have a friend who has 2 ragdoll cats, they truly are expensive, but they are so nice, they are friendly, never scratch and literally just flop like rag dolls.

Re: Ragdoll cats and kittens

Yes they are perfect if you want an animal which is really more like a doll but I would miss the individual personality of an ordinary cat, and also there are so many cats which need a home in the cat protection shelters.
I think that sometimes people want a cat for children which is more or less guaranteed not to scratch but I don't really agree with cats being mauled by children anyway, it's unfair and stressful for them.

Re: Ragdoll cats and kittens

Interesting comments. thanks. All that pretty much fits in with the people I've met who own these cats; they tend to be people who don't get about much and need something to love, cuddle and care for.

Nothing wrong with that but like Anita I prefer ordinary cats, particularly arrogant and disdainful cats who take you or leave you as they choose. I always think of the Rudyard Kipling's story of the beginning of the domestication of the cat; the cat said " I am the cat who walks by himself and all places are alike to me". Now, to me that's proper cat!

Re: Ragdoll cats and kittens

Well I do have a Female Ragdoll, who is now 11 years old, and she is the most loveable cat ever, who is very happy. When she wants to go out, she will let us know, and she has her own Harness and Lead and we take her around the garden, but most of the time she doesn't want to go out, she is quite happy being with us all day.

Re: Ragdoll cats and kittens

Here is my Ragdoll, Coco.

Re: Ragdoll cats and kittens

Beautiful. We used to have cats when we lived in a house with a garden. If we ever decide to have another cat we will be looking for a house cat that doesn't need to go out. I firmly believe now a days it's much safer to keep cats inside. Too many nutters out there want to hurt them.

Re: Ragdoll cats and kittens

I think the ragdolls and British snowshoe cats are lovely..
As for indoor cats really these days its not wise or socially acceptable to allow your cat to roam and foul other peoples property.

My daughter has three moggies and one main coon who are all indoor cats, when she went to the vet with them she had compliments because the vet said they were in such wonderful muscular body condition.
Its just a case of giving them the space and place to climb and exersize.