12.05.2022

Getting to know the typical Ragdoll kitten personality

Adult Ragdolls can be a handful, but in the best possible way.

With a mixture of friendliness bordering on stalking, exuberant play, nocturnal gallivanting, and fussy habits when it comes to mealtimes, fully grown Ragdolls will never let you get bored.

What’s the root of this behaviour, though? Is it diet-related or part and parcel of the breed’s makeup?

Many behavioural traits in adult cats stem from kittenhood, and you may find that the personality your adult Ragdoll displays is a direct result of the way they have been brought up.

Read on to get all the kitten facts you need and learn about the typical Ragdoll kitten personality—what you can do to mould it, what (and how much) you should feed to ensure your kitten is happy and healthy, and how you can best cope with your bundle of Ragdoll fun.

Playful and friendly, two watchwords for Ragdoll kittens!

Source: Pixabay

How long are Ragdoll kitties considered kittens?

Ragdoll cats are considered kittens for longer than many other breeds.

Other cat breeds—such as Siamese, British Shorthair, Persian, or Sphynx—become adults once they hit the 12-month mark. Both physically and psychologically, these breeds have matured completely after a year. 

This isn’t the case with Ragdolls. Like Maine Coons, Norwegian Forest cats, and Bengals, they are large-breed cats, meaning that their bodies and personalities can continue developing up to the age of 4.

Physical growth

In terms of physique, you can expect your Ragdoll to reach the following weight milestones:

Female Ragdolls will normally be up to 25% smaller than their male counterparts.

While Ragdolls normally reach their final height and body length by about 18 months, they will continue to develop muscle for some time to come.

Psychological development

In personality terms, Ragdolls spend a lot of time exploring how their size and muscular build can best be used for play.

As a Ragdoll parent, you may be surprised at how boisterous games can become—toy mice and feather wands won’t be so much played with as decimated. Strangely, this breed is only good at killing prey in your front room, though.

Many cats will happily hunt and catch birds, mice, slugs, moths, insects, and frogs outside. Ragdolls, in contrast, have a terrible reputation as hunters and are much happier as armchair warriors. This behaviour is instilled in kittenhood.

Ragdolls are incredibly friendly towards their human parents, and most kittens will be happiest growing up as human companions rather than true outdoor hunting cats.

How can you fail to fall in love?

Source: Pixabay

What is the typical personality of Ragdoll kittens?

Ragdoll kittens can be a joy to have around. Most growing Raggies are:

1. Affectionate and cuddly
2. Quick to learn
3. Loyal and devoted
4. Energetic and playful

Affectionate and cuddly

Ragdoll kittens generally like nothing better than to curl up with you.

The breed name is said to be derived from the way Ragdolls go floppy when lying on their chosen human—they will seek physical contact with you at every opportunity.

Quick to learn

Since Ragdolls are blessed with a sharp mind, you can train them fairly easily.

The best training will entail setting clear behavioural and territorial boundaries that your kitten will clearly understand. You can go further and even train Ragdolls to play fetch, engage in hide and seek, or communicate their feelings effectively.

Loyal and devoted

You may find it difficult to get a moment’s peace from your Ragdoll kitten. You should get used to being followed around the house, watched intently while you’re doing anything, and disturbed when trying to concentrate. Ragdolls are the archetypal lying-on-the-keyboard-while-you’re-typing cats.

Energetic and playful

Ragdoll kittens love games—whether it’s catch, hunt the mouse, or chase the laser pointer. Unfortunately, they are also nocturnal, preferring to spend much of the day sleeping.

This can result in you being forcibly woken up at stupid o’clock to come and play—expect anything from incessant pats on the face to a caterwauling fit to wake the whole street if you don’t wake up immediately.

Having a Ragdoll kitten may mean you wave goodbye to any sense of personal space!

Source: Pixabay

Understanding bad Ragdoll cat personality traits

On the downside, Ragdoll kittens can display a few less desirable personality traits. If left unaddressed, they will be carried forward into adulthood.

Of the less pleasant aspects of a Ragdoll’s makeup, the most important are:

1. Fussiness and susceptibility to tummy trouble
2. Tendency to overgroom
3. Risk of separation anxiety

Fussiness and susceptibility to tummy trouble

Ragdoll kittens need a lot of food to grow healthily, but they are prone to be sensitive, develop gastrointestinal problems, and refuse food.

Regardless of the type of food you offer—be it dry, semi-moist, wet, raw, or homemade—you may experience kittens turning their nose up at wet food they have previously loved or ignoring dry kibbles they used to devour.

When they do eat, they can easily fall prey to:

• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 

These bouts are normally over within a day, but you should be vigilant and make sure no digestive problems last longer than 24 hours.

You should also make sure your kitten hasn’t eaten anything toxic that you may have left around the house. It is worthwhile getting into the habit of clearing all food away to remove the temptation for your Raggie to try something that could be harmful.

Tendency to overgroom

As long-haired cats, Ragdolls shed throughout the year and have a reputation for losing large amounts of hair at a time.

If allowed to, Ragdoll kittens can also develop the habit of overgrooming, leading to:

• Bald, sore patches of skin resembling allergic reactions
• Issues with frequent hairballs

While you can support healthy skin and coat through diet, you should discourage your Ragdoll kitten from overgrooming as early as possible.

Risk of separation anxiety

Ragdolls love being the centre of attention, so being left alone can be their worst nightmare.

If your lifestyle involves frequent absences from home for more than 8 hours at a time, you may come home to scenes of destruction.

Your only glimmer of hope is that Ragdolls are highly trainable. If you begin getting them used to being alone for extended periods at a young age, you may get away with leaving them unattended during the day.

Be warned, though: hunger or boredom can easily lead your Raggie to destroy anything within reach.

Can nutrition play a role in the personality of Ragdoll cats?

There are several ways in which the right food can help your Ragdoll kitten grow up to become a well-balanced and calm member of your family.

Feeding your kitten the right food in the right amounts and at the right frequency can help:

1. Satisfy their nutritional needs
2. Instil a routine with which they are comfortable
3. Alleviate the health niggles Ragdolls are prone to

Keeping them nutritionally satisfied and happy

Kittens need high-protein, high-calorie food to help them grow healthily—Ragdolls particularly so as they have so much growing to do.

As obligate carnivores, cats need their food to be based on animal protein that delivers the amino acids—like taurine—that they need.

When choosing the most appropriate food for your Ragdoll kitten, you should check that the first ingredient is either meat or fish, the best options being:

• Chicken (raw or cooked)
• Beef
• Pork, ham, or bacon
• Salmon
• Prawns
• Mackerel
• Tuna
• Liver

Any vegetable-based food is best avoided, so look out for the following in the ingredients list:

• Soya
• Corn or sweetcorn
• Wheat
• Peas
• Carrots
• Rice

The best food for your kitten is grain-free, devoid of known allergens, and without any artificial additives.

Instilling a feeding routine to reduce the stress of unpredictability

Cats love predictable routines, and the sooner you can introduce regular meal times, the better.

Feeding your Ragdoll kitten regularly can help manage blood sugar levels, balance energy requirements, and build other activities around when the next meal will be served.

Alleviating common Ragdoll health niggles to keep your kitten happy

As well as tasting great and providing the right nutrients for your kitten, high-quality cat food also helps keep common health issues at bay.

Food rich in human-grade animal protein can go a long way towards eliminating:

• Digestive problems
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs), such as bladder stones or cystitis 
• Hair loss and hairball issues
• Weight gain and obesity

Can Untamed help with your Ragdoll cat’s personality traits?

The best thing you can do for your Ragdoll kitten is to feed Untamed from the word go.

With its high levels of exclusively animal protein, every tin of Untamed is sure to give your kitten the health, energy, and nutrition required. Each Untamed recipe enriched with cat jelly or gravy tastes so good that your kitten’s fussiness should magically disappear.

Our products are all vet-formulated, so you can be sure that you’re doing the right thing for your kitty.

What’s good for your cat should also be good for the planet, so Untamed is committed to being an ethical company. To this end, we ensure:

• We only source from sustainable, cruelty-free meat and fish suppliers
• Our packaging is 100% recyclable
• Our entire supply chain is carbon neutral

Get the best out of your Ragdoll kitten by putting the best in—try Untamed today and see the difference!

“Now that’s what I call food!”

Image (c) Untamed

Get Untamed and feel the love

The way to a Ragdoll kitten’s heart is through the tummy, so Untamed makes winning your Raggie’s affection easy with nutrition tailor-made for your growing feline!

All you need to do to show your love is buy our canned cat food online—here's how:

1. Tell us all about your Ragdoll kitten
2. Browse and select products
3. Order your first trial pack

The journey begins as soon as your trial pack arrives—we will make sure your kitten stays happy with a constant supply of delicious cat food boxes.

Other happy Ragdoll kittens—and their parents—tell us that you should expect to see: