13.05.2022

Getting lost in colours and patterns? Untamed points out the types of Ragdoll cats!

Ragdolls were created from free-roaming long-haired cats. They were developed in the 1960s by an American woman named Ann Baker. Ragdolls have since been bred with multiple breeds, including Siamese, Burmese, and Persians, resulting in multiple types of Ragdoll cats!

You’ll find conflicting info on the different types of Ragdolls available. Some experts say there are five versions of Ragdolls, while others say fifty, leaving you positively perplexed!

The truth is—decoding this breed’s types is more like a permutation and combination problem. You got a specific set of Ragdoll cat markings and another set of common coat colours. Mix and match different elements from both sets, and voilà—you get a pretty new Ragdoll!

You don’t have to nerd out over every type of Ragdoll in existence. Take any nomenclature of this breed, say a Seal Lynx Mitted Ragdoll cat, all you have to do is break down the name in coat pattern and colour segments. The same goes for identifying Ragdolls. Let’s figure it all out!

Ragdoll cat patterns made easy!

Ragdolls are large kitties (excluding Raggie Munchkins!) known for their special white and shaded markings. Over the decades, their coat markings, shades, and patterns have branched out into five broad categories:

1. Colourpoint coats
2. Bicolour coats
3. Mitted coats
4. Lynx coats
5. Tortoiseshell (or tortie) coats

These coat patterns are rooted in different DNA imprints. Although the genetic makeup of a Ragdoll offspring can be unpredictable, breeders often use parents from different chromosome pools to develop specific markings. Let’s get a crisp summary for each of these elementary patterns.

Colourpoint Ragdoll cats

The term “point” is widely used to imply the distinctive colour pattern of Ragdolls. This breed doesn’t come in solid colours, nor do they have defined stripes and spots like Savannahs and Bengals. A Ragdoll is identified by their light-coloured body (usually cream or white) with points of darker colours around the extremities—face, snout, ears, limbs, and tail. As the name suggests, colourpoint Ragdolls are further sub-categorised according to their shade, which includes red, blue (grey), and cream.

Ragdolls’ point pattern is attributed to their heat exposure during kittenhood and their individual genetic code. Kittens of this breed are born almost white because of the warmth in their mama’s womb. As they grow, their point gene reacts to the temperature of their immediate environment and starts developing a shaded colour. Their extremities are darker because of how blood circulation works—the central body gets more blood flow and develops a lighter shade, while the edge points mutate to a deeper shade because of reduced blood flow. That’s why Ragdolls tend to change coat colours during summer or winter or when they suffer from poor circulation due to diabetes or old age.

Every other Ragdoll type is an extension of colourpoints, with the focus being on how the shade is distributed or shaped across their bodies.

Meek. Gentle. Affectionate. Cute as buttons. Ragdolls are like crisps—you can’t stop at one!

Source: theragdolls_millieandmilo

Bicolour Ragdoll cats

Bicolour Ragdolls have a mask-like shade around their eyes, which resembles the signature inverted V-shape pattern observed in raccoons. The unique face markings give these Raggies a friendly, child-like appearance. They usually have a lighter underbody, while their upper body, tail, and limbs have some spotting.

Many aesthetically motivated people prefer symmetry while choosing bicolour Ragdolls, which is super rare.

Mitted Ragdoll cats

Mitted Ragdolls have little to no pigmentation around their limbs (called white spottings) due to a different genetic combination, making it seem like they’re wearing mittens! They’re awfully cute and always in demand, so breeders have developed different variants of these kitties.

Currently, there are three subtypes of mitted Ragdolls, outlined in the table below:

Remember that a Ragdoll’s outer appearance doesn’t always verify their pedigree. It’s all about what genes dominate the kitty while growing up!

`

I’m more than a combination of mitted coats and luminous shades. Symmetry is pretty, but my heart is prettier, hooman.

Source: siriuscat_ragdoll

Lynx or lynx-point Ragdoll cats

Lynx Ragdolls are basically those with tabby markings on their face. They are also called striped or tabby-point Ragdolls cats. The signature M-shaped tabby markings are prominent around their foreheads, while their limbs and tails may have paler stripes. Tabby Ragdolls are extremely rare and can cost you a pretty penny.

Tortoiseshell or tortie-point Ragdoll cats

Ragdolls with tortoiseshell patterns have variably mottled shades of cream, red, and pink on their shade points. Older tortoiseshells of this breed tend to become heavily mottled, even looking like solid platinum grey or brown Ragdoll cats! Majority of tortoiseshell kitties are females (because two X chromosomes are necessary to forge that trademark tortie pattern). Male torties are extremely rare and usually born sterile.

Ragdoll cat colourings explained

Ragdolls come in a variety of shades that contribute to the price factor of this breed. Raggies with common coat colours cost around £500, while those with rare hues (also called show-level kitties) can go for upwards of £1,500! In general, the rarer shades are only the different versions of the common shades, but their prices are mad because it’s excruciating to get the right gene combo to bring out a certain tint.

The table below will give you an idea of the value attached to different colourings:

S-mitten with a Raggie kitten’s unearthly eyes? Wait till your heart gets brutally invaded by their endearing personality!

Source: chnoudi.the.fluffy.cat

Do Ragdolls need a type-specific care regime?

All kitties of this breed share similar builds and behavioural patterns, irrespective of colour, markings, or symmetry. Whether you get a designer kitty or rescue from your local shelter, the upkeep of this breed stays the same. You should pay special attention to your Raggie’s:

• Grooming needs—Ragdolls have dense coats that need timely brushing and trimming. While they don’t fancy going out too much, their fur can still get matted indoors, usually due to dried litter. That’s why vets recommend bathing Ragdolls at least once every month to keep their coats tidy and minimise the dander (fur and dead skin) that can trigger cat allergies in sensitive people. Your Raggie will also need frequent eye, ear, and dental cleaning sessions
• Nutrition—Ragdolls are lazy kitties who tend to pile on kilos easily. You need to give your kitty high-protein meals (with over 50% protein content) to keep them in the best shape. Avoid giving them meals that contain over 3% carbs as overconsumption of this macronutrient can cause obesity and diabetes. Vets don’t recommend dry food for this breed due to its high carb content. Besides the nutrition values, you should also devise an appropriate Ragdoll meal plan to ensure they eat in suitable portions. This breed is super sensitive to hunger and can gorge or overeat if their feeding frequency isn’t balanced

Ragdoll health problems you should watch out for

No matter how fancy or pricey your Ragdoll is, they are all highly prone to genetic heart diseases and respiratory tract disorders. Other common health conditions of this breed include:

1. Gastrointestinal disorders like constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and excessive retching and regurgitation
2. Urinary tract issues like bladder stones and UTIs
3. Frequent hairballs (often triggered by a low-protein diet)
4. Anxiety and depression (when they’re left alone for long periods)

Most of these conditions can be prevented with the right diet, which can help your Raggie live till ripe old age. It’s essential to give them appropriate amounts of meat like chicken, liver, tuna, duck, turkey, and salmon—the taurine in such products naturally boosts the cardiovascular health of cats.

According to top nutritionists, the best you can do for your kitty’s long-term health is feed them wet food with whole meat that offers suitable ratios of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals felines need. Avoid products with low-quality proteins and filler ingredients, such as:

• Undefined meat derivatives (chicken or bone meals)
• Vegan or milk proteins
• Grains (corn, rice, wheat, etc.)
• Veggies and fruits
• Sugar and starch

Besides their regular meals, take care of what your kitty eats as treats. Make sure they don’t eat high-fat snacks like eggs and fat trimmings too often. Don’t give them foods toxic to felines, like grapes, onions, and garlic.

You know what’s rare? Good cat food. Untamed goes all in to offer only the best ingredients to your kitty.

Image (c) Untamed

Keep your Raggie fighting fit with Untamed!

If you’re looking for food that rocks your Ragdoll’s world, try grain-free wet food from Untamed! We make our gravy and jelly meals with human-grade whole meat that keeps kitties healthy and strong effortlessly. We keep our dishes free from all iffy ingredients, including:

1. Meat derivatives
2. Plant proteins
3. Grains
4. Sugar

Vets have worked on our recipes to ensure they offer suitable amounts of micronutrients like taurine, iron, and vitamin E. Our food has over 60% whole meat—we offer double the amount of proteins than most manufacturers! Regular consumption of our wet food will optimise your Ragdoll’s:

• Digestive health
• Organ function
• Skin hydration
• Coat health
• Eating habits
• Energy levels (Ragdolls, being fabulously lazy, can make lethargy look normal, but it’s not!)

Take our quiz and tell us more about your Ragdoll!

Taking our TRY NOW quiz is the best way to get started with Untamed! You can tell us about your kitty’s life stage, taste preferences, food sensitivities, and food allergies and create a meal plan that best suits them. We offer both single- and multiple-protein options—our aromatic dishes are made with chicken, duck, tuna, ham, salmon, mackerel, sardine, and shrimp!

If you have a finicky eater who ignores canned food without a shred of mercy, get them Untamed and witness the magic! We impress gourmet lovers because our meals are:

• Yummy—We don’t have to rely on dubious flavour enhancers as our whole meat dishes are naturally tasty to kitties!
• Gently steamed—Steaming enhances the flavours of meat and fish and makes food tender and easy to chew. If your kitty suffers from a poor appetite for no reason, let our meals reignite their zest for food!
• Allergen-free—Cats with food allergies or stomach sensitivities are prone to diarrhoea and vomiting episodes. That’s why we keep our meals free from all common allergens like milk and beef

We are also Carbon Neutral Certified and have strong ethical practices:

• Our packaging is recyclable
• The meat we use is cruelty-free
• Our seafood comes from dolphin-safe sellers

Untamed meals cater to feline biology!

Our meals work the same for cats of all shapes and sizes. Whether it’s kittens, adults, or senior cats, a Maine Coon or a British Shorthair—we make every kitty stronger!

We have heard back from many of our clients who were thrilled to have their kitty take to our meals easily. Here’s what they say about the benefits they noticed after going Untamed:

Investing in quality cat food today will save you big bucks in vet bills down the line!

Image (c) Untamed

Try our free home deliveries—you won’t regret it!

Want your kitty to check out our products? Follow these steps to order a taster pack of Untamed cat food online:

1. Complete our TRY NOW quiz
2. Browse and add products
3. Place the order

We care about your convenience, too. Our shopping structure is built around time- and money-saving perks, such as free one-day shipping, regular delivery of monthly cat food supplies, seamless modification of orders, and no-fuss cancellation!