Ragdoll Breed Information

Ragdolls are not usually highly active cats, but will play with toys and follow you around. They’re not very chatty, but are unlikely to be far from you in the house, usually happy to jump onto your lap or try to get into your bed just to be close to you.

Breed-related health problems:

Owners are, understandably, upset when their cat develops a health problem linked to its breed. Often they wish they’d known what problems the breed was prone to have. The potential health problems that Ragdolls are prone to include:

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a condition where the volume of blood that the heart pumps with each contraction is reduced. This can cause fainting, tiredness and other signs of heart disease.
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) – a condition where cysts, present in the kidneys from birth, gradually increase in size until the kidney cannot function normally, resulting in kidney failure. A genetic test is available for this disease.

We’d recommend discussing the medical history of your potential kitten’s parents and grandparents, and think very carefully before taking on a cat with any of the health conditions listed above evident in the family line.

Coat care:

Ragdolls’ silky coat requires a minimum of weekly grooming to remove dead hair and separate any tangles. Particular attention should be paid to under the arms and around the neck as these areas are prone to tangles.

Estimated cost over lifetime:

These costs are based on essential items such as:

• A bed, litter and tray
• Grooming items
• Food and bowl
• Preventive treatment such as flea, worming, vaccinations and neutering
• Toys
• Cat carrier
• Pet insurance

This does not include initial purchase cost, non-essential items (such as holiday care) or potential veterinary treatment of which an excess needs to be paid before your pet may be covered by pet insurance.

Insure your Ragdoll Cat with PDSA:

1 in 3 pets need vet treatment each year and vet bills can come to hundreds of pounds. PDSA Pet Insurance can give you peace of mind when your pet is poorly, especially for breeds like Ragdoll Cats that are prone to certain conditions. PDSA Pet Insurance offers:

1. Dog and cat insurance policies from 8 weeks of age.
2. 24/7 veterinary advice online or over the phone with Petcall.
3. Manage your policy online with the PDSA Insure Hub.
4. Monthly payment at no extra cost.

By insuring your Ragdoll Cat with PDSA Pet Insurance you’ll also be helping to provide vet care to some of the UK’s neediest pets.

For more information on taking care of your cat please visit our kitten and cat section.

Rehoming from a reputable source:

Where you get a cat from can have a big effect on how healthy and happy it is for the rest of its life. Find out where our PDSA vet experts recommend you get your cat from.

Not sure if the Ragdoll is the right pet for you?