Ragdoll cats are certainly not cheap, but there’s a perfectly good reason for that. They’re definitely worth their price tag!
Ragdoll cats are among the best personalities and best appearing cats in the world, and it makes perfect sense why people would want to flock to get their very own furry friend.
In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you’ll need to know about getting your own ragdoll cat before you go out there and commit.
So, get yourself comfortable and read on as we help you in your search.
What Exactly Is A Ragdoll Cat?
The ragdoll cat is a unique looking breed of cat with its blue eyes and amazingly presented coat. They’re large with long fur and rather muscular for a cat.
However, despite their size – if you ever were to hold a ragdoll cat, they go all floppy and snugly when you wrap your arms around them.
This goes along with their nature, because they are among the most laid back and perfectly behaved cats you could ever hope to meet.
The thing is, with its beauty and best behavior, breeders can often charge astronomical prices for you to own your very own.
There are many factors to the overall requested costs though including their pedigree, health history, purpose of its breed and where the cat came from.
You’d also have to consider things like rehoming a cat versus getting a ragdoll kitten – as you can probably imagine, a purebred kitten is going to cost a considerable amount more than rehoming a ragdoll cat.
Remember though, when you’re going out there to get a ragdoll cat, it can’t always be about the costs.
There has to be an element of ethics and morality, and rehoming a shelter cat is always going to be more beneficial than having one bred – either way though, it’s always going to be down to you and your preferences.
The one thing we’d say though about kittens and older cats is that, the saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” sort of comes into play here.
You see, it’s much more difficult or challenging to introduce an older ragdoll cat into your home – regardless of how laid back they are!
Kittens will inevitably learn as they go, and you’ll be at the forefront of that. Additionally, you’ll be keeping the cat for much longer as they are much younger – but at the same time, this means much higher costs to keep them.
These sorts of commitments need to be thoroughly considered well before you’re in the market.
Factors For Costs
As we mentioned, there are a variety of reasons that costs for a ragdoll cat can change, and you’ll need to think of these – particularly when you go to meet with a breeder.
We’ll start by looking at the factors of a ragdoll kitten, which typically will be the choice of a prospective buyer. You need to understand the common terminology and jargon when you’re meeting with sellers, or you’re reading advertisements.
Here are the typical categories you can expect to see when you’re out there searching for a ragdoll.
Show And Breeder Quality
This is the top quality cat with all of its certificates and evidence provided with purchase. You can expect value for your dollars with this cat. They will have the best markings and the best quality fur and health with no unexpected additional costs.
Breeder Quality
Fantastic quality cat with great temperament and in good health, but it’s not quite up to show standard. However, this cat is perfect for your home.
Show Alter Quality
The markings and the type of cat are perfect, but the cat has had medical procedures inclusive of things like neutering or spaying.
Pet Alter Quality
Not quite to the standard expected as “perfect” but still an ideal cat. Its markings aren’t up to show standard but its overall temperament and attitude is. It’s likely to have been spayed or neutered.
Regardless of which of these categories the ragdoll cat falls under, any pure ragdoll will have bright blue eyes and will exhibit a calm temperament, remaining as to be expected for any ragdoll.
Varied In Costs
As we can see above, depending on the “quality” of the ragdoll cat can seriously affect the cost depending on what sort of ragdoll you’re looking to get.
When it comes to show and breeder quality cats, the appearance, temperament and health of the cat will be taken into serious consideration.
Although some of these considerations might seem a bit too much, the quality is assessed for show purposes.
For instance, the markings of the ragdoll will be looked at seriously. This includes markings on the back of their legs or a “mitted” pattern.
You might be wondering who has the authority to decide such a fate for a cat. This is the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) who are very strict on their decisions. They can and do, easily disqualify cats on their categorizations and these decisions can be small or large.
As you can imagine, for breeder and show quality – the ragdoll cat must be perfectly marked, perfectly presented and in perfect health. They must not have been neutered or spayed and as always, must have blue eyes and a perfect temperament.
Genetic defects will have been examined for, and the health of the ragdoll will be strictly assessed and proven.
States may vary on their rulings with ragdoll cats. Many states will demand that ragdoll cats receive their vaccinations whereas some don’t.
Things like this are areas you have to consider when purchasing a ragdoll, which we will get to in more detail later in this guide.
First, it’s worth looking at how a breeder might determine their pricing when it comes to selling a ragdoll.
How Might A Breeder Consider Their Costs?
As with any product or service, a seller has to consider their own costs along with the quality of their product and additional factors such as average cost.
They might think of things like:
Their costs of showcasing the ragdoll cat
Any titles or awards the ragdoll has won previously
Overheads including breeding
Vaccinations and health check costs
Transport costs and various other travel expenses
There might be extra costs involved too for the top cats. Typically, if a cat is of the highest quality, they’re likely to be well traveled and therefore will have had much more travel costs added to the consideration.
This will be alongside potential enrollment costs and any other expenses incurred when the cat has won a title. Their titles won will make a large difference to the overall price that a breeder can charge too.
For example, if you have a ragdoll cat that is a triple grand champion – they can go for a lot more money, whereas the price would be slightly less if the title was a champion stud.
The more titles a ragdoll cat wins, the more costly you can expect them to be – additionally, their title (and amount of titles won) will increase their cost.
Potential Costs You Can Expect
Purchasing a ragdoll cat is a good idea, but you need to have considered the costs yourself, similarly to the breeder.
Remember, if the breeder incurs costs – they will pass these costs onto you. Here are some costs you may expect.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations in some states are mandatory, however some states do not require vaccinations. In this instance, responsible breeders will already have done this for you – but some breeders will wait and place this burden onto the buyer.
There can be a variety of reasons for this, usually dependent on the reason a person is buying the cat, for example, if they’re hoping for a show quality – vaccinations will likely be the buyers’ responsibility.
Vaccinations on their own can be costly when they are conducted correctly by a registered vet. In some instances, breeders might try to save you some money by offering you more than one ragdoll cat – but remember, this will inevitably lead to even further costs with areas like this.
Other Health Costs
Again, this will vary depending on the breeder and the reason the buyer is purchasing a ragdoll. Neutering and spaying is costly.
If a breeder has passed these costs onto the buyer, you can expect an increase in costs – however, these will need to be done if you’re planning for a domestic (pet quality) ragdoll.
Certificates of health or a health guarantee often incurs extra costs too and a responsible breeder will have this ready for you. Expect this to cost more – particularly if the cat comes with an extensive family history.
You may have to get some pet insurance for the cat too and this will be a consistent financial commitment for many years. The premiums will likely be higher depending on the “quality” of the ragdoll because they’re more likely to be in danger of theft.
All of these premiums and insurance costs will differ depending on your cat, location and the insurance company itself.
Cost Of The Cat
Of course, there are always additional costs – but sometimes we overlook the cost of the cat themselves. Much like purchasing a car, you have the cost of the product and then upkeep costs, insurance etc.
Depending on the quality will depend on the cost, without considering the extras – so always bear this in mind. It’s a good idea to check the average costs of the ragdoll cat in your area and you can have some general idea of “base costs” before you think of the extra costs.
The way in which breeders charge for their cats can increase and vary depending on the cat inclusive of things like markings. We’ll explain the markings in further detail in the next section.
Upkeep Costs
As with any cat, you have to consider their health and wellbeing. Costs of food, medications, toys, grooming equipment (or services) and things like a bed will all incur more financial burdens which will require consistent upkeep.
Markings Of The Ragdoll
Any reputable breeder will understand the colors and markings of ragdoll cats and will know the costing of these cats.
We’ll take you through each terminology of these markings in this section of the guide.
Mitted
A mitted ragdoll will be known typically through its adorable white mittens, but this isn’t the sure-fire way to know it’s a mitted ragdoll.
They also have a white stripe underneath their belly and also have a white or cream marking on their face which can be mistaken for a leftover milk stain.
The Bi-Color
Bi-color ragdolls look like the mitted ragdolls, but their feet are entirely white and on their back, there’s a little more color which can be described as looking as a saddle.
Solid-Point
Solid-point ragdoll cats are similar to Siamese, but they have a strong and fluffy physique. Their feet, tail and ears will all have some color to them, but every other area will be a strong white, like an ivory or cream color.
Lynx
The lynx ragdoll can be easily determined by the “W” marking on their head. In between the eyes are dark lines that resemble the letter W and the rest of their body is more like a tabby color. There is no connection to the lynx wild cat in resemblance though!
The Tortie
The tortie is a difficult one to assess as it has no solid markings on their body, but you can determine them from their tail, ears and paws.
They can be an array of colors including orange, chocolate, blue and red.
The Combo
This isn’t a specific type of cat, it is as the name suggests – a mix or combination between 2 or more of the above different ragdolls.
For example, you could have a bi-color lynx. Combination ragdolls are generally less costly than their counterparts, but breeders might try to increase their costs by claiming they are rarer.
Know Your Breeder
Knowing the breeder and doing your research prior to purchase can make a massive difference to your expected costs, so you should be fully aware of certain things before you make an offer or accept a deal.
Here are some key details you need to remember before you buy:
Are The Ragdolls In Shows?
If your prospective breeder is active in putting their ragdolls in shows, contests and other things – they’re providing a clear picture of being knowledgeable and an overall interest in this particular breed of cat.
This will also indicate that their ragdoll kittens will grow into purebred ragdolls and this is a fantastic sign. You might even be in with some luck in having the offspring of a ragdoll that was previously a champion, which means they will likely share characteristics and traits!
How Open Is The Breeder?
If the breeder isn’t open and honest about everything, you should really consider avoiding them. When it comes to pedigree animals, you need to be absolutely sure you know everything about your potential cat, including its living conditions, history, family tree and health.
Additionally, any good breeder should be asking you questions. They should be as concerned about the cat as you are, including your living situation and possibly your financial situation due to continuous costs that the ragdoll will incur.
It might seem intrusive, but they should want the best possible situation for their kittens and this is always a good sign if this happens to you.
They may also ask you about your closest vet, if you’ve had animals before, if you have good pet insurance lined up etc.
At this point too, it’s a good idea to ask the breeder to see the ragdoll’s family. If the breeder does not want to show you the parents of the ragdoll, you should be extremely suspicious. If a breeder wants to hide something, you would probably not agree to purchase it.
They should also be providing you with information regarding the ragdoll’s usual and past vet. If for some reason, they’re refusing or cannot provide you with the ragdoll’s veterinary contact details, you have to ask why.
Situations like this need to come up as a huge red flag when it comes to breeders.
Additionally, the breeder should be showing you official documentation for their ragdolls. This includes their family history, their health backgrounds, their health guarantee, their schedule of vaccinations and any other official documents that you would expect.
The more open and honest the breeder, the better chance you have of having a good breeder.
Does The Breeder Have A Good Ragdoll Relationship?
You’ll be able to tell if the breeder is a good and reputable seller if they have a good and close relationship with their ragdoll. Ragdolls by their very nature are placid, so if they appear different or apprehensive – you should be seriously concerned.
The best breeders will have the love of cats as their primary driving force, but unfortunately there are many people out there that exploit the situation and will only be interested in financial gain.
Be wary of any breeder that asks more financial questions over health questions or looks to want to offload the ragdoll to you far too quickly.
How Does The Situation Feel?
When people talk about not feeling comfortable purchasing situations, breeders can sometimes give off good or bad vibes. If you’re not feeling comfortable, you should not go ahead with a deal.
If the breeder has rushed you or demanded you make a purchase decision on the same day and within a very short space of time, the chances are that they are not reputable and are likely untrustworthy.
Final Thoughts
When you’re looking to get yourself a ragdoll cat, it’s important that you’re aware of all the most important aspects of owning one of these unique fur babies.
It’s crucial that you’re aware of the initial costs of owning a ragdoll but remember, like with other cats – there will always be further and continuous costs that need to be taken into consideration before you give a definitive decision to look after your new cat.
I’m Courtney Trent and I hope that I can answer some burning questions that you have about cats, as well as some questions that you’d never have thought to ask before.
I am aiming to shed new light on these amazing pets and hopefully change some people’s opinions on them. Also, let’s talk about wild cats - they’re just as awesome as domestic cats!
So, stay a while and learn more about domestic and wild cats from Windhaven Ocicats.
