Hi there, my empty-nest wife and I are new to the forum because we are considering a ragdoll to keep her company when I am traveling. Ragdolls seem to be the right breed, and better suited to our needs than a dog, since my wife is a dedicated 5th grade teacher who is gone from home 12 hours at a stretch.
We have a few initial questions based on some things we've heard and read...
1. Are males more affectionate that females?
2. A neutered male won't spray, but a spayed female may still do so?
3. We heard they don't shed much but we are thinking that's completely false. ???
4. How effective are the anti-allergy potions?
Thanks for your help with these. I am sure they are recurring topics that have been covered before, but we would like some dialog. And searches never quite dial-in to the right topic.
I'll try a few of these:
1. They sure seem to be, we have a male and a female plus a new male kitten. The boys are the lovers.
2. All of ours are spayed/neutered and none spray nor have they ever.
3. They do shed. Our 4 yr old male sheds a lot but there are different coat lengths and he is long haired. Our female is shorter haired and sheds very little.
4. Sorry I don't know on this one.
You might also want to consider getting 2 with you both gone so much. Twice the fun
and they play together a LOT. It's a 3 ring circus around here.
We've had many cats over the years and we can assure you there is nothing like a Ragdoll. They are worth every cent you pay for them.
Hope this helps and welcome to the Forum.
(11-21-2011 12:54 PM)bicycleguy Wrote: [ -> ]Hi there, my empty-nest wife and I are new to the forum because we are considering a ragdoll to keep her company when I am traveling. Ragdolls seem to be the right breed, and better suited to our needs than a dog, since my wife is a dedicated 5th grade teacher who is gone from home 12 hours at a stretch.
We have a few initial questions based on some things we've heard and read...
1. Are males more affectionate that females?
2. A neutered male won't spray, but a spayed female may still do so?
3. We heard they don't shed much but we are thinking that's completely false. ???
4. How effective are the anti-allergy potions?
Thanks for your help with these. I am sure they are recurring topics that have been covered before, but we would like some dialog. And searches never quite dial-in to the right topic.
My experience is that male cats tend to be more affectionate. Both my Maine Coon and my Ragdoll are lovers. They follow me everywhere I go around the house. It's fun having an entourage! When they hear the garage door they come running to greet me at the door.
My Ragdoll sheds like CRAZY. Far more than the MC. I have a slight allergy to cats and am quite allergic, itchy eyes, sneezing after handling my Ragdoll. I found this;
http://www.achooallergy.com/pets-allerpetc.asp , a few months ago and wipe a little on him twice a week as well as groom him daily just before I shower. It works well. I'm only ever occasionally allergic to my Maine Coon and I attribute that to my Ragdoll cleaning him. Some cats have higher concentrations of the Fel d 1 allergen in their saliva and this varies even within breeds. I know that I was fortunate to find my Ragdoll because he was causing a lady's asthma to become exponentially worse, another allergic reaction.
I was looking for a kitten around the same age as mine which leads me to my next point. Cats are independent but I find that both of these particular breeds are very people oriented. If your wife will routinely be away 12 hours a day while you are traveling you might want to consider adopting litter mates so they have company.
The only reliable difference between the sexes is that males tend to be bigger - and even there there are many exceptions.
Neutered cats may spray, but it is rare and usually there is a very strong stimulus for it, like a whole cat spraying outside a window.
Ragdolls shed. Their coat requires less care than Persians and they seem to shed less than they.
Allergy remedies depend on the person and the person's dedication to living with the issue. One who has ANY doubt about it should not get a cat. The cat should not be part of such an experiment. Perhaps borrowing a cat from a friend for a few weeks will answer the question.
Ragdolls are very sociable and many cannot tolerate being alone for long periods - and they almost always prefer the company of another pet even if they can manage without. Do not get a Ragdoll if you cannot get a companion if needed. There are probably other breeds that are more likely to like a solitary environment. One can also look for an adult Ragdoll about whom it is known they tolerate, or even like, being an only pet.
I've only had male cats. Both my previous cat, as well as Phoenix were/are snugglers. Phoenix cherishes being cuddled, and he loves to be held and carried around too. As I am carrying him around, he tilts his face up to mine so we are cheek to cheek....knowing he then gets lots of kisses. lol He is the sweetest little red-head. Phoenix is also very, very playful & a tad mischievous.
I comb him twice a day because he enjoys it so much, & this may be why he doesn't shed. Or it could possibly be due to his coat type.
Thanks for the responses, you are a nice bunch of forum people!
OK, we are looking at 3 cats, about 13 weeks old. One is a blue point female that is gorgeous and show $$$ quality. But she has an attitude, not friendly at all, almost conceited! My wife wanted her until she growled when my wife tried to hold her. Her sister is a seal point, quite beautiful and nice disposition, but my wife wants a lighter cooler. So there's their brother, a blue mitted. He's a scrawny little guy, he was apparently sick for few days when he was younger. His hair is thinner, and he looks skinny. But he has beautiful eyes and a fun, loving personality. When we saw him the first time, my wife and I both felt sorry for him. But he is very endearing, and now we are favoring him.
So, when they are so young, can you use their youthful personalities as gauges of how they will turn out? Or can they change a lot based on enviroment, care, etc? My wife wants one that followers her around and sits contently on her lap.
I have one of each - boy and girl. Dusty is a Seal Lynx Bicolor (Striped) and Esperanza is a Seal Bicolor (no stripes). Dusty (1 yr 1 mth) is definitely more laid back, definitely bigger, and loves to snuggle -- however, he is a "next to you" snuggler, not an "on you" snuggler. Espy is a little more wild (but she's younger too ... 9 months), but she is an "on you" snuggler. Wants to be on your lap/chest/etc. when snuggling. Both follow us around like we're the pied piper. Also, both are very very tolerant of our 8 year old son, who loves to play w/ them and pick them up for snuggles. Both have started sleeping with him at night... which he LOVES. As for your most recent question as for kitten personalities -- I can only tell you by my experience, Espy has mellowed and, while she still gets into mischief, she is much more snuggly then she was when we brought her home. Dusty has gotten more mellow... but, he was already a mellow kitten. Both are wonderful. Go with your gut! If you can visit multiple times, do so and make your decision on your gut.
I have 4 Raggies, 3 males 1 female, all from same breeder
2 are 2 years Male and female (brother and sister) - neither are snugglers - follow you around like to be in same room with you, the female sleeps on my bed usually by my feet but sometimes by my head.
2 are 1/2 brothers 6 months old. 1 is a bit of a cuddler the other does like to be picked up or held, but is a lovey dovey if he controls the pets.
I think it depends on the parents and the environment, honestly I think my raggies could have been socialized a bit more. I also think cats feed off your emotions, I could have unstable emotions at the moment (lots of stuff on my mind for the past number of years)
(11-21-2011 04:21 PM)bicycleguy Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for the responses, you are a nice bunch of forum people!
OK, we are looking at 3 cats, about 13 weeks old. One is a blue point female that is gorgeous and show $$$ quality. But she has an attitude, not friendly at all, almost conceited! My wife wanted her until she growled when my wife tried to hold her. Her sister is a seal point, quite beautiful and nice disposition, but my wife wants a lighter cooler. So there's their brother, a blue mitted. He's a scrawny little guy, he was apparently sick for few days when he was younger. His hair is thinner, and he looks skinny. But he has beautiful eyes and a fun, loving personality. When we saw him the first time, my wife and I both felt sorry for him. But he is very endearing, and now we are favoring him.
So, when they are so young, can you use their youthful personalities as gauges of how they will turn out? Or can they change a lot based on enviroment, care, etc? My wife wants one that followers her around and sits contently on her lap.
Cody is our 17 week old male and was the runt of the litter. He was very skinny but a lover boy from the get go. He just laid in my wife's lap and purred. We wouldn't trade him for anything! He's no longer skinny and his fur is filling out beautifully and truly a joy to have around. Did I say 2 are better than 1?
Littermates will tend to be more alike in temperament than less closely related cats. Whether one gets a lap cat depends on the cat - and the lap. Many are touching cats or be nearby cats rather than lap cats. However, as a breed, Ragdolls want to be with the family and follow you around. The temperament of the parents and past litters of the pair are worth considering in what to expect in a particular litter.
A kitten who hisses during a visit CAN be a very loving and attentive cat when taken home.
A kitten can be thin at a particular time based on any number of factors that are unrelated to how he will grow and develop.
Asking the breeder specific questions about specific play and human, littermate and adult cat interaction behaviors and adding in the reaction of the kitten to you is the way to choose - and choose based on temperament.
Sounds like, based on your descriptions, the male is the best choice for you of these three.