Ann Baker, an American Persian cat breeder, created the Ragdoll cat, also known as the Gentle Giant. She developed this cat breed by crossing a Persian cat with a Birman-type cat. The affectionate and calm demeanor of the resulting Ragdoll cat breed convinced her to continue breeding them. Due to their friendly and affectionate personalities, Ragdoll cats are an excellent choice for large families. However, there are other essential things to know about the Ragdoll cat before bringing one into the family.
One key aspect to note about the Ragdoll cat is their strong desire to be around their human companions. Their high attention-seeking nature often leads them to follow their owners around the house, seeking affection. This makes them an ideal choice for pet owners who work from home. The Ragdoll cat breed is one of the largest domestic breeds of cats, with mature adults weighing about 15 to 20 pounds. Consequently, they have large appetites, requiring a substantial amount of quality food to stay healthy and active. This also means they may need slightly larger litter trays than other breeds. Additionally, the Ragdoll cat maintains its kitten-like behavior for a longer period, as it can take up to four to five years to fully mature.
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Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains the most common feline heart disease and impacts the Ragdoll cat breed. HCM causes abnormal thickening of the heart wall.
A genetic issue, HCM causes some heart muscles to stop functioning correctly. Therefore, healthy heart muscle cells work harder to compensate. Ultimately, hypertrophy sets in, increasing to an abnormally large size. Then, the muscle thickens abnormally, leading to heart failure and death due to a lack of adequate blood flow throughout the body. In addition, clots may also block major blood vessels, leading to heart failure and death. Related issues include fluid buildup in the lungs and chest, which impacts breathing. Around about 30 percent of Ragdolls carry the mutation that leads to HCM. However, not all mutations lead to severe forms of the disease or any indication of the disease. DNA tests can identify “positive homozygous” cats and most likely to develop the disease, passing it on to offspring. Cats with the mutation still serve as welcome pets and family members but do not make great breeding candidates. Unlike most animal breeds or sub-breeds, the Ragdoll cat has relatively clear origins from a single white Persian female named Josephine. Josephine belonged to Ann Baker, a cat breeder in Riverside, California, who just happened to see the cat roaming around the neighborhood.
While most experts agree that all modern Ragdoll cats are direct descendants of Josephine, the pedigree on the male side is far from certain. While many people pair Josephine with a male Birman others contend that she mated with other types of cat to create the distinctive Ragdoll line. Ann Baker used Josephine to produce the prototypical Ragdoll, Raggedy Ann Daddy Warbucks. Many people say that she subsequently used Raggedy Ann Daddy Warbucks’s brother, Blackie, to further refine the Ragdoll line. Regardless of the murkier parts of the Ragdoll’s history, the line’s connection to Josephine is undisputed. As the online publication Rag Doll Love puts it, all “recognized purebred Ragdolls must come from Josephine.” Now operating her own locum practice called A Plus Petvet in Illinois, Dr. Jennifer Creed is a veterinarian with several decades of experience. Early in her career, she was an avian-care technician at Niles Animal Hospital. Later, Dr. Jennifer Creed served at Emergency Veterinary Services in Lisle, Illinois. There, she performed a wide range of emergency surgeries, including cystotomies, enterotomies, and gastropexies.
Gastropexy is a procedure that treats gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV) otherwise known as bloat, in large dogs. While it is primarily a curative procedure that seeks to manage GDV, healthy dogs might be candidates for gastropexy as a preventive measure. Dog bloat is a condition that causes the stomach to become dilated with too much gas or fluid, such that they cannot escape the stomach. This often results in reduced blood flow to the stomach tissue. Gastropexy is aimed at stabilizing the stomach, typically affixing it to the abdominal wall to prevent life-threatening twist of the stomach tissue. A St. Charles, Illinois resident, Dr. Jennifer Creed graduated from the University of Illinois, where she obtained a bachelor of arts in veterinary medicine. Dr. Jennifer Creed serves as a locum veterinarian at A Plus Petvet, where she provides treatments for Ragdoll cats.
Ragdoll cats are very large domestic cats, and their breed is a combination of Persian, Siamese, and Burmese cat breeds. Ragdoll cats typically live up to 15 years, and they are renowned for their physical beauty and good behavior. One of the most common health problems Ragdoll cats encounter is obesity, which mostly happens because of their common sedentary lifestyle. Obesity can lead to further complications such as high blood pressure and increase the likelihood of a cat suffering from strokes. To avoid obesity problems in Ragdoll cats, tutors should engage the cats in physical activities and provide them with nutritional diets. Tutors can also buy toys such as cat trees, which are good for cats as they can run and climb to exercise daily. Urinary tract infections are also widespread in this breed, and they affect kidneys, ureters, or the bladder. Signs that can help tutors identify urinary tract infections are blood in the urine or lethargy. Urinary tract infections can easily be treated with antibiotics and hydration. A veterinarian in St. Charles, Illinois, Dr. Jennifer Creed practices at A Plus Petvet. Dr. Jennifer Creed holds membership with various animal-associated organizations to augment her professional and personal activities, including The International Cat Association.
Commonly known by its acronym TICA, The International Cat Association compiles and maintains cats' most extensive genetic registry globally. This registry includes cats of pedigree as well as common household pets. As a respected authority on cat breed standards, TICA also plays a prominent role in the world of cat shows. The multi-breed cat show, It’s TICA Time took place at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina, on February 19 and 20, 2022. Subtitled “Stars and Stripes,” this cat show featured 12 all-breed and two specialty rings. Cats and their owners registered in the Kitten, Championship, or Alter class for competition in the Preliminary New Breed, Advanced New Breed, or New Traits show. To enter any of these shows, animals must be either registered through TICA or eligible for that registration. TICA registration involves certifying breed and other key information online or on paper through TICA. In addition to practicing as a veterinarian through the Depaw University Canine Campus since 2008, Dr. Jennifer Creed has served as a locum veterinarian with A Plus Petvet since 2013. Dr. Jennifer Creed is widely regarded as an expert in the Ragdoll cat breed.
Inbreeding is the root of many health problems in Ragdoll cats. After generations of mating between animals with extremely close genetic relationships, Ragdolls have become susceptible to immune system deficiencies and various degenerative hereditary diseases. Modern Ragdolls have inherited 45 percent of their genetic code from a single cat named Daddy Warbucks. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, in particular, is quite common among Ragdolls. This hereditary heart disease results in dangerously enlarged heart muscle tissue that can cause serious murmurs. Obesity is also a common problem in Ragdoll cats. Well-known for their relaxed and tame nature, Ragdolls are considerably less active than most other cat breeds. Their largely sedentary lifestyle often causes them to carry extra body weight and places them at risk for numerous obesity-related health concerns. Dr. Jennifer Creed studied veterinary medicine at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine after earning a bachelor's degree in biology at Benedictine University. She has practiced veterinary medicine for more than two decades, working in positions including an avian care specialist, veterinarian, and associate veterinarian. Dr. Jennifer Creed has primarily focused her practice on ragdoll cats and has written extensively about this breed, especially medical issues.
In the 1960s, Ann Baker in Riverside, California, created the ragdoll. These cats acquired their name because they go limp when picked up. Large and powerful, with long hair and a thick, silky coat, these lovely cats are a sight to behold. Ragdolls are a low-shedding breed. However, you may notice more shedding in the spring. These cats are also between nine and 11 inches in height and 17 to 21 inches long. They average 10–20 pounds, with the male ragdoll cats weighing even more. Ragdolls are usually easy to take care of and are a suitable fit for most families and other pets. Also, while these are clean animals, they may require bathing and other routine pet care such as nail clipping and ear cleaning. Ragdoll cats live for 13–18 years on average and are generally healthy pets. Heart and urinary tract disorders are two of ragdoll's most serious health concerns. Therefore, it is critical to have them examined until they reach adulthood. HCM and other health issues can go unnoticed until later in life. A proficient veterinarian with more than 20 years of general and emergency experience, Dr. Jennifer Creed is particularly adept in caring for purebred cat breeds. Focusing on specialty breeds such as Ragdoll cats, Dr. Jennifer Creeds treats common issues such as feline infectious peritonitis.
One of the least understood cat diseases, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), results from the coronavirus, which occurs in approximately 90 percent of indoor cats, primarily kittens. When the normally benign virus causes FIP, cats develop symptoms suddenly. Though FIP affects just five to ten percent of cats infected with feline coronavirus, the disease is most often fatal. Purebred cats, such as Ragdolls, Himalayans, and Bengals, are more likely to develop FIP, as are cats in multi-cat households. Typically transmitted by oral contact with infected feces, FIP presents with symptoms that may include lethargy or weight loss. After several days, most cats develop the “wet” form of the disease, accumulating fluid in the abdomen or chest cavity. In “dry” cases of FIP, cats may experience inflammation in organs such as the eyes, liver, brain, or intestines. Often, ocular (eye) symptoms are the only visible signs of dry FIP. |
AuthorAn accomplished veterinary medicine professional with many years of experience in the field, Dr. Jennifer Creed currently works at Emergency Veterinary Services in Lisle, Illinois. Archives
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