Every Ragdoll cat descends from a white stray named Josephine in California
In 1963 an ordinary white longhaired cat called Josephine, which breeder Ann Baker cheerfully described as an alley cat, began producing unusually placid kittens that went limp when lifted. Baker built a breed from them, trademarked its name and ran her own registry. Today's Ragdolls all trace back to three of Josephine's descendants.
Baker worked in Riverside, California. From Josephine's early litters came two key males: Blackie, black all over, and Daddy Warbucks, a white-footed seal point. Daddy Warbucks fathered Fugianna and Blackie fathered Buckwheat, both Josephine's daughters, and every Ragdoll comes from matings of Daddy Warbucks with those two females. Baker shunned the usual cat associations, setting up the International Ragdoll Cat Association around 1971 and forbidding registration elsewhere. In 1975 Denny and Laura Dayton broke away to win mainstream recognition, developing the standard now used by major registries.
The breed is among the largest domestic cats. Females weigh roughly 3.6 to 6.8 kilograms and males often more than 9, and they can take four years to reach full size. Kittens are born white and gain full colour and coat over three to four years. The same genes that darken the face, ears, legs and tail also produce the deep-blue eyes. The silky coat has long guard hairs but little dense undercoat, which reduces matting.
Their manner earns them nicknames like puppy cats. They follow owners from room to room, can learn to fetch toys and tend to prefer the floor over high perches. Whether the floppiness is genetic or a reflex from being carried as kittens is debated, and extreme docility gave rise to a myth that they feel less pain. Some British breeders have tried to breed the limpness out, worried it may not serve the cats well.
Health research is mixed. In a 2025 UK study covering more than 21,000 Ragdolls, the typical cat lived to 12.85 years, much like non-pedigree cats. The breed is prone to a heart condition linked to a specific mutation, though widespread testing has cut its incidence. Ragdolls also carry all three feline blood types, with type AB unusually common.
Source: Ragdoll
