穏やかで人懐っこい!ラグドールの魅力と正しい飼い方 - MOFUCAT

Calm and friendly! Ragdoll charm and proper care

The Ragdoll is a friendly, gentle cat breed with a soft, fluffy coat. It is a popular cat breed because it is easy to keep, but how should I actually keep it? Many people have questions. In this article, we will tell you about the charm of ragdolls and how to properly care for them. If you want to welcome a ragdoll as a new family member, please read it.

Ragdoll characteristics and their charm

A ragdoll is a cat breed with a soft, fluffy coat and clear blue eyes. Many of them like to be held like a stuffed animal, and tend to be gentle and obedient. When he entrusted me with his big body, I smiled and said, "How cute!" Therefore, it can be said that it is a recommended breed for those who welcome cats for the first time. The Ragdoll is a long-haired, double-coated cat breed. A double coat is a cat that has two types of coat, consisting of an "overcoat" that protects the skin and a fluffy "undercoat" that acts as a heat insulator. During the shedding season, a large amount of hair is shed, so it is important to take care of the coat. However, there is no doubt that you will be healed by the fluffy and silky hair quality. Ragdolls are relatively large cat breeds and can grow to around 4-8 kg. Some even grow up to 10kg.

Ragdolls come in many colors!

Ragdolls come in a variety of coat colors.
  • blue (gray)
  • Seal (dark brown)
  • red (orange)
  • cinnamon (light brown)
  • cream (pale reddish yellow)
  • chocolate (dark brown)
  • fawn (dark reddish yellow)
  • lilac (light gray)
And so on. In addition, there are variations in coat colors and patterns that are a mixture of two colors. Ragdolls are predominantly white in color. There may be darker colors in some places on the body, which are called "points". If the point part is light dark brown, it is called "seal point", and if it is gray blue, it is called "blue point". In this way, there are children with various colors and patterns, so please find your favorite one.

Ragdoll breeding tips

There are a few things to keep in mind when breeding Ragdolls. You can live a healthy life by taking good care of yourself.

weight management

Ragdolls have a gentle personality, so they tend to get fat without agile exercise. Also, in order to maintain a large body, many children have a strong appetite. Therefore, if you are a little chubby, try to eat less or use a weight loss diet. However, since there are individual differences in weight and physique, the body shape is evaluated using a standard called BCS (Body Condition Score). In other words, the degree of constriction of the waist and the touch of the ribs are divided into 5 levels, and BCS3 is normal, BCS1,2 are slightly thin, and BCS4,5 are slightly overweight. Cats are animals that can damage their liver by losing weight rapidly, so try to keep your weight loss to about 2% of your body weight per week.

coat care

The Ragdoll is a long-haired cat breed. Therefore, if you don't brush them every day, they will easily develop pilling. Among them, there is also a problem that excessive hair swallowed becomes clogged in the stomach and intestines. Brushing not only improves the condition of the skin and coat, but also serves as a good communication tool with the owner. Also, in order to encourage the excretion of hair, you may want to choose a cat food that contains dietary fiber and oligosaccharides along with brushing.

keep them in as big a room as possible

Ragdolls have large bodies and tend to gain weight easily, so make sure you have a large room where they can get some exercise. You can use the top and bottom of the room to increase the number of places where you can exercise. Let's make effective use of space by using cat towers and catwalks.

don't stress

Not just for ragdolls, it's also important not to let the stress run out. Cats get stressed by little things. for example,
  • New family members increased or decreased
  • got a new pet
  • Loud noises such as thunder or a baby crying
  • Moving or redecorating a room
  • No place to rest
…and other causes of stress. Also, I feel stressed when the owner doesn't play with me or take care of me. Try to have good physical contact on a daily basis.

get regular health checkups

Ragdolls are a cat breed that is prone to the diseases mentioned below. It is easier and more important to prevent disease than to treat it. Make sure to have regular check-ups at your veterinarian's office.

Diseases that Ragdolls are prone to

Diseases that ragdolls are prone to
  • Urinary stone
  • hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • folliculosis
And so on.

Urinary stone

Urolithiasis is a disease in which stones form in the urinary tract, from the kidney to the ureter and from the bladder to the urethra. It is often noticed by symptoms such as sudden loss of appetite and urinary incontinence. The inability to urinate properly can cause toxins to build up in the body, leading to a condition called uremia. Treatment varies depending on where in the urinary tract the stone has formed, but in general, it is treated with surgery and diet therapy. It is a disease that often occurs in winter when the amount of drinking water decreases.

hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an inherited heart disease that affects the heart muscle. It occurs more often in male cats, and the age of onset varies from young to old. Because the pump function of the heart does not work well, people may suddenly lose consciousness and collapse, or have difficulty breathing. In addition, the thrombosis can also occur in small peripheral arteries, leading to paralysis of the hind legs. Medications can slow the progression of the disease.

folliculosis

Because ragdoll cats have long hair, they are prone to hairballs, a disease that causes hairballs to become lodged in the stomach and intestines. In addition to presenting with chronic anorexia and vomiting, in some cases bowel obstruction may occur, requiring surgery.

[Summary] Ragdolls full of charm-how to keep them and diseases that are easy to get

A stuffed animal-like ragdoll with fluffy fur and blue eyes. Due to their gentle nature, they are easy to handle for first-time cat owners, children and the elderly. When welcoming a cat, make sure to prepare the environment of the room and let them live a stress-free life!
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