Ragdoll Cat

Ragdoll Cat, also known as "Bladur", is a hybrid breed of pet cat and one of the largest and heaviest cat breeds.

One of the biggest characteristics of Ragdoll Cat is its unique appearance and gentle temperament. Its beauty and elegance are very similar to the characteristics of dogs, which is why it is also known as "Fairy Cat" and "Little Dog Cat".

Ragdoll Cats are gentle and calm, and friendly towards humans. They are gentle, kind, and amiable, making them ideal indoor companions.

It is well known that they can easily adapt to almost any environment and get along well with children, adults, as well as other cats and dogs. They are also easily trainable and not too demanding.

However, Ragdoll Cats are not immune to pain. If you accidentally step on their tail, they will scream and blame you, just like any other cat.

The Ragdoll cat originated in the United States and descended from a white long-haired cat. It was first bred in 1960 and gained recognition in the United States in 1965.

The exact origins of the Ragdoll cat can be traced back to the 1960s when a woman named Ann Baker in California began breeding this breed. Her first breeding cat was named Josephine, also known as Jo for short, and it was a pure white mixed breed long-haired cat.

Originally, this cat was a feral cat that frequently roamed around Ann Baker's neighborhood. One day, it was hit by a car and fortunately, a neighbor of Ann Baker's saw it and kindly rescued it, taking care of it with great care. Gradually, Jo's body recovered. During this period, Jo was kept indoors and despite being a feral cat, it was very well-behaved when interacting with humans. It was during the time when Jo gave birth to another litter of kittens that Ann Baker noticed something special about Jo's kittens. Previously, the kittens Jo gave birth to had strong wild characteristics. However, after the car accident, the kittens that Jo gave birth to had exceptionally good temperaments. Ann Baker felt that these kittens had very special personalities, so she wanted to experiment with breeding this type of cat. After getting Jo back home, Ann Baker caught two other kittens born from previous matings between Jo and different tomcats. The male cat Ann Baker found was named Warbucks, and it had a white nose with a white tip on its tail. Ann Baker allowed it to mate with other female cats, resulting in kittens that all had pointed colors similar to Siamese cats. Later, Ann registered them as Ragdolls and promoted them in the media, which began to draw attention from people in the cat world. This Ms. Ann Baker passed away in 1997, and in the history of the cat world, she left behind this bloodline of Ragdolls, which gradually spread.

The Cat Fanciers' Association began registering these cats in 1993 and granted them full recognition in 2000. Most registration governing bodies now recognize this breed, including the Cat Fanciers' Association and the International Cat Association.

The Ragdoll cat is exceptionally gentle and is more suitable for indoor keeping. It is good at pleasing its owner and always follows the owner closely. This cat is quiet and enjoys playing with toys, as well as participating in the daily life of the household. It is suitable for families with children, singles, and senior citizens.

1. Cat Ringworm

Cat ringworm is a common skin disease in cats, which is basically a fungal infection.

Cause: Kittens with poor physique are more prone to ringworm. Another cause is fungal infection due to warm and humid living environment.

Symptoms: The most common areas where ringworm appears are the ears and chin. In the initial stage, there will be small patches of ringworm, hair loss, dry flakes on the surface, and in severe cases, there will be skin ulcers and large bald patches.

Solution: Isolate first - shave the hair (shave the hair near the ringworm, which is convenient for applying medication and prevents fungal spread) - take oral medication (commonly used medications include itraconazole/fluconazole/griseofulvin) - apply ointment (such as ketoconazole cream/miconazole cream/tolnaftate cream/petamycin spray, remember to follow the doctor's advice before use) - medicated bath (ketoconazole solution/miconazole solution, continue for 1-2 weeks until recovery) - increase nutrition (cats infected with ringworm usually have some problems with their immunity, so they need to increase nutrition, cook some chicken breast and carrots) - sunbathe (sunbathe to maintain ventilation, which can help kill bacteria).

2. Cat Flu

Cat flu is also one of the common diseases, and weak kittens are more prone to it.

Cause: A bacteria called herpesvirus strain invades the cat's respiratory tract. This virus attaches to the cat's trachea and begins to invade their respiratory system.

Symptoms: Fever, mucus around the nose, frequent sneezing, excessive secretion around the eyes, and in severe cases, conjunctivitis.

Solution: In the early stage when it is not too serious, lysine can be taken along with antiviral eye drops. It is recommended to vaccinate kittens, which reduces the chances of getting cat flu. The cat flu virus has strong survivability, so thorough disinfection and cleaning of the entire house are necessary. Formaldehyde and phenol can be used for disinfection.

3. Vomiting

Vomiting in cats is also common. Sometimes cats will vomit their vomit as a self-protection mechanism, and usually they will feel better after vomiting.

Cause: Ingesting too much hair, indigestion, eating foreign objects, rapid change of food, catching a cold, and gastroenteritis can all cause vomiting in cats.

Symptoms: Vomit with hair and mucus; or vomit food, vomit yellow water and foam, etc.

Solution: If the cat vomits hair, it is recommended to buy some hairball paste or cat grass for the cat to eat.

When a cat vomits, it is recommended to let the cat fast for a day, give it warm water to drink, and then feed it some pet probiotics to regulate its bacterial flora. If the vomiting symptoms stop, you can feed a small amount of softened cat food or canned food with more soup or easily digestible food. If the vomiting condition does not improve, it is recommended to see a veterinarian.

Hygiene: Because cats have a lot of hair, they are prone to carrying various bacteria and fleas. For the health of both the cat and the owner, the cat should be regularly bathed and groomed;

Diet: Different cats have different food preferences. Owners should not choose cat food on the market at will for convenience. They should carefully select cat food based on the type, growth, and physical condition of the cat. They should also prepare dedicated utensils for the cat;

Health: Just like humans, cats can also get sick. When a cat gets sick, it must be taken to a specialized animal hospital for treatment. Regular physical examinations and vaccinations should also be given to the cat at irregular intervals. Only when the cat is in good health will it have the energy to play with its owner;

Safety: There is a saying, "Curiosity killed the cat." Cats are always curious about various things and have a natural tendency to enter closed spaces. Therefore, owners must close doors, windows, and lids to prevent cats from getting into potential danger;

Living environment: Cats love to lie down and take lazy naps. Therefore, as an owner, you should prepare a small sleeping mat for it. However, after a long time of use, these mats can accumulate a lot of bacteria. Therefore, you must pay attention to cleaning and disinfecting them at any time;

Cat litter: The problem of pets defecating anywhere has troubled many pet owners. But cats are actually very clean animals, so as long as the owner prepares cat litter for the cat, it will go to the litter box to defecate by itself;

Cats cannot tolerate being forced by their owners to do anything. So the owner should trim the cat's nails at any time to prevent being scratched and infected while playing with it.

Grooming time: Recommended once every three days

1. Relax the cat: Before grooming, you can start with a massage for the cat. Wait until the kitten purrs before proceeding to the next step;

2. Brush along the fur: From the back → waist → hips → tail; You can use a small amount of water to dampen the cat's fur to reduce static electricity. Brush along the direction of hair growth, from top to bottom;

3. Brush from the chest to the abdomen: Lift the cat and sit on your lap in a human posture, brushing from top to bottom. The cat's belly is more sensitive, so the caregiver must be quick and accurate when grooming;

4. Brush the cat's head and face area: You can brush from the cat's head or face towards the neck, being careful with the cat's eyes;

5. Underarm and abdominal fur: At this time, the cat can lie on its side, lift its front paw, and brush from the armpit to the side of the abdomen;

6. Finally, use a grooming comb to remove excess fur, straighten the cat's fur, and finish the entire process.