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NotreDame Ragdolls
History Page HISTORY OF THE RAGDOLL BREED During the 1960's Ann Baker resided at Riverside, California USA, and was a fancier of cats. Her neighbour Mrs Pennel owned a White Angora type cat named Josephine who often courted the local Tom's and produced several litters of uninteresting kittens who weren't over friendly to people. Following one of these such matings, and whilst pregnant Josephine was hit by a car and suffered severe injuries. This in turn resulted in Josephine being confirned, and nursed back to health by Mrs Pennel. The birth of the kittens came and went but these kittens weren't like her previous ones. They were friendly, laid back and relaxed. Over a cuppa one day at Mrs Pennel's home, Ann Baker realised that indeed these kittens were special and thought that somehow the car accident had mutated one of her genes to produce these special kittens. Ann Baker acquired one of these kittens and called it Buckwheat (a solid Black) and then another and called him Daddy Warwucks. Anne callled these special cats her Cherbubs. Josephine continued her wayward courting and her kittens all developed the same floppy, relaxed qualities. Ann Baker came up with several stories as to how this could have happened, each more bizarre than the last. With today's knowledge it would be possible that Ann suffered Dementia and was not mad as thought by some back then. Josephine was a happy good mum and loved her babies and whilst protecting them one day scratched one of the children and Mr Pennel in a rage took Josephine and her last litter and had them put down. Ann Baker had commenced a breeding program to establish these special cats and called them Ragdolls, after the floppy rag dolls that children had back in those days. Because the Sires weren't exactly of pedergree lineage, it can safely be said that one must have been Black, another of Himilayin or "Point" origin (Birman like). Original litters had both solid (known as the dark side) and point kittens (known as the light side). Word of these special cats travelled and interest in this new breed grew. Ann Baker maintained a register of all kittens born and each was allocated a number. Ann controll all matings and decided which cat would be mated to whom. Early Breeding stock were sold in pairs, one dark the other light. As the years past, Ann became a little stranger and a couple of breeders broke away not approving of Ann's methods. These breeders only fostered the light side and worked hard to have the breed recognised by the major Cat Fancies, and enable these special cats to compete in their Cat Shows for Championship Status. A fantastic achievement. Ann tried to prevent the break away group and the term Ragdoll was patented to her. A few breed pairs were sold prior to the registration of the patent name Ragdoll. Owners of these cats could not be prevented from calling their cats Ragdolls or onselling their kittens as Ragdolls. After the Patent, Ann maintained firm controll of the Breed and all kittens produced. With the passage of time, Ann became stranger and whilst members of the group tried in vain to get Ann to relinquish control for the good of the breed, Ann refused to do so. Eventually a second group merged together and broke away, however, this time, due to the legal terms of the Patent, they could not call their cats Ragdolls, hence the name Ragamuffin was given to these cats. Today, 2007, both these breeds stand alone, Ragdolls - Siamese or Himilayan pattern (ie Blue eyed, Pointed, Mitted or Bi Coloured Cats in the various colours. Ragamuffins - in any colours or patterns. Any eye colour that complements the coat colour. The relaxed, floppy nature is the same in both breeds, as is there origin.....Josephine. Having undertaken an approved breeding program to introduce the O gene into our Australian cats and make the beautiful colours of Red, Cream, and Tortie, and Blue/Cream Tortie available to cat fanciers, I have learned a lot about this beautifau breed and all the exciting colours that emerged as a result. I believe Ann did have method 'in her maddness' in maintaining that both the dark and light sides were needed to truely complement, maintain and produce what she considered the perfect Ragdoll ........Daddy Warbucks. Email:
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