Showing posts with label Ragdoll cat health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ragdoll cat health. Show all posts

Cat Care: Keeping Your Cat Healthy and Your Home Clean

There's no question that our cats are full-fledged family members. Their loyalty, their love, and their ability to comfort us are unparalleled. Sometimes, though, their hair or odors can leave an unwelcome footprint in our homes. Just as we clean up the spills made by our kids (or our spouses!), it's up to us to clean up after our cats. Luckily, there are any number of products that make pet care a breeze.

Cat Litter Boxes

Cats are generally low maintenance pets, but their litter boxes often contribute little to you home decor, and can become a smelly nuisance. Today's litter boxes, though, can bring a touch of whimsy to your interior design, while their functionality can put an end to messes and odors.

One line of litter boxes comes in an assortment of patterns and colors, from solid silver and solid black, to polka dot, leopard print and wood grain. The litter tray door pulls out, and a metal sifter rake pulls and lifts litter out of the tray for easy cleaning. Another ingenious design has a triangular shape so that you can easily place it otherwise used corner space.

If you want to make cat care even easier, self-cleaning litter boxes are the answer. One style has an internal grill that traps used litter. You simply roll the enclosed litter box on its side and remove the waste tray. Another type takes self-cleaning to the next level by having a slowly but rotating system that quietly but continuously scoops used cat litter into a receptacle. The ultimate litter box is one that automatically flushes cat waste down your toilet. Instead of cat litter, this box uses permanent granules that are washable. After your cat uses the box, the granules are automatically washed, disinfected, and dried. Liquid and any solid waste are flushed down the toilet with fresh water.

Kitty Litter

When it comes to kitty litter, many cats have a preference for one brand over another. But if you start with the right litter or are persistent, you can find kitty litter that can help eliminate odors while keep your cat healthy. One brand of kitty litter on the market not only neutralizes litter box odors, but also changes color if your cat has a urinary tract infection. Given that urinary tract infections can quickly become life threatening, early detection is key. It's also helpful to have information about a potential infection to give to your veterinarian.

Shedding Tools

Many people who love cats are troubled by allergies, or by the cat hair that clings to furniture and clothes. Products that help with shedding take one of two approaches: either they work at the source of the problem (your furry feline) or they make it a snap to clean up hair off of furniture.

Cats typically shed their undercoat (rather than the hair you see), so a product that helps you remove hair from your pet - a "furminator" of sorts - means you'll never see it on your couch. These products brush out the dead hair from the undercoat (but don't cut it), while bringing your cat's natural oils to the surface. Because this type of product also helps stops over zealous self-cleaning, your cat may be less likely to be bothered by hairballs.

Cat care isn't difficult, and the great litter boxes, kitty litter, and shedding tools make it even easier!


Cat Health Insurance Pet




Cat health insurance pet. When you adopt or purchase a pet cat, the last thing you think about is the

impending financial burden this little darling adds to your family expenses. You may not have heard of

cat health insurance pet, but it does exist and it helps you keep your kitty in the best of health without

placing you in deep debt with vet bills. Whether its for emergency care, unexpected illnesses or

routine care, you need to put a plan in place for cat health care.

By the time you finish this cat health insurance pet article, you will be able to put some real dollar

numbers to the cost of keeping a cat. Being a responsible caretaker of a cat - or any creature -

carries with it certain commitments to physical care. If your current circumstances don't allow for

pet care it is better that you don't take in a cat.

The cost of keeping a cat doesn't end at the cat food bowl. But it usually starts there. Here's a list

of the costs associated with typical care. These costs do not include care for emergency situations

and illnesses. That's where cat health insurance really can pay off.

Typical Cost of Keeping A Cat health insurance pet For One Year :

1. Food: This number is based on commercial dry and wet cat food products. $400

If you use raw meat instead of dry or wet commercial products, your cat will benefit, but you will

have more work to do to prepare and store her meals;

2. Kitty litter $60;

3. Bedding, scratch post, travel carrier $220;

4. Spay or Neutering $50 (when adopted at a local shelter) or $125 outside of a shelter service

veterinarian;

5. Basic Core Vaccinations $75 - $125;

6. An annual veterinary examination with re-vaccination $75 - $125.

In short, you can expect a first year cost of keeping a cat to be about just shy of $1,000 for the

first year. Thereafter $475 - $525 per year and this doesn't included any goodies like toys, treats,

and flea care.

You can see the cost of keeping a cat isn't small change. So what happens if Ms Kitty swallows a yard

of string or rubber bands or Christmas tree tinsel? Now her intestines are all bound up and you have

an emergency veterinary bill to face.

Now you have a big choice to make your cat health insurance pet
You can take on the big expense of this surgery to save her life or end her suffering and humanely

euthanize her.

When you have cat health insurance you don't have to think twice about treating your cat's illnesses

or accidental injuries. You can choose to treat your cat without taking on huge debt to pay the vet.

Standard cat health care plans reimburse from 70% to even 100% of vet bills after you pay the

deductible, typically $100.

When emergencies and unexpected illnesses hit your pet cat, you can bank on cat health insurance to

help you pay the vet bills. A typical kitten insurance plan is around $12 / month. Even senior cats

can enroll in cat health insurance programs for about $26 / month.

The choice is yours. Our life choices are often made in times when love and charity tugs at our

hearts. When it comes to our pets this is a choice for a lifetime.

Your next move? Take a few minutes to compare the best cat health insurance pet deals available for

your cat. Its one of the cheapest cat care choices you can make.

How to care your ragdoll cat teeth



Each kitten has 26 temporary teeth, which begin to appear at about three weeks of age, An adult cat will have 30 permanent teeth. A cat usually begins getting his or her permanent teeth when he or she is three of four months old. Some of these teeth have two roots while others have three.


resporption lesions and gum disease (gingivitis) are The most common dental diseases found in cats. Resorption lesions are also known as cervical line lesions or neck lesions and often result in tooth loss. These lesions are difficult to detect, as they often grow below the gum line. 70% Gum disease is found in over of cats by the age of three. You can tell if your cat has gum disease by looking for yellow and brown starter build up along the gum line and over the tooth, red inflamed gums, and chronic bad breath.

Oral disease is often an indication of other more serious health problems. For example, it is common for a cat with feline leukemia virus (FeLV) to have oral health problems. Dental conditions are also commonly found with feline immunodeficiency virus and feline calicivirus. Therefore, if your pet is have dental problems, you need to see a vet right away about these conditions to make sure they are symptoms of a much more serious disease.

By taking your cat to the vet often and asking about oral health, you can make sure that you are providing the best health care foods and tools for your feline friend.
oral health is important in all mammals. Cats are just like humans they susceptible to a number of dental disease and problems.

Cats can also accidentally break teeth. This can be a result of a fall, a fight with another cat or other animal, or biting into something too hard to chew. Usually, the upper canine tooth will be the tooth fractured. This is the tooth in your cat’s mouth that looks like a large fang. If this is fractured, your cat may or may not be in pain. The first symptom of this kind of a fracture is continuous sneezing.

how to make your ragdoll cat out from the garden



If a cat has made his way into your garden, it may be hard to get him out. a simply way to make your ragdoll cat out from the garden is with a dog, pit bulls and Dobermans There are a dog breeds that completely dislike cats, . Cats are completely fearful of these breeds, and will flee if they see them around.

Your first line of defense when keeping cats out of your garden is to make sure that you have your boundaries secure. If there are any gaps in your fence, you should make sure that you block them to prevent any low access. Cats are very agile animals, and can jump very high. Normally they can jump a fence, which is why you should also invest in string or taut wire across the top.

All cats are known to despise water as well. If you spot a cat in your garden, water almost always gets him out. All it takes is a bucket of water or a well aimed squirt with a garden hose to make him run away. After you have hit the cat with water several times, he should get the hint not to come back anymore. If he comes back, simply squirt him or throw more water on him until he gets the idea.

you can find motion activated sprinklers, If you visit your local hardware or lawn store. They work great in keeping cats out of your garden. Once you install the sprinkler system and a cat comes into the area, the detector will pick up the cat’s presence and immediately shoot out a jet of water that will douse the cat. In most cases, all it takes is a few times of exposure to the sprinkler before a cat learns to stay out of that area.


Protecting your plants is a different story. Mothballs are said to be very effective, as cats don’t like the smell. You can use mothballs around your plants, garden borders, or even along the fence. There are other repellents that you can use as well, such as cayenne peppers, tobacco, lavender oil, citronella oil, mustard oil, and even lemon grass oil.


Sound devices that feature high frequencies are also a great way to scare off cats, although they aren’t annoying to humans. You can find several different models, such as those that stay on all the time, and those that are motion detected. To use this type of device, you’ll need to make sure that the model you have is strong enough to cover the entire area. If you model you are using is strong enough to cover your entire garden, it should suffice in scaring off any unwanted animals.

You can also use commercial repellents as well. Commercial repellents use scents to keep cats away, and shouldn’t be used near any food crops. Due to their high chemical content, commercial repellents can pollute your crops. You can find them at your local department store, with several varieties to choose from, many of which will fend off other animals from your garden as well.

You’ll need to use patience, as the cat will be confused and not know if you plan to hurt him or not. If you have a garden, it can be very annoying if cats and other animals decide to make your garden their home. If you stick to your guns and do your part, you can prevent them from bothering your garden or your crops. Once you have secured your boundaries around the garden, you should try using water first. If water doesn’t seem to work, you can look into another method, such as commercial repellents.

A good care to your ragdoll cat



If you have a ragdoll cat, you will need to think about how to make him happy and feel comptible. GIve your full attention, it will make your ragdolla cat very happy. dont' forget to get him to the park everyday, they will very like that and you can always leave a supply of dry food out for your cat. Feeding your pet it will depend a great deal on his age.

cat need to be feed three times a day. Older cats require two small meals or one large meal for the day. Kittens on the other hand, require several feedings a day until they get around the age of 12 weeks. Canned food can be feed to cats, although any food that has been left out longer than 30 minutes need to be disposed of. Cats loved canned food but Canned food is more expensive food, and you should always keep in mind that some may need to be thrown away when you buy it.

you should always make sure that he has enough water, When you give your cat dry food. Dry food costs is more cheaper than canned food, and it is very good to build your cat teeth. If you have time you can make your own food, its very good for your cat, you can buy a new recipe book how to make a nutrition food for your cat.

you will need to give them a brushing at least once a day. Brushing will reduce the risk of hairballs and keep your cat’s coat nice and clean. If you are keeping your cat indoors, you’ll need to have a litter box in an area that is easy for your cat to access. cat prefer for it to be nice and clean so You should always scoop it on a daily, and clean it out once a week it is because Cats don’t like to use dirty litter boxes.

If you own a kitten, you should only give you kitten food designed for him. don't forget to clean and refill his water dish every day. If you forget to change and clean up the water dish, your cat will get diarhea. Treats are fine on occasion, although too many of them can cause your pet to get fat. Feeding your kitten human food is good on occasion, although you may have to mix it in with his cat food.

The easiest way to give a pill too your Ragdoll cat



The easiest way to give your ragdoll cat pill is to crush the power into a powdery form by putting it between two spoons. Once the pill is powder, mix it in with some wet cat food. Ragdoll Cats are used to eating dry food will see the wet food and think of it as a treat. They will eat it up, unaware that they just took their medicine.

all you have to do If the medicine happens to be in capsule form, is too pry the capsule apart then sprinkle the medicine on some wet food and serve it to your pet. If the food also contains the pill or if your pet is sick, chances are he won’t eat it. In this event, you should look into a pet piller. You can get these handy devices from your veterinarian. They are plastic rods that hold the pill until you press a plunger. When you get one, you should always get a long one with a softer tip.

When you get your gun, your vet should show you how to use it. The most difficult aspect of using the gun is getting your cat to open his mouth. The gun will more or less shoot the pill in the cat’s mouth, and down his throat. You’ll need to hold him tight, to make sure that he doesn’t wiggle his way loose. Once you have his mouth open, you’ll need to squeeze the trigger and pull the gun away quickly. After the pill has been inserted, make sure you give your cat a treat.

Or you can try giving your cat his pills by your hand. open his mouth with your hand slowly. Once you have his mouth open, you should aim for the back of his throat and throw the pill in. Once it is in his mouth, you should close his mouth with your hand and hold it shut for a few moments. if he hasn’t already, your cat will swallow the pill.

you can go to a local pharmacy and get them to a make flavored gel or liquid using your cats medication, If you can’t get any of the above techniques to work. You should use this as a last selection.

Ragdoll cat And Feline Diabetes



In America Ragdoll Cats are one of the most popular pets. People really love pets, capable of providing you years of companionship. Like other pets, cats can sometimes get sick. There are several different types of ailments that cats can get, one of which is feline diabetes. It's a serious disease, and it can be treated by a veterinarian.


The symptoms include an increase thirst and urine . loss of appetite, weight loss, that is the Other symptoms of feline diabetes. increase in thirst is easy to detect, as you can easily notice the water dish empty throughout the day.

Sugar, or glucose is The cause of diabetes. pancreas produces is to kept The level of blood sugar under control by hormone insulin in the body or the animal. When the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, diabetes
is to blame.

cat will eventually become inactive, vomit on a regular basis, and eventually fall into a coma. You must get your cat treated immediately, to the animal diabetes expert, if you get the diabetes treated in time, the cat will more than likely lead a normal healthy life. Keep in mind that treatment doesn’t happen overnight.


Before you give your cat his insulin shot, you should always make sure that he has some food first. If he hasn’t eaten and you give him a shot anyway, he could end up with a hypoglycemic shock. This can also occur from too much insulin as well. A hypo can be really dangerous, and should be avoided at all costs.

you should always keep a watchful eye on him after you have administered the shot, If you have to give insulin shots to your cat due to feline diabetes. After your cat has been on insulin for a period of time, your vet may reduce the amount of insulin.

ANd the last you’ll need to give him insulin shots once or twice or a day, If your cat has diabetes. and Cats that have feline diabetes will need food at the same time every day. They should be prevented from going outside as well. If your cat has diabetes, you’ll need to give him insulin shots once or twice or a day. checks your cat, the doctor will tell you how many shots and how much insulin you need to give your ragdoll cat. And becarefull If your cat gets a hypoglycemic shock and you aren’t around, he may end up dying.

Cat Care Tips - What You Should Know Before You Get a Cat

Cats are great companions. They can improve human quality of life. So, what are you waiting for? Just get one.

Get a Cat

Not so fast!

There are some rules you should follow when choosing your future pet.

First of all it is important to balance the advantages and disadvantages of having a male or a female, a kitten or a cat, a long or a short-haired cat, purebred or not.

Usually females are more easy to take care of. But males can turn almost like females when they are sterilized.

Kittens have still to be taught to use the litter box. Old cats may already know how to use the litter box but they can also bring bad habits that are not easy to get rid of.

Long-haired cats can be harder to take care of. While these kind of cats must be brushed every day, short-haired cats can take care of their own hair almost without human intervention.

Purebred cats are very expensive. If you only need a cat for companionship you can find a not purebred cat cheap or even for free, so beautiful or even more beautiful than a purebred one.

When you already decided which cat you want you should consider where you can get one. Then, before you actually get the cat, you should examine the cat carefully in order to make sure that you are getting a healthy animal.

The health of the animal is very important. That's why the next step is registering your cat in a veterinarian. There you can get your cat vaccinated. And the veterinarian can give more detailed information about the health of your cat.

by Julia teles

How To Check And Clean Your Cats Ears

An important part of keeping your cat healthy and happy is checking and cleaning their ears. Because the ears are one of the few parts that cats can not reach themselves they need a little help from a loving owner. Keeping your cats ears clean is extremely important because any unremoved dirt, debris, or wax can clog the ears and cause infections. Regular ear cleaning at home augment’s your cats own natural grooming habits.

1. How to check the ears


During petting, casually check your cats ears for discharge, redness, unpleasant smell, swelling, and even lumps. Also observe your cat’s behaviour, if he often scratches or paws at his ears (and sometimes even shakes his head often), then he might be feeling discomfort in the ear area. If you notice that your cats ears are becoming painful or inflamed, visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. The veterinarian has the equipment to look deep into your cat’s ear canal and give an accurate diagnosis. The veterinarian will determine if allergies, skin conditions, ear mites, bacteria, yeasts, and fungi are causing ear diseases. Seek early treatment, or your cat’s ear condition may become too late to heal.

2. How to clean the ears


Ask your veterinarian for gentle ear cleaning solutions you can use to keep your cats ears clean. These special solutions are effective in removing excess wax, moisture, and debris from your cat’s outer ear canal. Be sure to use only solutions that are specifically formulated for cats. Avoid medicated solutions, unless your veterinarian advises you to use it.

Different solutions are administered differently, but most of them require you to follow these steps.

* You typically only need a few drops of the ear solution. Squeeze the bottle and let a few drops fall on into your cat’s ear canal.


* Start massaging the base of your cats ear gently. You should hear a ‘squelch’ while you do this. Repeat the same

procedure with the other ear. After both ears have been cleaned, let your cat shake its head, this loosens the waxes.

NOTE: Stop massaging immediately if your cat feels pain, and then take your cat to the veterinarian if you haven't already done so.

* Wipe the solution by wrapping your forefinger with cotton wool, this should clean off wax and debris. Do this gently though and do not poke in too deep, or you might hurt your cats eardrum.

It is recommended not to use cotton buds, which can injure the ear canals’ sensitive lining.

by Drew Pilton

The Right Food to Feed Ragdoll Cats And Kittens

Cat food can be classified into dry, moist, and semi-moist foods. Each one has its advantages, and Ragdolls need various kinds of food at different stages. Kittens need on the whole breast milk and moist food, while adults require more protein and dry food. Pregnant Ragdolls have special dietary needs that change all through the pregnancy as well.

Ragdoll kittens ought to be only breastfed for the first four to five weeks. Cat milk includes all the nutrients necessary for the kitten's growth, including antibodies that help prevent disease. Breast milk also passes on other antibodies that the mother produced to fight previous diseases.

More food ought to be supplied after four to five weeks, as the kitten requires more nutrients to support its fast growth. Introductory food ought to be easy to digest. Mix canned food with warm water or kitten replacement milk until it constitutes a loose paste. Do NOT use regular cow's milk this is too heavy for kittens and could cause in indigestion.

Dry food

After another four to five weeks, your kitten should be ready for dry food. To make the change easier, moisten dry food with a little warm water in the first few feedings. It's also essential to choose high-quality supplements to dry food and some of the good brands are Iams®, Science Diet®, and Nutro Kitten®. Science Diet Feline Growth® is popular among Ragdoll kittens. Supplements can be provided twice a day with morning and evening feeding. You can switch to adult food after approximately 12 months.

Choosing and preparing kitten food

Ragdoll kittens have fragile stomachs, so take extra care in choosing kitten food. Food should always be warm or slightly above room temperature. Discard all food that has been left out for more than 30 minutes, especially in the summer. Bacteria grows fast in warm, wet foods and may possibly upset your kitten's stomach, or even lead to food poisoning. To stop wasting food, just observe how much your kitten eats at a time so you know how much to prepare per feeding.

House flies can easily contaminate kitten food, so keep your feeding area as fly-proof as possible. Wash the feeding bowl daily with hot, soapy water and replace water in the drinking bowl several times a day. Wash the drinking bowl at the same time and refill with fresh water.

Table scraps can be given occasionally, but don't make regular meals out of them. Cooked human foods do not contain the nutrients necessary for your kitten's growth. Generic cat food from groceries are better, but Stellarhart recommends high-quality foods from specialty pet stores. Also, cats don't like the smell of plastic and metal containers, so use only glass drinking bowls.

Dry vs wet foods

Dry foods are generally better for your Ragdoll, except in the breastfeeding and introductory stage. They work your kitten's chewing muscles and help keep the teeth white. Dry food consists in the main of meat and vegetables, and can be moistened or served dry. Serving them dry allows your cat to nibble throughout the day, rather than eating one large meal at a time. Dry food ought to contain about 9 to 10% moisture, 8% fat, and 30% protein.

Moist food contains about 75% moisture and equal amounts of fat and protein. Not all moist foods are the same some are all-meat or all-fish, while others are a mix of meat and vegetables. The former should not be used for regular meals, as your cat can get addicted and refuse to eat other foods. The small treat cans of variety foods are usually all-meat or all-fish. As with kitten food, moist foods ought to be warmed to room temperature before serving.

Semi-moist food has about 35% water, 27% protein, and 7% fat. Most of them are nutritionally balanced, very tasty, and can be left out for nibbling, but they spoil quicker than dry food.

Kitten treats

Occasional kitten treats will not harm your kitten, but take care not to fill them up so they can still eat regular meals. Treats ought to not provide any more than 10% of your kitten's daily caloric intake. Look for hard chew treats to help improve your kitten's dental health

B. Feeding Ragdoll Adults

Ragdolls are not very active, so they gain weight faster than other cats. Do not let them become obese provide them only 70 calories per kilogram of body weight. A lot of what people believe to be cats’ favourite foods are actually harmful. Here are some of the most common cat food myths:

Fish

Fish may be good for cats, but it can’t cover all their nutritional needs, and too much of the same nutrients can be harmful. Tuna is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which need vitamin E to break them down. too much tuna in your cat’s diet can cause yellow fat disease (steatitis).

Milk

Milk is rich in water and carbohydrates, but many cats are lactose intolerant and get digestive problems a few hours after drinking milk. Regular cow’s milk can cause diarrhoea and loose stools, which can lead to malnutrition and dehydration. If your cat likes milk, use replacement cat milk instead.

Catnip

Cats love the smell of catnip leaves, but it can cause short-term behavioural changes. Catnip is a hallucinogen and may possibly put your cat in a state of near delirium. Some effects include rolling, rubbing, chasing phantom mice, or simply staring into space. Although it’s not addictive, catnip has no place in your cat’s diet.

Dog food

It could be more convenient to feed your cat and dog from the same dish, but it’s not very healthy for either pet. Cats require more protein, taurine, preformed vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, and arachidonic acids, which they can get from a meat-heavy diet. A shortage of these nutrients can make your cat seriously ill, and an overdose can have the same effect in dogs.

Low ash diets

A popular belief among cat owners is that diets low in ash can help discourage urinary tract infection. But that’s only partly true. Ash is not a single nutrient, but is actually a group of minerals including calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. Lower levels of magnesium keep urine at its normal, slightly acidic state, but reducing other minerals will have no effect.

Other foods to avoid

Alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol can be toxic and cause fatal complications.

Baby food.

Many baby foods contain onion powder, which can be harmful to the blood.

Fish and meat bones.

Small splinters can cut into the digestive tract and lead to bleeding.

Caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate).

Caffeine can affect the cat’s heart and nervous system.

Citrus oil extracts.

This can lead to stomach upsets and vomiting.

Fat.

Animal fats can lead to pancreatitis.

Don’t feed your cat fatty cooked meats, or at least trim the fat off first.

Grapes and raisins.

These contain a toxin that can harm the kidneys.

Human vitamin and iron supplements.

Excessive iron can damage the liver, kidneys, and the lining of the digestive tract.

Liver.

Liver is safe in limited amounts, but an excess can cause vitamin A toxicity.

Macadamia nuts.

Unknown toxins in macadamia can damage the muscles, digestive system, and nervous system.

Marijuana.

Marijuana can lead to vomiting, depression, and irregular heart rate.

Mushrooms.

Some mushrooms contain highly toxic substances that can affect multiple systems and even cause death.

Onion and garlic (powdered, cooked or raw).

These contain disulfides and sulfoxides, which can cause anaemia. They are harmful to both cats and dogs, but cats are more vulnerable.

Persimmons.

Persimmons seeds can obstruct the intestines.

Potato, tomato and rhubarb.

These can be harmful to the nervous, digestive, and urinary systems. The leaves and stems could possibly also be toxic.

Raw eggs.

Raw eggs can damage your cat’s hair and coat.

Salt.

Salt and salty foods can cause electrolyte imbalance, a potentially fatal condition affecting the heart and nervous system.

String.

Strings from beans and other vegetables may possibly not be digested, which can cause blockages.

Sugar.

Sweets are high in empty calories, which can lead to obesity, diabetes, and dental problems.

Yeast dough.

Yeast can expand in the stomach during digestion, causing it to rupture.

Once you have educated yourself as to the unique requirements of ragdoll cats you will instinctively know what is good or bad for your cat.

by Drew Pilton

Ragdoll Cat Care - How Much Do You Know About Ragdolls? Quiz Yourself and Find Out

If you know anything about Ragdoll cats, you know just how easy it is to fall in love with them. Ragdoll cats require care that other breeds of cat may not. When you are considering ownership of a Ragdoll, it's important to think about what breed specific care your kitty will need.

I've created a short True or False quiz about Ragdoll cats and how to care for them.

Ragdolls are a small breed of cat and reach maturity at about 18-months-old. True or False?

The answer is false. Ragdolls are large cats at maturity. A normal weight for a male Ragdoll is around 15-20 pounds and females tend to be a few pounds less. It takes Ragdolls three to four years to reach full maturity.

Ragdoll cats are easy-going and don't require any maintenance. True or False?

False again. This is sort of a trick question because Ragdoll cats do tend to be easy-going and are not high-maintenance cats. Still, it is best to brush your Ragdoll at least weekly. Ragdolls have beautiful, soft, rabbit-like fur. Matting is not likely to be an issue with Ragdolls, but brushing will help to remove dead hair and prevent shedding.

Ragdoll cats do not feel pain. True or False?

False. There is no question that Ragdolls feel pain. They absolutely do. This myth came from Ann Baker, the creator of the Ragdoll breed herself. Fortunately this myth has been thoroughly refuted.

Ragdoll lovers probably instantly knew the answers to the quiz, but if you're new to the world of Ragdolls, maybe you learned something. There is a lot of information out there about the breed. If you continue studying these amazing cats, I'm sure you will be as much in love with them as I am.

By Marie Sampson