By Annie Lijnema

I think that most people know what a ragdoll is by now. When I bought my first Ragdoll back in 1989 the race was totally unknown and unloved in the Netherlands. Before the Ragdoll had achieved its CAC status, many promotional activities and hard work had to be done. Due to the race’s beautiful appearance and sweet character it has become very popular over the years. Even today, people still ask what makes the Ragdoll so different and special.

Lately, the Ragdoll has been getting a lot of positive media attention. However, there have been numerous publications in the pas in which the Ragdoll was put down deeply. It was said to be a ‘John Sock’ that was able to do anything. It would be a John Sock cat, where you could do totally everything with. These are all fables that date from the first days of the Ragdoll, a great selling technique that still works great today.
 

The legende of the Ragdoll

963-Riverside California. The Ragdoll came into out of a white type of Angora cat. Her name was Josephine and she was owned by Ann Baker. After surviving a car accident Josephine’s genetic make up was changed and her kittens had acquired there own special traits.These where painless Ragdoll's, also by lifting them up they hung still and had no fear and are extremely big.

Ann began the line with a male cat, that looked like a holy Burma. A kitten from this litter (Raggedy Ann Daddy War buck) a seal mitten was recrossing with Josephine. From this crossing came a female kitten with seal Bi-colours. Her name was Raggedy Ann Fugiana.

Raggedy Ann, Daddy Warbuck was again crossed with a Burmese. A kitten from this litter called Buckwheat, from the crossing of Buckwheat and Daddy War buck came Raggedy Ann Tiki. These kittens where the first Ragdoll's. In 1965 became the Ragdoll in the VS an official breed.

1971 Ann Baker wrote her own line book organization. Called the IRCA. She franchised the licence to breed these cats to other breeders, to make a lot of money. 1975 she asked for the patent on the Ragdoll's breed as the owner of the breed. With full control over them cat for other breeds to follow, with no deviations from these rules.

Fortunately for the Ragdoll breed was this licence juridical unsuitable. There for a couple of them are to able to get away with the strict breeding program, so that they can go their own way. Among these people were the Dayton family. With other clients whom also split up from Ann, they’ve formed the Ragdoll fanciers (International) this club has the genetics card in his control. It is a card that you should consider as an enormous genealogical tree.