Ragdoll Cat Colors and Patterns

[Largos Mom]

Ragdoll Central FAQ: Ragdoll Cat Colors and Patterns

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photo credit: Barnaby: Cheryl's Henry, or Hercules, as he is known to his breeder, Diane, is an example of a Cream Colorpoint Ragdoll

This FAQ contributed to by RC members Largos Mom, Anansi, Barnaby, and member/breeders Sashenka [Hugaragdoll], Krazy4Ragdolls [Hushabyerags], and Curt [Liebling Cats]
Edited by Largos Mom. Please post a thread in Ragdoll Chat for additions or corrections needed to this thread, or you can PM me.

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photo credit: Haunted Song's Arthur (Blue Colorpoint) and Merlin (Seal Colorpoint Mitted) show two of the traditional Ragdoll colors

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Cautions:

Each Breed Club under a Cat Association has a "Standard" for that breed. The majority of breeders which belong to an association follow that breed standard. It's important to note that breed clubs do not "police" the breeders under them. They act as registries, maintain records, and sponsor events such as shows. Breeders are responsible for their own breeding programs. Individual breeders may do things which are outside the norm, and even outside the breed standard. Such actions are extremely controversial--so if you are looking to adopt a purebred cat from a breeder, be an informed owner, know the standard, and understand what the breeder is doing with their program.

Some Breed Clubs do not recognize all patterns and colors, or may not allow particular colors or patterns to be shown. Regardless of the Breed Club, Ragdoll Cat Standards call for a "pointed" cat, (what many people associate with the colors of the Siamese breed), with Blue eyes. The standard also calls for a particular size and shape of the body and head, and for a particular type of coat. As the editor, I am not an expert on this subject, thus, I suggest you consult the Breed Clubs listed under the web references in order to read up on the breed standard.

Ragdoll Cats and Ragamuffin Cats originated from the same original breeder, Ann Baker, and thus there are many lively discussions to be had about their respective lineage. What is important for the pet owner to understand is that today, they are not the same breed, they have many similarities in their breed standard, but also some differences. Some people argue that they are the SAME breed--others just as strongly that they are NOT! Ragamuffins come in more patterns and colors than Ragdolls do, and yet some of the same patterns and colors. Their ideal body shapes are different, though you may find that individual cats of each breed may closely resemble one another! If you are looking for a cat that is not available in the limited range of Ragdoll colors and patterns, you may wish to consider the Ragamuffin Breed--or maybe one of each!

There is some controversy, and much conflicting information on the internet on the issue of what colors Ragdoll cats came in "originally". Some breeders will refer to themselves as breeding "traditional" Ragdolls, meaning the "original" colors of the breed. What is agreed upon is that "traditional" Ragdoll cat colors include Seal, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac. It is well known that in order to obtain the red colors and lynx/tabby stripes, Ragdoll cats were outcrossed with other cats or breeds, including Birmans and Persians.

Some breeders claim that Ann Baker also had pointed "mink" or "sepia" Ragdolls in her breeding program, and non-pointed "self" colored or "solid" cats. The fact is that some breeders today are breeding for these non-standard colors and would like to see them introduced to the Ragdoll breed standard. The vast majority of Ragdoll breeders would prefer that not to happen. The source of at least some of the mink and sepia colors in the Ragdoll breed has been traced back to outcrosses with Ragamuffin cats.

The source of some of the controversy involved in this area comes from the fact that outcrosses occurred at all--or are still occurring. Cat Fancy clubs have differing rules about whether or not outcrosses are allowed in a breeder's program, and if they are, how the resulting cats will be registered or pedigreed under the club's rules. Some clubs allow no outcrosses, others allow them and return the resulting offspring to full breed status after a certain number of generations of "pure" breeding after the outcross.

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Web Resources:

Ragdoll Fanciers Club International
Ragdoll Fanciers Worldwide
CFA Ragdoll Breed Club
Cat Fancier's Association Inc (CFA)
The International Cat Association Inc. (TICA)
Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFE)
Hushabyerags
Eiserblew Ragdolls Mink Ragdolls Registration and Outcross discussion
UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory
UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory - Cat Coat Color Testing

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FAQs:

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photo credit: Simon's Mom's girl, Samantha, is a Blue Colorpoint Ragdoll

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Question: What colors do Ragdoll Cats come in?

Answer: Ragdoll Cats which meet the breed standard are pointed, blue-eyed cats. They come in the following colors: Seal, Blue, Red/Flame, and their "dilute" colors, Chocolate, Lilac, and Cream. The blue of the eyes of dilute cats is usually a lighter color than their darker kin.

Tortoiseshell Ragdolls are a combination of two colors, one of which is a shade of red: Seal/Red, Blue/Cream, Chocolate/Red or Lilac/Cream. The Chocolate/Red and Lilac/Cream colored "Torties" are quite rare as few breeders are working with these colors and fewer are born in the mixed color litters which produce Torties.

In addition to their colored "points", Ragdolls come in patterns over the colors. Lynx or Tabby/Tabbie Ragdolls have a patterns of stripes overlaid on top of the points. Patterns of White, discussed below, also may overlay the Ragdoll Cat's points. The genetics of the colors will be covered in a separate FAQ file, but may also be found at the Breed Club sites listed under the web resources.

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photo credit: ConnieB's picture of Peaches, a Seal and Flame Torbie (Tortoiseshell with Stripes, although they are difficult to see) as shown on Hushabyerags' website

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photo credit: Sashenka's photos of Baileyboo, a Chocolate and Flame Mitted Tortie as shown on the Hugaragdoll website (photos by Wells Photography)

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Question: Why do they call them Color points?

Answer: Cats with color point markings, including Siamese, Balinese, Himalayans, Ragdolls, and more, have darker fur on the cooler "points" of their bodies...their noses, ears, feet, and tail. Many people don't know that the "points" are created because of the body temperature at those parts of the body. If your kitty is sick and has a fever, it may get a few white hairs in its darker fur due to the higher temperature when it was sick. This is called "fever ticking" and the fur will return to its normal color in time.

When color point babies are born, they are pure white because they have been nice and warm inside of their mama's womb. The cooler parts of their bodies begin to darken within the first days of their lives and their breeders (and sometimes us!) eagerly await to see the colors. Seals and blues will show their colors within the first couple of days...with ears and nose darkening first into shades of brown for the seals, and a bit more gray for the blues. A hint on the their patterns if they have them may also show...bicolors will have pink noses and paw pads, and white legs, while mitteds will have a white chin and dark noses and white mitts on their paws. Reds and creams, and dilutes or lighter colors may not show at first...reds and creams in particular may not show color for weeks or months and then only a hint of it. As the kitty ages for its first few years, its coat will continue to darken. Lilacs are the lightest and may not show much color at all, even as adults. Torties and Torbies are extra fun to watch as their fur may seem to change quite regularly for the first year!

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photo credit: Hendrix3's Ella, a Hushabyerags' baby, is a young Seal Lynx Bicolor Tortoiseshell Ragdoll, also known as a Torbie

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photo credit: Hendrix3's Jagger is a Seal Lynx Bicolor, with a perfect inverted "V" pattern

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Question: What Patterns do Ragdoll Cat coats come in?

Answer: Lynx or Tabby/Tabbie Ragdolls have a pattern of stripes which overlay the points on the cat. In lighter colors, the stripes are also often lighter and in reds or creams may be more faint. Lynx or Tabby points normally show a light rim of color or white along the edge of the ear, and a bit of lighter "eyeliner" around their eyes. Note that the edge of the skin around the eye may still be dark depending on the cat's color, but the white or light fur will be next to that skin. Tabby or Lynx points may also have a different colored nose if they don't have a pattern of white on top of the stripes, possibly the color of a pencil eraser, or grey rather than pink or black. Each pattern of stripes is unique! In the US, these striped cats are normally referred to as Lynx Ragdolls, while in other countries, they may be called Tabby or Tabbie points.

Red or Cream-colored Ragdolls often show "shadow stripes" yet don't actually have the lynx pattern. Most pointed cats, including the darker colors, go through a stage in the development of their color where these "shadow" tabby stripes will show until their darker colors develop. You can tell a true lynx by the white line on the edge of their ears, which you can see quite clearly in the photos. Their "eyeliner" is normally quite prominent, but occasionally other colors will show a bit of faint liner, but not the white edge around the ear.

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photo credit: Blueskies' Hannah is a Seal Lynx Mitted Ragdoll with tons of personality!

Answer: [Sashenka] Ragdolls are the only breed where the white color on the coat has specific pattern, i.e. we have bi-colors where we have exact placement of white on the body and head in order to show the cat. Other breeds in this regard are listed as "with white"

Answer: Patterns of White can be rather complex. In Ragdoll Cats, there is a gene called the "White Spotting Gene", which controls the placement of the color on the cat. It isn't an "on/off' type of gene, it has various levels which then create various patterns of white on the cat's coat. For pet owners in the United States, you will find mostly "Mitted" and "Bi-Color" patterns available. Outside the US, you will find a couple of other bi-color patterns which have more white than what we normally see in the U.S., including the high-mitted and "Van" patterns. Van is sometimes listed as its own pattern. Again, it may be found in the U.S., but is more common in Europe and other places.

Although cats which are shown should be as close to the "ideal" of the breed standard as possible, no cat is "perfect", and even show cats may have a mismark or two. Pet-quality cats and kittens often have mismarks which may consist of crooked patterns or dark spots in the normally white areas. This only makes each one unique, and no less wonderful than their more evenly marked kin.

Mitted cats should have a white chin, short white socks on the front feet, and longer white socks on the back feet. Mitted cats may have a "blaze" on the nose and forehead which may be a single spot, or a couple of white lines, or even drops that look like someone spilled milk on their face. Occasionally, a blaze may look like the "V" of the bi-color if it is particularly long and wide.

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photo credit: Ginirosaru's photo of Taco, a blue point mitted Ragdoll

Bicolor cats have an inverted "V" of white, and a pink nose, and fairly long white socks on the front and rear legs. The breed standard will tell you what the ideal size and position of these white patterns are. Generally, the "V" is considered to be best when it is even or symmetrical on the face, and a perfect "V" will pass through the middle of the eye, but it's acceptable for it to fall evenly through the eye without passing through the "pupil".

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Photo credit: Mamacats' photos of Cathedral Angel of Diane's Pride, also known as "Flash". Flash is a seal bi-color Ragdoll with a very well-marked inverted "V". He also has excellent eye color! In the second photo, you can see the typical bi-color pattern of white on the legs and tummy.

Pet-quality Ragdolls may have uneven "V"s that don't reach the eye or even fall outside of it, or may wander a bit from side to side. This makes them no less beautiful and even more appealing (at least to me!)

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Question: What is the difference between Seal, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac Colors? How can I tell if my cat is one of these colors?

Answer: Until recently, breeders used to have to rely on examining the colors of the nose and paw pad leather, and even breeding a cat in order to determine its color (diluted colors mated to specific other colors produce predictable ratios of colors in their litters). However, there is now a genetic test that can confirm the color of your Ragdoll. See the UC Davis link above under Web Resources to see about having your cat tested. If you need assistance with knowing which test to request, I suggest posting a question about it in the Ragdoll Chat area of the Ragdoll Central forum.

photo credit: Mark's [mlj1297] male bicolor ragdoll, Snowman, is either a lilac or a blue...but he doesn't know for certain which! Snowman's breeder, has, unfortunately passed way...she believed he is a lilac color. Some of our board member breeders say "Blue!"...but Mark just knows that Snowman is a good-looking fellow and has decided for now not to do the genetic test which would tell him for sure which he is.

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Question: What will my cat look like when it gets older?

Answer: Watching your Ragdoll's colors change is always fascinating! Some of the biggest changes come in the reds and tortoiseshell colors. These start out so pale that it can take several years before their adult colors show completely.

photo credit: The following color progression photos are provided courtesy of Hushabyerags
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Progression of a Seal Mitted Ragdoll with a small blaze on forehead


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Progression of a Seal Lynx Colorpoint Ragdoll


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Progression of a Blue Mitted Ragdoll with a blaze on forehead


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Progression of a Blue Mitted Ragdoll


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Progression of a Seal Flame Torbie Ragdoll

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Question: Are there Ragdoll Cats which are not pointed?

Answer: Yes. A small minority of Ragdoll Cat breeders are producing cats that do not meet the Ragdoll Breed Standard. In some clubs, they can still be registered as Ragdolls, though an outcross in the cat's lineage was required to produce the non-standard colors. Some of these breeders claim that these colors, which may include solid white, or other "solid" or "self" colors, including orange tabby, or "tuxedo/black and white" cats with eyes that are not blue, originate from cats in Ann Baker's breeding program. This is extremely controversial and prospective pet owners should understand that although these cats are beautiful, and should have loving homes and owners, they are outside the breed standard, and will not be considered to be Ragdolls by many mainstream breeders. This doesn't mean, however, that they are not welcomed as beloved pets and friends on this forum.

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Question: Is my cat a Ragdoll? It looks just like the pictures I have seen of them.

Answer: Unless you have registration papers on your cat, you cannot know if it is a "true" Ragdoll Cat. There are may Ragdoll "Wannabes" out there and animal adoption agencies and rescues may label any semi-long haired cat with the "Ragdoll" type in order to attract your attention. Ragdoll Wannabes deserve loving homes and you or your cat should not feel any less welcome on this forum--we are all cat-lovers here.

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Question: What is the difference between Ragdoll Cats and Ragamuffin Cats?

Answer: The best way to tell the difference between the breeds is to look at their written standards. Individual cats, which closely match their breed standards may look very different, while other individuals from the two breeds may look quite alike (while not meeting their breed standard very well). Links are provided in the web resources section for you to read them.

The standards for size and personality for both breeds are much the same. The main differences are the wider variety of colors which are permitted in the Ragamuffin Breed Standard (any color, pattern, or eye color), while the Ragdoll Standard calls for a pointed cat with blue eyes, and permits white and lynx patterns on top of the pointed colors as discussed above. An educated eye can also spot differences in the shape of the head, body, eyes, and ears that most of us will not spot.

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Question: What are "Mink" Ragdolls?

Answer: Like "solid" Ragdolls, "Mink" Ragdolls are cats which do not meet Ragdoll Breed Standards. They have an extra "sepia" gene, from an outcross that makes their solid-colored points, and the lighter colors on their bodies much darker even from birth. "Mink" Ragdolls normally have aqua-colored eyes rather than the normal blue ones.