Introduction To The Ragdoll

One of the nice things about cats is that many breeds are associated with interesting histories.
Some even have fascinating and romantic legends that precede their actual development as a breed.
But none quite compare with the history of the Ragdoll.
It is not so much the actual development of the breed that was in any way unusual, rather it was the bizarre claims of the breed’s founder, Ann Baker.
Her statements and promotional methods were to say the least most unusual. No other cat breed was ever developed against such a comparable background.
The breed’s early history is one of uncertainty with respect to the cats concerned.
There are numerous versions of events concerning the cat’s relationships, which were stated from the founder and of other breeders, as to which cats were used in the programme.
The most documented versions are combined here into two summaries. None of the various accounts have been reliably corroborated in detail because the founder’s own statements appear to have changed over the years, and also as time went by, animosity between Ann Baker the founder, and a number of other breeders is evident.
This has created a situation in which reality, hearsay, and accusations on both sides, make the truth difficult to establish.
For an impartial version of the Ragdoll’s early history, it has become a minefield of problems.