The Loveable Ragamuffin Cat Breed

Experts and owners say these cats are very tolerant of children and other pets and will allow children to play games that would have other cat breeds and even many dog breeds running for cover.

The same characteristics that make the Ragamuffin such a wonderful family pet make it a bad choice for people who are not home for long periods of time.

This breed thrives on attention and enjoys 'helping' its family do routine household chores, such as putting away groceries or folding laundry. OK, maybe playing in the grocery bags or boxes, and sleeping on the laundry is more like it.

You should know that spending a lot of time alone can make your cat very unhappy. After all, a cat breed that will ride around in your child's doll carriage or attend a tea party obviously loves plenty of company and attention.

Along with the Maine Coon, the Ragdoll, and the Birman, this is one of the largest domestic cat breeds. They typically weigh in at a very hefty ten to twenty pounds.

Photo of a black and white Ragamuffin / CC BY-SA 3.0

Being one of the biggest cat breeds, they naturally have big frames. Although these cats have larger than normal bones, however, part of their weight also comes from their tendency to carry a bit of extra fat on their bellies.

This breed has a big, solidly built body, a wedge shaped head that is a bit round with large eyes. Those large eyes are so expressive that many people say that their cats seem to talk with their eyes.

This cat has a long, gracefully tapered tail that is covered in long hair, giving it a bushy appearance. You can find these cats in almost any coat color and any pattern. Cats with points, however, can be registered with the CFA, but not shown.

The Cat Fancier's Association classifies this breed as a member of the Miscellaneous class. This cat breed is the only one currently in this category.

As the breed becomes more established, it will eventually move to the Provisional class. While the breed can be shown, it can not receive any ribbons or awards until it moves from the Miscellaneous class and into a different class.

Update: The Ragamuffin breed is now in the Provisional class as of this writing in 2009.

The coat is long hair with an extremely soft texture. Despite the fact that these cats are longhairs, the silkiness of their hair makes them easy to care for.

Since this breed is not prone to developing matted hair, these cats only need to be groomed about once a week. That should keep her coat looking beautiful and tangle free.

Daily grooming, however, is always a great idea. It will not only leave your cat looking spectacular, you'll both enjoy it. What's more, you'll reduce the chance that hairballs will ruin your cat's day (or yours).

Since these cats have a tendency to carry a few more pounds than necessary around their stomachs, you may need to keep a close eye on your cat's weight. If she grows too overweight, you should ask your veterinarian about feeding your cat a weight management cat food.

Except for this weight problem, this cat breed has no hereditary health conditions and is an extremely healthy breed overall. In fact, the CFA breed standard refers to robust health.

The breed standard also goes on to say that the RagaMuffin is:

"people loving and affectionate – a large cuddly, feline teddy bear."

If you want a large, gentle cat that actually enjoys being around children, then the Ragamuffin is the perfect breed for you.