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Thanks to his gentle, playful personality, cuddly, medium-length coat and striking blue eyes, Rag doll is soon one of the most popular cat breeds on the market. If you’re considering adopting one yourself or just admiring the breed, you’ve probably wondered how many different types of Ragdoll cats there are today.
Since breeder Ann Baker developed the breed in California in the 1960s, Ragdolls have been selectively bred over time to display a total of six different colors and three different patterns. The possible color variants are chocolate, red, seal, blue, lilac and cream. The most common patterns are mitted, colourpoint and bicolor. Notably, there are also the more rare Lynx and Tortoiseshell pattern variations. Both patterns can be in any color.
Interestingly, all purebred Ragdolls are born solid white. They have a certain genetic mutation that causes their coloring to begin to appear gradually once they reach a certain body temperature. Since Ragdoll kittens are kept very warm while in their mother’s womb, their particular color and pattern don’t appear until they are about two months old. As they get older, their coat color and pattern become more vibrant and pronounced.
Let’s take a look at some of the different color and pattern combinations included in the diverse rainbow of Ragdolls available today!
1. Chocolate Point Ragdoll
Chocolate tipped ragdolls are one of the more popular variations of the breed, perhaps in part because their unique brown and cream color makes them resemble Himalayas cats! These handsome kitties are a combination of the chocolate brown color and the color point pattern.
The chocolate tip Ragdoll usually has a base color of an off-white, cream color. Meanwhile, the color “points” around his face, ears and tail is a rich, auburn. The dark brown tips around the face and ears of this particular cat contrast beautifully with the ice blue eyes. This is, in part, what makes this type of Ragdoll cat such a desirable variation among cat lovers.
2. Lilac Two-Tone Ragdoll
The lilac bicolor Ragdoll, as you might have guessed, is a combination of the lilac coat color and the bicolor pattern. This particular cat has a light purplish or pinkish gray “mask” covering his eyes and cheeks with an inverted, white “V” shape extending down his nose and white around his whiskers. The cat’s color points usually extend down its back in a “saddle shape” as well.
In addition to this striking mask pattern, the lilac two-tone variant of the Ragdoll has the same pink-grey color around its ears and tail with a rosy-pink nose. The rest of the cat’s body is a soft off-white shade.
3. Flash Point (Red) Ragdoll
As their name suggests, the flash point Ragdoll is a combination of the red color and the color point pattern. These strikingly beautiful cats usually have off-white bodies with orange or light red tips around the ears, face, tail and paws.
As kittens, the color points usually start to show around the cat’s noses around 8 to 10 weeks. The tips gradually spread out and darken to their true auburn color as the cats get older.
Flash point kittens in particular are generally one of the rarer and expensive varieties of the breed on the market. If you want to adopt one of these types of Ragdoll cats, expect to spend between $800 and over $1500 per kitten!
4. Seal Mitted Ragdoll
The seal mitted Ragdoll is a combination of the seal color and the mitted pattern. Mitted Ragdolls are quite similar in appearance to those with the color point pattern. However, the tips of the mitted Ragdolls also extend down their legs and stop just before they reach their paws. As a result, the cat has what appear to be white or cream colored “mitts” on its paws.
Meanwhile, the seal’s color variation is usually a deep, very dark brown with an off-white base color. The color variation is so named because the dots make the cat’s face resemble an ocean house seal‘s face. Like the chocolate color point variety, the seal glove Ragdoll’s clear points contrast very nicely with his clear blue eyes.
5. Lilac Point Ragdoll
Lilac point Ragdoll cat coats have a combination of the lilac color and the colourpoint pattern. The result is a mostly white or slightly off-white cat with very light pink-grey or purplish-grey tips around its face, ears, paws and tail. A dark pinkish-gray or black nose is also common. These adorable types of Ragdoll cats tend to look like they’re wearing white eyeliner!
These graceful felines are also quite popular with cat lovers. Expect some searching and saving if you plan on adopting one of your own!
6. Lynx Point Ragdoll
The lynx point variation is truly unique and has become quite popular among breeders and cat lovers. This type of Ragdoll cat has tabby points, similar to a wild lynx! Their markings usually appear as thin, dark stripes around the cat’s eyes, cheeks and sometimes its tail. These particular Ragdolls can come in any color, although the lynx/tabby stripes are always dark and pronounced.
In addition to these extraordinary features, lynxpoint cats often look as if they are wearing a subtle white eyeliner due to the placeme
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of their color points and stripes. The different stripes are caused by what is known as the “agouti” gene. This gene “turns on” the pattern and causes the stripes to appear gradually as the affected cat ages.
7. Seal Turtle (Tortie) Ragdoll
The Tortoiseshell Ragdoll (also known affectionately as “Tortie”) is a strikingly beautiful cat, with mottled, blotchy markings. These markings can come in a variety of colors from red to brown to orange and black, although the base color of the body is the usual cream or slightly off-white. For seal turtle ragdolls in particular, you can expect their stripes and other markings to be mostly dark brown or nearly black.
Fascinatingly, Tortie Ragdolls are almost always female. This is because only X chromosomes can carry the marking for orange and black coat colors. Because men must always have at least one Y chromosome, they can be orange or black, but almost never both. Tortoiseshell cats generally have both orange and black colored fur, so they must have two X chromosomes.
8. Chocolate Two-Tone Ragdoll
The chocolate bicolor Ragdoll is a mix of the chocolate coat color and the bicolor pattern. The resulting cat generally has a cream colored body with a deep rich chocolate brown “mask” around its face and a similar brown tail. At first glance, they somewhat resemble the aforementioned chocolate color point cats.
However, unlike the chocolate point variety, the chocolate two-tone type of Ragdoll cat lacks dark brown on its paws and often has lighter brown fur in a “saddle shape” that extends down its back.
9. Cream Point Ragdoll
This type of Ragdoll cat appears almost solid white or off-white from a distance. However, upon closer examination, you will notice that Cream Point Ragdolls have a stunning array of creamy beige, yellow and even light orange hues in their coat.
In general, the cream-pointed ragdoll has a white or cream base color with slightly darker tips around its face, ears, paws and tail. Because their points are so light and subtle, it can take a little longer for cream-pointed Ragdoll kittens to fully show their points of color when compared to other breeds of the breed.
10. Blue Mitted Ragdoll
While you would assume the blue mitted Ragdoll has a vibrant blue coat, his true color is actually closer to a bluish platinum silver or light gray. Although the base color of the body is the typical cream or off-white, blue mitted Ragdolls have beautiful gray-blue color accents around their face, ears, tail and legs.
As is typical of mitted patterned Ragdolls, the blue mitted has silvery blue legs and solid white “mittens”. This particular bluish-silver shade beautifully complements this cat’s signature blue eyes, making it a popular choice among fans of this breed.
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