Interview with Debbie Le-Strange of GUYSNDOLLS Ragdolls

I asked the following questions of Debbie Le-Strange, owner and operator of GUYSNDOLLS Ragdolls in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Her phone is 07 5495 5260. Her website is www.guysndollsragdolls.com.

How long have you been breeding Ragdolls?
I started breeding Ragdolls in 1997, but due to a devastating experience and losing my female Ragdoll before she was 12 months of age, I then stopped and started again, after a lot of research into pedigrees and lines, in 2005.

How did you pick Ragdolls to breed?
I wanted a cat that would be happy to be inside with me and be my companion and want lots of love and cuddles. I first saw the Ragdoll cats on Burkes Backyard and that was it, I fell in love with them straight away and just had to have a Ragdoll in my life. That was definately the best day of my life.

Do you show? Why or why not?
Yes I do show, occasionally, as I enjoy the day out with my Ragdolls.

What congenital defects are in Ragdolls?
The congenital defects that you can find in Ragdolls are HCM and PKD.

How are you breeding to avoid those defects?
DNA testing is the best way to make sure that you do not have these problems in your breeding.

How large is your breeding operation?
I am only a small breeding program, as this makes sure that I have all the time that I need to have to spend quality time with each and every litter that is born. I love spending time watching my babies grow and develop, especially watching them play and the funny little things that they get up to as they grow. I wouldnt want to miss any of it, not for a minute.

Where do your cats spend most of their time?
My Ragdolls spend their time in our home with us, there is only my husband and myself now, and my Ragdolls are our children and a very important part of our family.

Do you breed full time? In other words, do you have another job?
Oh I most definately I breed full time, I am a 24/7 stay at home mum, to my Ragdolls of course. I wouldnt have it any other way.

What sort of health guarantees do you offer?
I offer 12 month genetic health cover with all of my babies.

What happens if the kitten gets sick?
I am here for the life of my kittens and for any problems that may occur with them at anytime.

Do you have any fun adoption stories to share?
I have a lot of really wonderful stories about my adoption families, but one that really stands out is a family that came to me to see if I would allow them to adopt one of my Ragdoll babies. A lady came and her son, he was 8 and autistic, he had not put a sentence together at all and just used to sit and stare, until he came to see my cats, he didnt stop talking from the time he arrived until they left, his mother couldnt believe what she was seeing. They took home a blue lynx point female baby, and she goes into bed with him every night, waits until he falls asleep, and then goes into bed with the mother. Just gorgeous!

What makes this kitten or cat "pet quality" or "show quality"?
The difference between a pet quality and a show quality comes down to the finer points of a Ragdoll, markings, type etc., but I prefer my babies to go to loving pet homes where they will be in the home being loved and spoilt and cared for as they should be, for the rest of their lives.

Do you keep some of your cats for your own?
Most definately. The hardest part is parting with my babies, but unfortunately we cannot keep them all, so some very lucky families get to experience the joy of being owned by a Ragdoll, just as we do.

What is your favorite Ragdoll look?
I love all of my Ragdolls and all of the colours and patterns, but I think that my favourite colour is the Blues, and I still have a soft spot for the points.

May I speak with three people that own your cats?
I have a long list of people who have adopted my babies, and any prospective adoptive parents are more than welcome to speak with any one of my adoptive parents about my Ragdoll babies that they have adopted.

Do you raise your cats underfoot?
Oh yes! My cats and babies are raised in our home, as part of our family.

If you are a Ragdoll breeder and would like to be interviewed, please contact me. Or you can always just answer the 15 questions; I’ve listed above and e-mail them to me.

This page was brought to you by: