How to Find a Good Ragdoll Breeder

If you are looking to get your very own Ragdoll cat, then finding a good breeder is the starting point of your journey. In this article, you’ll find some tips and tricks on how to sort through breeder websites and find the ideal Ragdoll cat breeder – be sure to avoid the prevalent Ragdoll breeder scams out there.

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Where Do You Start?

As with many other things you want to find, finding a Ragdoll cat for sale and a good Ragdoll cat breeder can start with a simple Google search. It is filtering out the results that is more complicated. A safe way to separate the good breeders from the bad is to go with the ones backed by feline associations, that have good reviews on Facebook or other social media and that test their cats for genetic diseases.

Breeder Scam Warning

Before purchasing your beloved companion, please do your due diligence in researching the breeder you choose including, but not limited to, getting recommendations, seeing how they interact with their cats, and more. Please note that Floppycats does not recommend any Ragdoll breeders.

Any breeders you may see listed on this site have been submitted to us from readers. Remember – this could be at least a 15-20 year decision, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. To learn how not to get scammed, check out our Ragdoll kitten scams’ post and our Ragdoll breeder scams’ video.

Ragdoll kittens for sale breeders: There is a list of Ragdoll cat breeders from TICA (The International Cat Association) that features quite a few catteries. However, one step up is to go with one that is registered with both TICA and the CFA. There is also a Ragdoll breeder directory that features more options by location.

Ragdoll Fanciers Club International is an organization of Ragdoll cat breeders and their website provides the ability to search by US state or country for a legitimate breeder.

How Do You Choose Your Ragdoll Cat Breeder?

If you want a TICA registered Ragdoll, even if they are backed by TICA, the CFA, or other authorities, there is further research you should do when looking at cat breeder options before you make a choice. You have to find a cattery that meets your personal expectations all the way.

Here is a simple plan that you can set in motion:

1. Do they meet the requirement checklist?

Aside from being a professional Ragdoll breeder, it is essential that the person you choose to get your cat from is able to show you official proof of the cats’ identity as a Ragdoll. Make sure you look for DNA info on the parents (or cat association papers of the parents) just so you can be sure you get a purebred Ragdoll.

Even if you’re thinking, “Oh, I don’t need papers, etc.”, think again. Reputable, legitimate breeders care about the longevity of the breed and want to do right by the cats. They have their cats genetically tested for diseases to make sure they’re OK to breed, whereas a friend that just bred their Ragdoll cat because “it would be fun to have a litter of kittens” has not gone to those efforts or expenses.

2. Take a Closer Look

You can find out a lot about a breeder just by looking at the pictures on their website. I recommend you look closely and stay on the lookout for some of these things:

• Are the cats happy in the pictures?
  Spotting stressed cats on a breeder’s website is certainly not a good sign. No matter how adorable the kittens may be, the adult breeding cat photos will say a lot too. Pay very close attention to the way that the cats interact with each other and go with the catteries that have the happiest cats.  Be aware that the photos could not show much – especially if they have a solid color background, for example.
• Are the kittens socialized properly?
  In your search for a breeder, you will find catteries that isolate the kittens and catteries that raise them under foot (in their homes). Opting for kittens that are used to interacting with children and even dogs will certainly be easier to raise if that’s what you have in your home, so when you analyze the pictures on the breeder’s site, make sure you keep an eye out for children and pups. You can find more information about this in our article on Ragdoll breeders.

   

3. Do a Bit of Spy Work

It is essential that the Ragdoll cat breeder you choose has a good reputation and that is something that is something that you can check online. Nowadays, the internet provides us with far more transparency for service providers and cat breedersdefinitely fit into this category. Here are a few things that you can do:

• Look for complaints
• Analyze reviews
• Spy all the way by looking for negative feedback specifically – type the breeder’s name and words like “bad”, “scam”, “sick”. Read our guide on how to spot a bad Ragdoll cat breeder to get even more ideas on what to look out for.

After going through these 3 steps, you should reach out to the breeder and see how you feel about the interaction. It’s important that you feel a positive connection with the breeder because, ultimately, getting a cat is not a purchase, but an investment in your future.

The Adoption Route

If you want your very own Ragdoll cat, buying one from a breeder is not your only option. There are so many Raggies out there that you can adopt. Adopting an adult Ragdoll is a very rewarding experience.

TICA registered Ragdoll kittens for sale:

We have a page on the site that contains a list of resources of how you can go about finding a Ragdoll rescue in your area.  I also asked Floppycatters about this on social media, and the adoption sites for Ragdolls they suggested are Specialty Purebred Cat Rescue and Rescue Me. Many perfectly papered and perfectly well-mannered Ragdoll cats end up needing a new home due to a divorce, an owner dying, an owner moving out of the country and so many more reasons.

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We have talked about how to find a good Ragdoll breeder on Facebook – here is the discussion, in case you’d like to take a gander.

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Many readers have found our book, A Ragdoll Kitten Care Guide: Bringing Your Ragdoll Kitten Home, a great resource for those who have just adopted a Ragdoll kitten and are bringing it home.

Schedule a Visit With Your Potential Ragdoll Breeder

Seeing is believing, so don’t make a decision until you’ve seen the cat, the breeder, and the cattery with your own eyes. If the breeder does not agree to a meeting at the cattery, then this should be a big red flag. Transparency is extremely important in the cat breeding business and any good breeder knows it and welcomes it. If you notice that the breeder you’ve contacted is reluctant to have you in to see the cat in the facility where it was born and raised, then maybe you should look for another.

On the other hand, if the breeder encourages you to come in and meet the kitten and see if you have chemistry, then this should be a very good sign. Once you have an appointment set up, prepare for the meeting by making a list of the questions to ask the breeder about the kitten, its parents, and other issues. Here’s what you should keep in mind.

Questions to Ask Breeders

Don’t hesitate to bring your list of questions for the breeder with you and go through them one by one.

• How long have you been breeding Ragdoll cats? – Experience is important and a breeder who’s been doing this for a while knows the entire breeding process, from gestation to birth and all the way to taking care of the newborn kitten and giving it a good start in life.
• Do you specialize in a particular type of Ragdoll? – Whether you’re looking for a blue, lilac, cream, or seal, a lynx, mitted, colorpoint, or flame point Ragdoll, finding a breeder who’s had Ragdolls of that color and pattern. Please note that breeders usually have Ragdolls of several colors and patterns.
• How do you socialize the Ragdoll kittens? – What happens during the first few months of the kitten’s life will affect its entire life because this period heavily influences its temperament. It is very important that the kittens spends time with its brothers and sisters, but also gets human companionship.

Medical Issues with Ragdoll Cats

Ragdoll cats have a genetic predisposition for developing HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), dental and gum issues, and urinary tract issues. It is very useful to ask the breeder if the kitten’s parents suffer from these diseases because this influences the likelihood of it developing them over the years. 

Aside from that, you should also ask if the parents suffer from any viral diseases like FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus), FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) or FPV (Feline Panleukopenia Virus ), or any genetically transmissible diseases like PKD (polycystic kidney disease). Please note that the breeder should have tests to prove that both the parents and the kitten do not suffer from these diseases. 

Ask about All Testing

Whether you get your Ragdoll in Ohio, Arizona, Massachusetts, Illinois, or Washington, the standard is the same. A reputable breeder will offer a health guarantee for the kitten, which is issued after certain tests for common diseases are performed by a veterinarian.

When a kitten is released to you, they should be clear of a full range of viral diseases like FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus), FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), FPV (Feline Panleukopenia Virus ), FCV (Feline Calicivirus), or Feline Herpesvirus. Once the doctor declares the cat healthy, it is safe to take it home. 

When you get the kitten, it will at least have started its vaccination process. Depending on your understanding with the breeder regarding when you can take the kitten home, you may or may not have to continue its vaccination. 

Keep in mind that your kitten must have a vet from the very beginning, who may or may not be the same vet that the breeder works with. If you choose a different vet, then you should bring the kitten in for its assessment at soon as possible after you get it. The vet will assess its medical records and tell you if it needs further vaccines or other procedures.

FAQs about Ragdoll Breeders

Still have questions about finding a good Ragdoll breeder? Take a look as we go through the most common ones.

A reputable Ragdoll breeder will present you with the kitten’s parents’ pedigrees and medical records and will be open to answering your questions. Regardless of its recommendations, if a breeder is reluctant to have you see the cat and the cattery, you should not get your cat from them.  

Ragdoll Breeders by State:

States are listed in alphabetical order. Please click on the state to get a list of reader-recommended breeders in your area.  Also, if a state is not yet linked, please know we haven’t gotten to it yet. You’re always welcome to contact us for a list.  Please just let us know where you are located.

Alabama 
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida 
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Did you adopt a Ragdoll kitten from a breeder? Was it a good experience or a bad one? What tips and tricks do you have for finding a good breeder?