Kidd – Ragdoll of the Week

Many years ago, back in 1983, I learned about a very special breed of cat called the Ragdoll.  Having just moved from Texas to Iowa, I found the closest breeder through an ad in a cat magazine and called to inquire more about the breed.  This helpful breeder sent me photos of some of her kittens, but they were already sold and it would be several months before she would have more kittens.  We talked on the phone several times and she helped me to totally fall in love with the Ragdoll breed.  Not long after that, we took a traveling job so I wasn’t able to have pets.  But I still studied about the Ragdoll breed and went to as many cat shows as possible.

I finally became a Ragdoll breeder in 2000, although I retired this year.  We still have some retired breeders here as our pets.  I will never be without a Ragdoll.

Meet Meriwidoz Billy The Kidd, son of Bragdolls Sundance Kid of Meriwidoz and Chatandolls Megami of Meriwidoz.  Kidd was born in June of 2004.  I named the three kittens in this litter after famous outlaws: Billy The Kidd, Butch Cassidy and Belle Starr.  Kidd is a 17 pound seal point mitted boy.

Kidd was the most shy of the litter, not liking to be held or handled much.  I wasn’t used to any of my kittens being like that so I tried harder to get him to like handling.  But, he let me know he didn’t want to be held.  I had another litter of kittens the next month after Kidd was born so he always had plenty of kittens as play pals.  He just didn’t want to play with them.

Finally, I found a wonderful home for Kidd along with a half brother of his, Sammy.  They went to live with a sweet lady in the Houston, TX area.  She had a couple of small indoor dogs and Sammy fit right in quickly.  But, Kidd held back and didn’t like the dogs.  He slept with her and played some with Sammy, but wasn’t outgoing at all.  She told me her friends thought she only had one Ragdoll because Kidd was always hiding and they never got to see him.

He and Sammy lived there for almost three years.  Then this year she was asked to baby sit her grandchildren every evening while her daughter worked.  After two trips to the ER with one granddaughter who had a severe allergy to cats and spent days in the hospital, she asked if I would take the two boys back.  It was breaking her heart, but the granddaughter really had a severe reaction to the kitties.

So, Sammy and Kidd came back.  Sammy quickly found a new home but I knew it was going to be hard to find the perfect home for Kidd.  Needless to say, I was so surprised when he came out of his carrier and jumped into my arms, rubbing all over me and purring up a storm.  It was like, “Mama, I’ve been wondering where you were.”  I rocked him and cried, happy tears.

That was in July of 2010.  Kidd is just the sweetest, most laid back Ragdoll you’d ever want to meet.  He loves bathing my other kitties.  And he sleeps on my bed every night.  He loves my husband and head butts him the moment he sits down in Kidd’s room.  It never ceases to amaze me how Ragdolls and all cats pick their people.  Kidd had not been happy here before he went to his home.  But he wasn’t happy there, either.  Since he’s been back, this is a VERY happy, loved cat.  He’s just an awesome boy and will have a permanent home here with us.

Peg Nelson
Meriwidoz Ragdolls (retired)