Scarlett – Ragdoll of the Week

Hi Floppycat readers, this is Scarlett. She is a 5-year-old bicolor, red/flame point Ragdoll from Cajun Ragdolls in Louisiana. Cajun Ragdolls are now located in Houston, Texas, after two hurricanes destroyed their lovely home in Westlake.

How Scarlett Got Her Name

Scarlett’s name was chosen based on her color and her Southern roots. She is registered to CFA and TICA. Anne Paul is her breeder. How she came to be ours is a funny story…my husband was sad to be the only one in the house without his own cat. He is very partial to orange cats, and I insisted on a girl. I’m team…. Girls are easier in multiple-cat households.

I first called our local breeder Cooper Catz by Shari Cooper. She did not have a red female. I didn’t know how rare a bicolor red/flame female ragdoll would be. I did a little digging into the dames and sires of Shari’s cats. I saw one of her cats was from Louisiana. I placed a cold call to Anne in the first week of December.

Scarlett was never advertised or really for sale. We talked for hours about Scarlett. Anne asked many questions related to my experience with cats, home environment, my local veterinarian, and other pets in the home.

Scarlett was supposed to be one of her personal show cats, but the unexpected loss of her daughter made adoption the best decision. We set a pickup date that week, and I booked a flight.

How Scarlett Came Home

The morning of the flight, the Columbia to Charlotte leg was canceled. I frantically spoke with the airline and made the decision to drive to Charlotte an hour and a half away. I flew in my car to Charlotte to catch the Houston flight. Once in Houston, I met very briefly with Anne and picked Scarlett up in the drop off area of the airport. We had to go back through TSA.

I had to remove Scarlett from the carrier bag; she buried her head in my sweater and through the scanner we went. Scarlett was a trouper. She must have been so scared; leaving her family/siblings, a noisy airport, a plane ride, and meeting a new family with established adult cats all in one day.

Scarlett Today

I can’t say enough good things about Anne Paul. She truly cares for the ragdoll breed. Her kittens are of the highest quality, healthy, and social. She raises the kittens in her home with her granddaughter. Anne had all her records up to date and her spay was already done. My personal vet said she was the healthiest kitten she had ever seen from a breeder.

To ensure Scarlett would bond with my husband, I spent two weeks on the sofa. I made him feed her, clean her litter box and play with her.

Scarlett Sleeps with Me

As you can see 5 years later, they all sleep with me. Scarlett has a rescue sister, Tinka (12-year-old gray), Tillman (male orange tabby age unknown… a recent walk-up addition) and Merlin (9-year-old male blue point Ragdoll).

Scarlett Loves Her Groceries

Scarlet is a healthy 17-pound girl who, as Anne put it, “loves her groceries”. She has a very thick coat that requires daily brushing to keep the mats out. She is the sweetest cat. She lets me clip her nails and shave around her bottom.

Scarlett is a heavy sleeper and finds the most comfortable positions. I would definitely fly to Houston again for another one of Anne’s babies. As I am typing, Scarlett is sleeping in my bed, dreaming about something fantastic….she chirps and thrills in her sleep. And I just love that about MY cat!

Merlin

This is Merlin’s last day at our home before his apartment life began. Merlin came from Cooper Cats and belongs to my 22-year-old daughter. He has an Instagram page I began while his momma was away at college and living with us. @Merlin_Ragdoll_Felon

His handle “felon” came about cause he was doing time in the “big house” while his gurl was gone to college. Merlin was the little bully in our happy home. He ran a tight gang and would not let the girls in what he deemed his part of the house.

We FaceTime with Merlin at least once a week and visit him on a regular basis. Ragdolls are not like other cat breeds. They truly miss you and wait for you to come home. Since he moved out, Scaredy Scarlett has taken the alpha role and keeps all the cats sweetly in order! It has been so fun to see her personality blossom.

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