Silia and Sophie – Ragdolls of the Week

In 2005, we lost our Maine Coon cat, Toonces, to poor health and old age. We were heartbroken, and we were seeking out another breed of cat to fill our hearts and our home. We went to a local cat show in Des Moines, Iowa. There we found a breed of cat that we instantly fell in love with Ragdoll cats.

A few breeders shared their show cats with us, and we were so thrilled to see how loving and gentle these big cats are. Their coats are very soft, and their big blue eyes just beg for love and attention. And they love to be held. I was amazed how they seemed to have the loving personality of dogs. We really felt at that moment that we HAD to have a Ragdoll cat.

We searched for a local breeder, and we found one near our home through Raymond Ragdoll cats. They had a litter of 4 kittens: two females and two males.

We planned on purchasing one Ragdoll cat. My son picked out the cat he felt was the best in the litter. The only seal point Ragdoll in the litter, immediately came up to him and clawed her way up his shirt and across his back. He was taken back by her outgoing personality. He knew he had to have her. The other 3 kittens were blue mitted Ragdolls. They were just as adorable as the seal point, but my son really took to the seal point Ragdoll.

We fell in love with all of them, but we decided to purchase the seal point kitten. Unfortunately with Ragdoll kittens, the waiting time between birth to delivery to their new homes is between 12 to 16 weeks. It is important for them to develop into well adjusted, healthy, social kittens before they are sent to their new homes.

The weeks dragged by so slowly for us between the time they were 6 weeks old until we could bring her home. It was agonizing for us, but we made it to that 16th week. On the day that we went to pick her up, my son announced that he was going to name her Silia. He felt that should be her name. No special reason, he just felt that she should be named Silia.

There was one kitten left from the litter. The other blue mitted female was the other kitten left. It seemed that no one wanted to purchase her. Not sure why. I did notice that one of her front mitts is not properly matched with the other mitt. This may be why no one purchased her.

Anyway, the owner convinced me that afternoon to purchase not one, but both female kittens. After all, they were litter mates and sisters. I coud not believe I purchased 2 cats. The thoughts went through me quickly: two cats means more food, more litter box changes, more responsibility. Was I up to the challenge? I’d soon find out.

That purchase of 2 cats was the best purchase I had ever made. We named the second cat Sophie. No special reason. We just felt that it matched well with Silia when saying “Silia and Sophie.” We dearly love Silia, but Sophie has a personality to love, and demands total affection almost all the time.

We live in a house with lots of windows to enjoy fresh air and sunshine, and we have three floors for them to totally take over the entire house at their leisure. They made themselves at home almost immediately.

We learned the gentle art of clipping claws, and we practice this to this day every week without fail. It is not difficult to do, and contrary to what is said, cats can be taught to leave furniture and apholstery alone. We have 4 cat large cat scratching stations in our house. They use them every day and enjoy them very much.

Their favorite place to sleep is on our love seat in our master bedroom, laying on their bellies with their big paws hanging over the top. They also love to sleep in my bed when I am gone for the day seeming to be telling me “This is my bed, and if you don’t like it, that’s too bad.”

Sofie LOVES to be brushed. We brush her about once a week. She LOVES the brush, and she will lay on her back and let me brush her fur on her belly as soon as she sees the brush. She has a very loud purr.

Their biggest thrill, however, is to talk to us in their Ragdoll chirping sounds and beg us to fill up the bathroom basin with cool refreshing water each evening. They enjoy the cold water as it comes out of the tap, and they enjoy watching the water every night.

No matter how bad my day is, how worn out I am, or how let down my day may be, when I come home, our Ragdoll cats immediatey come up to me to show me that no matter what happens, at the end of the day they love me and our family.

A pet’s love cannot be replaced with anything. A Ragdoll cat’s love is the most amazing love. Whoever said “Dog is a man’s best friend,” certainly did not have a Ragdoll cat. If they had, they’d say “Ragdoll cats are a man’s best friend.”

Linda Cluney

Silia and Sophie on YouTube:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax8yI3NSICY[/youtube]