Snuggler – Ragdoll of the Week

In the fall of 2005 I was looking at Lonerock-Catastrophe Ragdolls website & happened upon a showcat that was for sale.  She was a choc. lynx torbie bicolorgirl, the original breeder was a gal named Debbie who was a friend of Sue Villareal. Sue’s cattery is in Bancroft, Wisconsin.  I had always wanted a girl Ragdoll with “chocolate bangs”.  I already had one blue bicolor Ragdoll from Sue, plus a tuxedo male from the Humane Society. Snuggler was born Sept. 12, 2005 & would be ready to go in December of that year. I was very excited ‘cuz she was so beautiful.  After Christmas Snuggler was delivered to me via car.  She was 4 months already & very outgoing & well adjusted. And she loved to EAT! And chew on anything she had her paws on.  She had a knack for knocking pictures & knick-knacks off the wall, tearing up her fuzzy mice & chewing on electrical cords.  In other words, a very mischievious torbie! I would buy these mice & glitterballs of different neon colors.  My two other cats, Bongo the tuxedo & Nuzzler the blue bicolor would love to race around & chase them. Snuggler was different.  Besides grabbing them in her mouth & running with them, she would DUNK the glitterballs into her water dish & flatten them out like pancakes! All cats love to hide their toys – I would find smushed glitterballs in every nook & cranny upstairs & downstairs. A couple weeks before Thanksgiving in 2006 I noticed my usually bouncy, meowing, romping showgirl was not herself.  She would lay around & barely meow, let alone eat or drink anything, which was very unusual. Snuggler lived to eat, eat, eat.  She would stick her whole head into the cat chow bag before I had the chance to pour in bowl. She had developed a strange habit of making “chomping” motions with her mouth, as if she had something stuck. 

Several vet visits & Xrays later, they found a big blob mass in her stomach.  Sure enough she had managed to swallow NINE glitterballs!! The vet had them removed & put in a plastic bag. After Snuggler’s overnite surgery & stitches, they put her on a diet of bland soft cat chow. She would not eat anything but crunchy hard food.

Upon returning home, I glitterball-proofed the whole house.  I guess one cannot ever be too careful when kitten-proofing.  As for toys, I must keep everything hidden & put away.

Snuggler is now a little over 5 years old, 15# & about 36″Long.  Her “set-back” with the glitterballs did not deter her growth or appetite. Her cat-show-circuit was a one-time only thing.  After one show in Maple Grove at 8 months, she got fed-up with being handled & transfered from cage to cage.  By her third ring she was hissing at everyone & couldn’t wait to go back home.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNezlxn-xi4[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnjSmFBPfZo[/youtube]

Thank you for reading! Submissions like these – the “Cat of the Week” and “Kitten of the Month”- are provided by their owners and reflect their individual experiences and practices. The information these submissions share does not necessarily reflect Floppycats’ recommendation or endorsement regarding cat nutrition or care. Always consult a qualified feline nutritionist or veterinarian for personalized advice on your cat’s dietary and health needs. If you want to learn more about species-appropriate nutrition, please visit our cat food page.