Sophie – Ragdoll of the Week
It is my pleasure to introduce you to Sophie, my beautiful seal bi-colour Ragdoll. Sophie was born in May 2007 and has had a very difficult life medically. We (my husband, daughter and I) bought Sophie after our previous cat, Sarah, a blue-point Birman lost her battle after 11 years with severe food allergies. Our vet suggested a Ragdoll cat instead of another Birman as Ragdolls are renowned for their easy-going temperament and in many other respects are very similar to Birmans. I thought no other cat would be able to be as loving and beautiful as Sarah was, but Sophie is that and more! She is the most gentle and loving cat I have ever known and also the only cat I have been able to easily give tablets to!!! Just as well, as she requires 5 every day.
We bought Sophie from a breeder here in Sydney. Sophie chose me, rather than the other way around. When the breeder bought her out for me to look at her, I held Sophie and she immediately started purring and kneading with her paws. I was hooked. But, unfortunately, when I took Sophie to the vet it was discovered she had ringworm. Despite many attempts to eradicate the ringworm it took at least a year before it finally cleared up. Our vet warned us that often cats who contract ringworm as kittens can end up having skin problems in later life – unfortunately this was the case with Sophie. She started scratching and licking herself all over, but especially on the tummy which then, despite all the efforts of our vet, ended up developing bacterial infections. She looked terrible, like a wet, plucked chicken.
She was taken to a specialist animal dermatologist as a last resort and after a lot of specimens were taken and allergy testing done Sophie was diagnosed as having atopic dermatitis – she is allergic to airborne pollens. She is such a 
wonderful patient and endured a complete year wearing an e-collar which nearly drove us all mad. She had had the collar on and off previous to that when her allergies flared. And through all that she still loved us and wanted nothing more than to be in our company.
She is now collar-free (for the last 10 months) after she started taking Cyclosporin which is an immuno-suppressant – this has been the only thing that has worked to control the allergy so far and is our last resort. It has been a long, hard road to get Sophie to this point and she has been the most wonderful patient – she still follows me around the house like a puppy would despite the constant medication every day, applications of topical ointments, allergy injections over the years to try and de-sensitise her and many trips to the vet– she is my baby.
I have never known a cat to have such a beautiful temperament – I would not hesitate to get another Ragdoll despite the troubles we have had with Sophie (and the great expense!!).
We love her dearly.
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.
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
Very sweet cat, blessed to have loving and caring owners.
Grateful for Atopica! Helped our kitty too!
Was the breeder advised of the ringworm. It seems the rest of the litter may be infected too.
Oh goodness what a gorgeous Girl,I have two male Bi color Raggys and for sure their special angels and they so appreciate and give back all the love and care you give to them,Shes so worth it .Ragdolls are very loyal too the ones that care for them.And you know that when they look up at you with those bright shiny Blue eyes.Imelt when I See That Look Of HAPPINESS AND LOVE ,in my boys eyes.Im so happy her skin ailment has stabilized.She looks like such a sweet girl to cute .BEST OF HEALTH TO HER.bye Lisa ,Murphy BO Dee and Baby Ceasar!
Ta Lisa – yes, she is very loyal and sweet 🙂
I’m sorry you’ve been through so much with Sarah and then Sophie. Hopefully Sophie will do fine from now on and you can both enjoy a quiet happy life. Thanks for all you’ve done for your babies… you are a wonderful Cat Mama 🙂
Thanks Beth – have to confess we would like to experience a normal, healthy cat one day! Having said that, both Sarah & Sophie have been exceptional cats.
Sophie, you´re an awesome lady!
I heartily agree! 🙂
So sorry for all Sophie has gone through and know it has really tugged at your heart, but seems like you were such a blessing to her with your willingness to find something that worked. Really glad the Cyclosporin is doing well for her and hope it keeps it in check always. Best wishes to you and Sophie for a long and happy life. She is such a beauty!
Hi Teresa and thanks for your kind comments.
Sophie is just beautiful! My heart goes out to you and her for all she has been through. I, too, had a ragdoll, the sister to my now 11 yr old blue bi-color raggie boy who lived in a collar for almost a year when she began to self-mutilate at a year old, possibly from a spider bite, we never knew for sure. I took her to every specialist under the sun, including the U of Penn veterinary medical school. She was evaluated by neurology, dermatology and even had MRI’s from head to toe. No explanation could be found (unlike Sophie she didn’t have a skin condition, an injury or any reason anyone could see for the merciless self-mutilation without the collar.) I had to put her down at two years old and give up my dream of Bella and her brother Bartok living out their lives together. I have never gotten over her loss. She was pictured on a Littermaid box from a photo shoot before she had her problem, and chosen unbeknownst to me until I walked into a Petsmart one day after she was gone and saw it. Heartbreaking. I am so glad you were able to find a solution to Sophie’s problem and that she was so cooperative and patient while waiting it out. She is gorgeous.
So sorry to hear of your sad loss. It’s awful having your beloved pet put down. Even worse not knowing what was the cause of her problems. My heart goes out to you. We have been fortunate with Sophie that she has responded to the Cyclosporin as that was the last thing to try. We are just very thankful to have had for the last 6 years – really didn’t think she was going to ever ditch the collar. Hope all continues to go well with your Raggie.
Ditto to all the comments above! She is absolutely gorgeous. I am so sorry you have had to endure all this and also sorry to poor Sophie for having to deal with this as well. You are a fabulous pet owner. Wish everyone was as conscientious as you. I have a seal bi-color and a blue bi-color, both kittens. They are just the best cats in the world, aren’t they? People that do not like cats at all have fallen in love with mine because they are so friendly and unflappable and mellow! Keeping my fingers crossed that she doesn’t have to wear that collar ever again!
Ta. They are a beautiful breed and I hope you all have a healthy life together. I am certain any other breed of cat would not have endured the treatment Sophie has gone through so graciously – she has never hissed or scratched or bitten us or any of the vets over the years. One side effect of the Cyclosporin is that her fur is very fly-away and it grows longer than normal – a real challenge for us all to cope with. When she licks her ruff it’s like licking a lollipop! I have to keep trimming it for her. Enjoy your kittens!
Sophie is so beautiful, even with her collar on! That blue blanket is perfect with her gorgeous eyes. She is so lucky to have an owner who will see her through the ailments and make sure she gets the treatment she needs. The world needs more responsible pet owners like you. Thanks for sharing her story and the lovely photos.
The blue blanket is our daughter’s dressing gown! Sophie is spoilt, but definitely worth it.
What a beautiful girl and looking so content and happy in the last photo. She is certainly very lucky to have such a loving home. Our raggie came to us with parasites which took months to eradicate and lots of stool samples thankfully he is all clear now. Hoping she stays collar free for you all x
Thanks. Hope your raggie continues to stay healthy – they are such a loving and huggable cat, aren’t they?
What a beautiful kitty! She was lucky to have been adopted by you, not everyone is so thorough and willing to do whatever it takes. My female Ragdoll has a skin allergy of unknown origin. The only thing that keeps it at bay is Prednisilone, so she has to take a pill every day too. It sounds like Sophie’s are much worse….My vet thought ringworm too, but the scraping was negative…that was 4 years ago. I hope Sophie gets better, she sure is loved!!!! And beautiful!
She is beautiful, isn’t she? We were determined to give Sophie every chance we could to try and manage her allergies – there were many times we thought she may have to be put down :(. We are very thankful to have got her to this stage where she is collar-free and comfortable. One of the things we tried was Prednisone but it had no affect on Sophie’s itches. I certainly hope your cat continues to do well on it. Anyone who reads these comments and lives in Sydney, I can recommend an excellent veterinary dermatologist to treat your cat!
She is beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing her story!
Sorry she had worms. Not fun at all. Poor thing!
So sorry about your Birman, Sarah. I understand.
((Hugs))
Thanks for your comments. We were devastated when we had to put Sarah down, but Sophie has certainly stolen our hearts!
I love Seal Bicolors!
Pretty girl of yours.
What a wonderful story! Sophie is such a beautiful, gentle beauty! I am so sorry about the loss of your Birman, Sarah.
So happy you have found such love and devotion with Sophie! What an ordeal all of you have been through with her skin issue. So very pleased to know that she has been collar-free for 10 months! Congrats on that! Praying that she stays collar-free indefinitely! Poor baby girl with that collar. Only a Raggie would be able to endure that with grace. 🙂
Give gorgeous Sophie a cuddle from me and my baby girl, Pink Sugar!
Big hugs!
Patti & Pink Sugar 🙂
Thank you for your kind remarks – Sophie is a remarkable girl. Our vet said Sophie was the only cat she knows of that has endured the collar for such a long period of time without going crazy! No problems with the request to give her extra cuddles! 🙂
Hi, Jan:
My pleasure! I so enjoy all the beautiful cats and kittens featured on Floppycats.
Ragdolls are such little fluffy powder puff angels (although my Pink Sugar occasionally lets her halo slip a bit during her daily “crazy cat mode” antics – lol)!
All of us Raggie Mom & Dads are truly blessed!
Big hugs!
Patti & Pink Sugar 🙂 <3