Tiki – Ragdoll of the Week

Tiki, the Apricot Colored Cream Ragdoll

Tiki was unique from the time he was born. Like most Ragdolls, he came into this world completely white, with beautiful, inquisitive blue eyes the color of the sea.

For several months, we were concerned that we had mistakenly purchased a white Ragdoll. The breeder encouraged us to wait, and his cream would come in. It finally did, and he was gorgeous. His plume of a tail with cream against pristine white fur was the longest and fullest we had ever seen.

Meeting Starbuck

We needed Tiki so that our other Ragdoll, a seal lynx point named Starbuck, would have a playmate. Starbuck was full of personality, lively, and huge. He waited patiently outside our bedroom while we quarantined Tiki.

When finally allowed in, he flew at Tiki, chasing him about the bedroom, and finally allowing him to hide under a vanity stool. Tiki, although a lot smaller, would always jump up into the air when Starbuck arrived, and then the chase was on.

We later discovered Starbuck could easily fit under that vanity stool, but allowed Tiki to choose that as his safe spot. Later, both would cuddle on cat trees, flying down the stairs together in a wild chase, and sleep curled up together.

Tiki was so sad when Starbuck passed away early, at 3.5 years of cancer. We then got another beautiful Ragdoll, a big blue bicolor named Colonel, from the same breeder in Pennsylvania, Luv E-Z Ragdolls.

Tiki’s Personality

Tiki was a terribly sweet cat, always coming up to new people, jumping in laps, and even sleeping on a small pillow we put at the head of the bed between us at night.

He would lay with his head on the pillow and body and legs out, just like a person. He would often wake us up, licking our hair or face, to get fed. You would see him going from a chair, down the length of the sofa, back and forth to different people to be petted. He loved being part of the family.

Moving from Maryland to California

We recently moved from Maryland to the Central Valley of California, and were in a quandary how to move our two cats. They were too large for crates under shrinking airline seats and, we’d heard horror stories about putting animals in the cargo area for flights. We finally decided on driving, with a crate for each cat.

We decided to put the two crates together just behind the front seats so that they would be able to see us. Colonel, despite his name, was scared to the point he couldn’t move. He would cry out, and Tiki would answer him.

Throughout the many hotels we stayed in, Colonel would initially refuse to leave his crate. Tiki ventured forth easily, wanting to explore the beds, bathroom, and seek out his food bowls and litter box. When we finally lifted Colonel out, he watched Tiki, but continued to be catatonic, slinking down when he heard hallway noises.

Tiki was the protective brother, licking his ears and grooming him, and quietly moving to stand in between Colonel and the door when they heard noise. Colonel finally relaxed enough to use the litter box and eat. Tiki truly was the older brother, taking charge and watching out over Colonel.

Unfortunately, as he aged, Tiki’s kidneys started to fail and he passed away in our arms just a few months before his 16th birthday. We will always remember his loving personality and as the beautiful fluffy cat with his pristine white fur and soft cream ears, face, and tail, a loving child in a fur suit.