# Re: Ragdoll



## Vanessabarnes1 (Oct 9, 2013)

Dear all 
I need some help and advice.

We bought our Ragdoll off a lady who had bought her and another kitten (male) to home breed. The reason she said she was selling her is that her other fully grown female Ragdoll bullied her and she didn't want to make her life a misery. She had tried for 3 weeks to settle them to no avail, hence she had put her up for sale to re one her quick , trying not to effect the kittens temperament too much. 
She is adorable and I love her to bits , when we first got her she lived sitting on my lap or my mums, she was 13 weeks she is now 5 months old and hates sitting on laps , ducks her head when I try to stroke her and moves away yest she follows me every where ! We have a very loving and calm Lhasa Apso and she sleeps with us or on the landing outside our door, our kitten has adapted this too and rarely sleeps on the bed with us, and doesn't like cuddles. I might mention that our dog loves me picking her up but is too heavy for a lap dog. Will sit by the side of me though. 
I have a lovely gentlemen come in twice a week to give me a break as I care for my mum full time as she has Altzhiemers. I was telling him last night how our kitten doesn't like laps and he said that every time he comes she sits on his lap!

My question is what am I doing wrong with her, I play with her everyday , love her talk to her , I have always owned cats and dogs but never a pure bred cat , and all our cats loved me and sat or slept with me , just can't figure this one out. We have let her out in the garden with our dog and us but she is a little devil and wants to climb our trees and then the neighbours fur trees!i don't want to lose her so worried about continuing with letting her out but a couple of times by mistake my mum has let her out , used to doing this with our other cats, when I have called her she has come ! Thank goodness, but I'm told they are not out door cats ? She crys everyday to go out and I distract her with toys, robo fish etc .

I know it might seem silly that I'm worrying but in a few weeks we are going to have her neutered and I feel if she's not fond of me now what will she be like later? 

Am I worrying for nothing ? 

Thanks you all for your help in advance


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Some of the changes in her behaviour, especially her longing to go out is most likely due to the fact she is in the process of becoming sexually mature. My 5 mth old kitten has already had her first heat.

Please, please, please *do not let your kitten out again until after she has been spayed*. If you do there is a real risk she will disappear looking for a mate, and you may lose her At the very least she could end up pregnant or catch a sexually transmitted disease.

Also, bear in mind a cat does not need to be in heat to get pregnant, as oestrus is triggered through copulation and a big tom cat will not always take "no" for an answer! It does happen.

If you are going to let her out once she is spayed I would wait until she is older, say 9 mths, but personally I would not want to let a pedigree cat out unless I had a garden cat proofed with special fencing so he/she could not get out. I would be worried that such a striking looking cat as a Ragdoll might get stolen if she is allowed to roam freely. In addition some pedigree breeds are not known for their good road sense.

Once she is spayed (but not before) you could consider taking her out on harness and lead in the garden. She would need training indoors to get used to this. Use a harness such as the Mynwood, (which are made to fit the cat) which she could not wriggle out of, not the strappy kind which I have found useless.

It could be she is directing her annoyance at you because you're not letting her have what she wants, i.e. to go out. If I were you I would not wait any longer to have her spayed. Once a kitten weighs over 2 kg most vets are happy to spay, and a few more weeks will be of no benefit at all at this stage.

You may see a big difference soon after her op and a return of your friendly affectionate kitty.


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## jaycee05 (Sep 24, 2012)

I have Ragdolls and I find while they love cuddling up in your lap,as they get older they seem to prefer sitting beside you rather than on you,or even half on you and half beside you
They do love following you about though and mine follow me wherever Igo then back again
I don't think you are going wrong anywhere, just the kitten is getting plder, and maybe she sits on your visitors knee because he is a man, and she coming into her sexual maturity
My sons get very embarrassed when my girls are in season, the cats wont leave the boys alone, they know a male whether animal or humanhmy:


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

Same in this house! My husband and son are the objects of slavish passion from the cats (and also from our female rabbits).

I have often said that if we got divorced I would cite the cat as co-resspondant! She lies on her back on his lap and he croons to her and rubs her belly. I said "You never rub my tummy like that any more" He said "Yours is ower big." 

Cheeky monkey!

I am with Chillminx on this one - she's ready for a husband - I would get in touch with your vet and see how soon you can have her spayed. Even if you intend to keep her as an indoor cat, she will call and destroy furniture and carpets, and make herself very ill, and may also become aggressive.

Your lives and hers will be much easier after she's been spayed.


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## Jiskefet (May 15, 2011)

What you have right now is a teenage girl, with a typically teenage girl attitude: disliking other women but trying it on with men.....
Any men.....
Your girl is shamelessly flirting .... 

I'd say she is about to go into heat, or maybe she is a silent caller. Many cats are silent callers during their first heat.
Best get her spayed soon, it will probably make her a lot more affectionate, and she will be less inclined to try and escape, which is just about the worst thing that could happen to her.

Like others have said before me, she could get pregnant, catch some disease from the stray or roaming neighbourhood toms, she could wander away in search of a tom and get lost, or she could get stolen.

I'd not let her out at all, ever, unless on a leash, or unless you can catproof your garden. Quite a lot of people would want to get themselves a gorgeous 'ownerless' ragdoll without paying for it....


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## nightkitten (Jun 15, 2012)

My ragdoll Wilbur used to be an outdoor cat. Roadsense? :ciappa: Ragdolls have very, very poor roadsense so I would not advice to let her out at all apart from on a leash or a secure garden.


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## trinamoore (May 9, 2013)

My ragdoll go in a cat run in the back garden I brought a bird avairy so it is secure as other cats will bully and they have no road sense and people will steal them


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## Vanessabarnes1 (Oct 9, 2013)

Thank you so much to all of you for your great advice- I didn't realise that they can be starting to go in heat from so young! How silly of me, this makes so much sense now I read these comments. Going to book her in to be spayed ASAP and meanwhile I will look into the my wood harness as I bought on of those scrappy pet shop things! I will start teaching her inside after she is well enough from spaying. 
We live in the country but have roads near so I would die if she got killed or lost. Going to also get some special fencing I have seen for cats so they can't jump over as I have my mother with alzhiemers and she remembers our others cats and goes to let her out when she meows at the door so at the moment we are hiding the key! 

I have just joined this forum and thank you so much for all sharing some excellent advice , once again .


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Vanessa, very pleased to hear you are thinking of cat proofing the garden so she can go out after she has been spayed.

You may be interested to have a read of this thread about members experiences of installing cat proof fencing in their gardens.

http://www.petforums.co.uk/cat-chat/211361-cat-runs-cat-proofed-gardens.html


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## Vanessabarnes1 (Oct 9, 2013)

Thank you Chillmix. I have booked her in Monday to be spayed and been looking at cat fencing too today - so will definitely be doing this as we have a small dog , Lhasa, and they love to play in the garden together and we have such a lovely long garden , it would be such a shame because when I let her out , Izzy thinks she should be with her too. 

Good to have these type of forums for all to gain knowledge as we forget things too ! 

Thank you , I will also have a look at the link you me tinned too


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## Pushypaws (Oct 3, 2013)

I was told it's not a great idea to let ragdoll's out due to their lack of self preservation. There is also something about an issue around once you let them out, they keeping wanting to go out and can be a bit of a nightmare.

Add to that the nice long coat, and they no doubt get mucky pretty quick


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## Vanessabarnes1 (Oct 9, 2013)

Picked Izzy up this afternoon from vets after having her spayed. She is bright , alert, eaten a little , been to the toilet and purring like mad when you stroke her! In fact I have never heard her purr so loud! She seems like its not bothered her that much, thank god,!

She came home with an e collar but was throwing herself about so much I thought it was wise to remove it for now. Will replace it to sleep tonight I think but she has liked her self but keeping a sharp eye on her while for now! 

They say to stop her jumping around, how the hell am I supposed to do that.! She is checking things out ! Thank goodness she has now settled on her blanket under my feet! 

Thank thank thank you for all your advice. Also been in contact with a uk company ProtectaPuss who puts cat safety fences up to make your garden safe. Simon has been great and they donate a contribution of every order to the RSPCA and Cats protection , I like that! Their story of how they started their business is sad but out of that's sadness came help for lots of others proud cat owners .

One happy Ragdoll owner )


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Very pleased to hear your little one has now been spayed, and she will have a safe garden to send time in. Brilliant!


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