# My ragdoll kitten has very scruffy, scraggly fur?



## Ragdollkitty1 (Nov 22, 2017)

My ragdoll Rufus is just over 14 weeks old and absolutely beautiful! We've fallen head over heels for him!

I'm just posting here wondering if anyone has any advice as compared to all other Ragdoll kittens/cats I've seen - Ru has very very scraggly, scruffy fur. It's mainly around his bib (under his chin area) that's super scruffy and then behind his ears is greasy but he's pretty scruffy all over. He is nice and fluffy but in a very scruff-ball kind of way.

I brush him either every day or every other day and he doesn't like it, he looks neater for about 2 minutes then he is scruffy again! I've tried to bath him once as he had a toilet accident but he hated it so wouldn't want to try again for vanity reasons. I've weaned him off felix kitten to smilla & aminmonda carny kittten and this hasn't made a difference.

I love his scruffyness as it just summarizes his cheeky clumsy character but I would prefer him to be a bit more soft & fluffy, like most ragdolls are!

I've attached a picture but it doesn't really show his full scruffiness!


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## Summercat (Oct 8, 2017)

@Ragdollkitty1 
I have not seen a lot of ragdoll kittens but have seen other semi longhairs and longhairs with a coat that looks wavy. Maybe he is a bit different to most ragdolls.
What did his litter mates look like and what diet is he on? I think it is probably just the way he is, maybe leaning more to a Persian type coat.
He is very cute.


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## Pinto (Oct 15, 2017)

He's gorgeous, I don't know anything about ragdolls. He looks to me like he needs a brush but you have already done that , I can't offer any advice but I am sure somebody else will.


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## Rufus15 (Dec 4, 2015)

I would say his coat looks on the slightly scruffier side than I would expect from a semi longhair but it's not unusual to have exceptionally scruffy kittens. His eye shine and coat condition look generally good, and his fur looks very thick, so it may be that he has a very thick coat which will come out properly as he grows.


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## vivien (Jul 20, 2009)

Hi I have 2 Ragdolls one Tiga is American lines and has a fluffball type coat.








This is him as a kitten.








Him in his summer coat.
Simba is old English lines and rather than be a fluffball he has shorter sort of laying down coat rather than fluffing out like Tiga does. Tiga's coat feels like cotton wool, Simba's feels sleek and soft. Simba also has the waves like your kitten. He also suffers with greasy fur. So I put a little baby talc on him then brush it out. It cleans his fur so he's not greasy anymore.
Simba as a kitten. 







And now as an adult. 








I brush my boys every day. All except my yogi loves a brush. But even they have off days where they don't want a brush. Give him treats and make brush time fun. I use a balled slicker brush and greyhound comb with rotating teeth so if there are any knots it doesn't snag and hurt them. Then I know there is a knot and tease it out with my fingers.

Viv xx


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## Kim Watcham (Dec 16, 2017)

HI I don't know much about cats but looking at all your lovley photos is great...ragdollkitty1 what gorgeous eyes he has I think his cute very cute ...ummyummy1


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

The diet improvement will take a while to be noticeable. 6-8 weeks after full transition before you will see changes from upping the quality of his wet diet.


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## Gallifreyangirl (Feb 11, 2015)

@lorilu think you may have posted in the wrong thread. Stunning kitten is Rufus, sorry can't help on ragdolls.


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## Rufus15 (Dec 4, 2015)

Gallifreyangirl said:


> @lorilu think you may have posted in the wrong thread. Stunning kitten is Rufus, sorry can't help on ragdolls.


Improvement to diet improves quality of fur, and a transition of food takes a while to display in the coat. So very relevant to the thread


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Gallifreyangirl said:


> @lorilu think you may have posted in the wrong thread. Stunning kitten is Rufus, sorry can't help on ragdolls.


The original post states that the kitten has been transitioned from Felix to better wet foods. This will make a difference in coat quality (along with everything else) but it takes a while. Diet makes a difference. In everything.


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## bluecordelia (Jan 5, 2014)

Coat looks okay to me. Kittens quite often look strangly and coats are like baby hair. Diet is critical as others have said. A good complete high protein wet food and maybe salmon oil?


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

I thought I read someone recommending baby talcum powder when I read the thread earlier and was just coming back to comment on that.

I wouldn't use any kind of talc on a cat. What goes on a cat goes in a cat, and those powders are not meant to be ingested.

I did have another thought that his baby tongue just can't keep up with the washing of all those layers in front just yet and he will get better at it as he gets older. x


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

I'm by no means an expert on Ragdolls as I have only had one,Meeko my Seal Bi-Colour but from what I have seen from pics of 14 week old Raggies I would say that your kitten is actually heavier coated than most his age.
This is Meeko around the same age as Rufus.....................


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## BritishBilbo (Jul 19, 2015)

He is super cute I’d love him even more for being a scruffball! Working with as many cats as I have I find all long haired cats coats are different. I can have two Maine coons in and one will have the most luxurious coat that even without brushing it won’t matt and then another can get a knot the minute they decide to wake up. Every coat is different, I personally love the scruff ball look and if you’re not showing him I wouldn’t worry about it I’d just make sure you brush him regularly


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Have you asked the breeder about his coat? She should know how the lines coats tend to develop and the best way to care for them


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## Tanya Cray (Jan 9, 2018)

Please mind the mess on the table this is a quick photo why they are sat together. 
Ru fur looks very healthy so I wouldn't worry to much all rags have different coats. I lost my Kitten rylee a few weeks ago and his fur was very much the same. My older cats I don't no if you can see by this photo Skye is very silky fur she is the red at the front her tummy and bib is like ru's bib it takes alot of brushing and baby powder works wonders. Oskar the seal point his fur is great and then miss twix again (at the back) her fur is very soft like oskar but has the same curly bits.


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## Tanya Cray (Jan 9, 2018)

Tanya Cray said:


> Please mind the mess on the table this is a quick photo why they are sat together.
> Ru fur looks very healthy so I wouldn't worry to much all rags have different coats. I lost my Kitten rylee a few weeks ago and his fur was very much the same. My older cats I don't no if you can see by this photo Skye is very silky fur she is the red at the front her tummy and bib is like ru's bib it takes alot of brushing and baby powder works wonders. Oskar the seal point his fur is great and then miss twix again (at the back) her fur is very soft like oskar but has the same curly bits.


Sorry forgot to add what you may find is it is where ru is going to long haired x


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## vivien (Jul 20, 2009)

Beautiful furbaby's @Tanya Cray. I was told by Tiga' Breeder to use talc to clean him up. But thankfully he has the type of fur that rarely gets dirty. Simba does get greasy fur as does my MC Yogi. But even then it's only occasionally I need to talc them. If @Ragdollkitty1 is worried about using baby talc. I think someone said on here to use corn starch.

Viv xx


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## Tanya Cray (Jan 9, 2018)

vivien said:


> Beautiful furbaby's @Tanya Cray. I was told by Tiga' Breeder to use talc to clean him up. But thankfully he has the type of fur that rarely gets dirty. Simba does get greasy fur as does my MC Yogi. But even then it's only occasionally I need to talc them. If @Ragdollkitty1 is worried about using baby talc. I think someone said on here to use corn starch.
> 
> Viv xx


Thank you viv. I love ragdolls.. I love all animals but raggies I do have a big soft spot for i have to say. I love posts like this as people then post pictures of their babies they are all so beautiful. 
That' right you can use corn starch i use to but found baby talc nicer because of the smell i don't use it alot maybe once a month I find it keeps the coat soft. How do you find it x


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## Tanya Cray (Jan 9, 2018)

vivien said:


> Hi I have 2 Ragdolls one Tiga is American lines and has a fluffball type coat.
> View attachment 342058
> 
> This is him as a kitten.
> ...


Viv your tiga is so much like my twix awww and cat goals my next ragdoll to be a bi colour they are so stunning x


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## Rufus15 (Dec 4, 2015)

I would avoid using baby talc regularly as it's full of chemicals. Corn starch or even grooming powder are two much safer alternatives that do the same thing.


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## Gallifreyangirl (Feb 11, 2015)

lorilu said:


> The original post states that the kitten has been transitioned from Felix to better wet foods. This will make a difference in coat quality (along with everything else) but it takes a while. Diet makes a difference. In everything.


Runs off and hides in embarrassment.


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## vivien (Jul 20, 2009)

Tanya Cray said:


> Thank you viv. I love ragdolls.. I love all animals but raggies I do have a big soft spot for i have to say. I love posts like this as people then post pictures of their babies they are all so beautiful.
> That' right you can use corn starch i use to but found baby talc nicer because of the smell i don't use it alot maybe once a month I find it keeps the coat soft. How do you find it x


I have only ever used baby talc and find it makes the Ragdolls fur very soft. But because Yogi has a different fur so when find the different colours in him has different textures his fawn belly goes really soft and doesn't tangle once he's been talced but his black line down his back is sleeker and harsher so doesn't really change other than dry the greas in him. The only time he doesn't get aggressive with me when brushing him, is when he is talced. But yogi has neurological problems, and is on medication for life, so it's hard to tell if he's in pain or just being bad tempered lol Simba is a Ragaddict boy and Tiga is one of the last Cheham Ragdolls. Christine now breeds her Beautiful Ragamuffins. She is one of the first people in the country to import and breed them. If I was younger, I might of considered. Having one to join our family.

Viv xx


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## vivien (Jul 20, 2009)

Simba (bi colour). And Tiga (seal tabby colourpoint) are the most laid back cats I have ever met. Max (black moggy ) is also very laid back. Yogi brown (brown tabby MC ) is the only one that has any temperament issues but as I said he does have numerological problems which 80% of the time is the reason for his temper tantrums (Kevin his vet told me this) 

Viv xx


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

vivien said:


> Beautiful furbaby's @Tanya Cray. I was told by Tiga' Breeder to use talc to clean him up. But thankfully he has the type of fur that rarely gets dirty. Simba does get greasy fur as does my MC Yogi. But even then it's only occasionally I need to talc them. If @Ragdollkitty1 is worried about using baby talc. I think someone said on here to use corn starch.
> 
> Viv xx





Tanya Cray said:


> Thank you viv. I love ragdolls.. I love all animals but raggies I do have a big soft spot for i have to say. I love posts like this as people then post pictures of their babies they are all so beautiful.
> That' right you can use corn starch i use to but found baby talc nicer because of the smell i don't use it alot maybe once a month I find it keeps the coat soft. How do you find it x


Regardless of whether a breeder told you to use it, or it makes the coat soft, or smell nice, it is not appropriate to use on cats. Cats ingest anything that is put on or in their fur or skin, and talcum powder is not meant to be ingested by anyone, including cats.


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## Jesthar (May 16, 2011)

lorilu said:


> Regardless of whether a breeder told you to use it, or it makes the coat soft, or smell nice, it is not appropriate to use on cats. Cats ingest anything that is put on or in their fur or skin, and talcum powder is not meant to be ingested by anyone, including cats.


You _do _know that talcum powder is one of the common 'filler' ingredient in many pharmaceutical products, yes? 

A lot of baby powders are cornstarch based now, but a proper cat dry shampoo is definitely better. I think Carly favours Baldecchi dry shampoo for her Persians.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Jesthar said:


> You _do _know that talcum powder is one of the common 'filler' ingredient in many pharmaceutical products, yes?
> 
> A lot of baby powders are cornstarch based now, but a proper cat dry shampoo is definitely better. I think Carly favours Baldecchi dry shampoo for her Persians.


Not sure how that is relevant. Why would that make it okay to put it on a cat? Pharmaceuticals contain many things that are bad for people as well as animals.

Baby powder is made to put on the skin of humans. Humans don't lick their skin and ingest it. It is not meant for animals.

I wouldn't use a dry shampoo on a cat either. None of these things are made for good health of your pet, they are marketed to bring a profit to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer does not care about your pet.

Anyway, I think the lovely kitten will grow into his grooming skills and the improved diet will make a big difference too.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

And you wouldn't bathe a cat either, so let's leave it greasy until it knots and needs a shave... But how is clippig any less cruel than bathing?

Ok, Baldecchi dry shampoo or talc, particularly boots baby talc which you can get easily, is very good at cutting through grease, but a bath is really the best thing. Of course he's going to be nervous and not like it at first, same as puppies do,,,,, but the tip is training, kind patience, persistence and calm firmness until he learns to sit and be washed. Raggies will need the occasional bath, so better to get in to the habit while he's still young and impressionable.

You can also get wet shampoos which are no rinse. I have no idea how good they are ad I don't use them.

As for the cat ingesting talc, it is brushed in then the majority is brushed out and the rest blown out, so very little, if any, for the cat to actually ingest.

Failing this, you could always buy one of @Jesthar's lovely bibs to pop on him at feeding time and keep his ruff out of his food, thus preventing the build up of grease for longer in the first place. They're excellent, and as a show breeder, I swear by them.


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