Sunday, May 31, 2015

Would You Let Your Cat Have Kittens?

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015



Yes, I am fully aware of the thousands of animals euthanized in shelters around the United States a year, but would you let your cat have a litter of adorable kittens? Maybe just once?


The Blue Colorpoint female Ragdoll I have been talking about on my blog (if I get her that is) she will be a breeder cat. She is a TICA, purebred Ragdoll cat, with an amazing pedigree! Especially on her dad's side. I am very excited to finally becoming a reputable Ragdoll cat breeder, I still need a male Ragdoll and at least two other females though. I will be a small, cage less cattery of 2-4 cats max. I am also going to show my Ragdolls in TICA.


So...just exactly why am I doing this you ask? To improve Ragdoll cats! To breed out HCM, make healthy lines and cats, to enjoy my animals, to win in the show halls, and to have the wonderful kittens and Ragdolls running around me.



Honestly, I don't care whatever someone's animal is spayed or neutered, or if you want your dog or cat to have puppies or kittens. As long as all of the animals are being loved and cared for and if you're working to improve a specific breed (like I am), then all the better! And, before anyone gets pissy with me, remember that 98% of cats in the world are stray cats (like Star and Saphira, but I can't help but to love them!) and only 2% are purebred cats. So don't tell me I am adding to the problem, that I didn't start, because you cannot control nature! ;-)

So, what do you think?

PS: More photos of this beautiful baby will be posted soon, so stay tune.
Ragdoll Mommy~

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Can't Lead a Fit Blog

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015



I cannot believe how far this blog has become, but I just can't keep up with the demand of it. I have a very busy life; work, school, chores, my animals, designing a new website ( I know I can barely keep up with this one), but it will be bigger than this one. It's been a great 1.9 years, but it just isn't the same without Nico. Major schedule changes will be happening soon to Life with Ragdolls.





Ragdoll Mommy~

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Review Day: Chewy.Com's The Honest Kitchen Ice Pups

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015


Hi Everyone,

A couple of days ago, Chewy.com sent us their Honest Kitchen Ice Pups to review. They are on sale now for only $0.00, just kidding! That's only because they are temporarily out of stock, LOL. But once they are in stock again the price is $16.45, but as of now they have lowered it to  $13.75. They come in a little box that holds 16 packets of food for your dog or cat (perfect for all life stages it says), the packets are roughly 3 ozs each, but it makes 8 ozs of food if mixed like it is suppose to in an 8 oz thing of water. As of 5-19-2015 (the day this post was written) we have 11 packets left of Ice Pups, 16 - 11 = 5 eaten packets of Ice Pups. Ice Pups can be served cold as ice cubes or warm as soup, I have not tried the ice cube method yet, but I'd be surprised if they would eat it. As for the warm method, Anya and Saphira loved it! Star, not so much. Surprising really as Star eats pretty much anything. But I guess that settles that.
"Steamy" Pups.


instructions. 

See? It is all the same food.



Ice Pups box opened.

Star sitting with a product that she isn't fond of. What a role model ;-)

Ice Pups.

"Steamy" Pups.

"Steamy" Pups side. 

Anya sniffing one of the packets.


I personally choose to not waste the entire food packets per each cat; I use half a packet and the cats share it in their own bowls, lasts twice as long too!


The whole ingredients list and what not.
Ice Pups and Steamy Pups are the same thing, there is no ingredient that is not in the other packet. You can use the orange or blue as steamy or iced. Don't listen to the lable! ;-)



Here is an overview of how I prepared Anya and Saphira's entrees:

Materials ready!



  • Standard 8 oz measuring cup filled to about 4' with warm (not hot) water.
  • Heavy measuring spoon.
  • 1 Ice Pups food packet for dogs and cats.
  • Stir.
  • Serve!


I have always been amazed at how a solid can float on the surface of a liquid like it is doing here.







~ Stirring, stirring ~
Ice Pups is a wonderful food to travel with as long as you have water. Since Saphira and I travel a lot, these will come in handy!

I am not a big fan of The Honest Kitchen, but this product is good.




After you stir it it is common for the food to sink back together as powder. Weird. 

Not sure why this is side ways, but the finished product.

Saphira's bowl.

Anya's food bowl with Ice Pups the "Steamy" way in it.

Saphira loves Ice Pups.

Saphira eating Ice Pups the "Steamy" way.

Anya enjoying The Honest Kitchen Ice Pups the "Steamy" method way.

Disclaimer: I received "Ice Pups" from Chewy.com in return for an honest review of my own post that was written by me, the editor and author of Life with Ragdolls, receiving a free sample of "Ice Pups" does not mean that I was paid to write this review. At absolutely no time may anyone copy, paste, edit, or use any part of this review ( or the entire blog of Life with Ragdolls for that matter) without asking for my permission first! All text and photos are mine and have been taken and written by me.


Pros:

* Great customer service (as always).

* Good shipping.

* Anya and Saphira adore the product.

* Good ingredients.

* Decently priced.

* 16 packets.



Cons:

* Star did not eat it or like it.

* The Honest Kitchen has had some recalls in 2011 - 2012 for salmonella.

* I am not a huge fan of The Honest Kitchen, but this product is great and I will probably be buying more of it.

* Made Saphira and Anya vomit once or twice the first few days that they ate it.




Ragdoll Mommy~

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Wordless Wednesday: Slice n' Dice

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015


For being 8.9 years old (about the same age as a 54 year old person) Star's teeth are amazing! No loose teeth, a little tarter that I need to scrape off, but that's about it. She will be 9 years old on 8-4-2015.




Ragdoll Mommy~

Monday, May 25, 2015

Nico and Renato Monday\Memorial Day

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015


Hi Everyone,

Happy Memorial Day!
Nico in August 2013 being camera shy!



Renato loving the camera. ;-)




Ragdoll Mommy~

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Hot Temps!

The temperature in Florida is H-O-T! So Star insists on lying on the cold hard floor to cool off. 




Ragdoll Mommy~

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Lazy Saturday

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015



I am not sure when I will be able to start up my Photohunts again, maybe next Saturday. I went to the dentist Thursday for a cleaning and to get 2 cavities, I had a very bad reaction to the local anesthetic (novocain shot), it hit a nerve in my left eye. Made my eye extremely red and painful. Better now.




Ragdoll Mommy~

Friday, May 22, 2015

Out Of My League...

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015




So....things are looking a bit slim with the chance of me getting the Blue Colorpoint female Ragdoll kitten. I'll know for sure in 1-2 more weeks, but by the looks of it, it seems far fetched. But don't fret! I have another surprise endeavor in line ;-)



Anya.




Ragdoll Mommy~

Thursday, May 21, 2015

A Sad Goodbye

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015



I have some very sad news, on April 15th, 2015 us Ragdoll breeders, owners, fanciers, and anyone that knows about the Ragdoll breed said goodbye to one of the most famous people that helped create the Ragdoll breed, Denny Dayton.



Denny Dayton and his wife Laura Dayton worked very closely with Ann Baker (Ann Baker was the creator of the Ragdoll breed), but she couldn't do it alone without the help of many people, including the Daytons. In fact, without the Daytons there would be no Ragdolls! Ann Baker was a very strict and business-like woman, she laid down a contract for every Ragdoll kitten sold under the name of "Ragdoll", if people did not pay Ann Baker a $5 dollar fee for ever kitten they sold they could not legally call their cats "Ragdolls", the Ragdoll trade mark expired in 2005 and has not be renewed since then. Lucky for us modern Ragdoll breeders and owners, a couple people broke away from Ann Baker and her breed trade mark, they could not get the trade mark off of the name "Ragdoll", many breeders moved on to making their own breed (the Ragamuffin in 1994). Lucky for us, the Daytons started breeding Ragdoll cats before Ann Baker traded marked the name "Ragdoll", so they were legally able to name their cats "Ragdolls" without Ann Baker's say. Ann Baker died in January 1997 of lung cancer, so she was unable to renew the Ragdoll breed trade mark in 2005. Denny Dayton's wife (Laura Dayton) died on February 10, 2010 of old age. Denny Dayton died on April 15, 2015 of congested heart failure. He was cremated shortly there after.



Denny Dayton holds Floppy, a male Seal Bicolor (left), Laura Dayton holds Happy, a male Seal Colorpoint (right), and Phil lying by their feet (male Seal Bicolor).

Without Denny Dayton (and Laura Dayton, and many, many other people) there would be no Ragdoll cats, no RFCI (Ragdoll Fanciers Club International), no The Lovable Ragdoll book, no Nico and Anya, and no Life with Ragdolls! Denny Dayton said that: "No matter where the Ragdoll breed ends up, I would love to see it remain a blue eyed and pointed breed, no minks or sepias or solid variants". I am a future Ragdoll breeder and I have been an owner and a Ragdoll fancier since March 2004, I will not let the minks, sepias, or solid variants accepted into our blue eyed and pointed breed!




Denny Dayton was a wonderful man, always happy to help others and lived a long and happy life into his mid 80's. I cannot thank Sue and Dave enough for their information regarding the Ragdoll breed to me, Sue bred Ragdolls in 1987 and Dave and his wife bred Ragdolls in 1977 (and are still active to this day!). Christina of Ritterkatz informed me of Denny Dayton's sad passing, life is lived short, but hard work is never forgotten.





Ragdoll Mommy~

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Wordless Wednesday: Make The Bed

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015



Anya loves helping me make beds.



Ragdoll Mommy~

Monday, May 18, 2015

Nico and Renato Monday

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015



Nico left (Blue Bicolor male Ragdoll) and Anya right (Blue Mitted female Ragdoll).


Renato (Seal Mitted male Ragdoll).



Ragdoll Mommy~

Sunday, May 17, 2015

7 Myths Your Breeder Needs to Quit Telling You about Ragdoll Cats

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015



Hi Everyone,


I thought it would be interesting to hear what I'll I have been told about Ragdolls and what the truth about them really is.


Seal Bicolor.

  • 1: Ragdoll cats are hypoallergenic. 
Truth: Despite what many owners and breeders will tell you, Ragdoll cats are not "allergy-free" and they do shed, they shed less than Persians, Himalayans, Birmans, Maine Coons, etc. Just remember though -- "if it has hair, it sheds!".


  • 2: Ragdoll cats do not feel pain.
Truth: Ragdoll cats feel pain just like any other living thing. This myth comes from their creator (Ann Baker in 1965 - 1997). There was a study done on Ragdolls in the 1960's to find out if they do indeed feel pain, they do! The test results can be found online if you search hard enough, or find the results in The Definitive Guide to Ragdolls book (1995), I have this book and it is by far the best book on Ragdoll cats and their health and care, this is an extremely rare and pricey book, it is also out of print. I will not sell mine for any price. 


Blue Colorpoint.
  • 3: Ragdoll cats will never defend themselves when attacked.
Truth: Generally speaking, the Ragdoll cat is a calm and relaxed breed of cat. They prefer to love you than leave you. They almost always get along good with children or other pets and will put up from a lot from both. However, they are not totally "defenseless" and will attack if provoked, this is rare though. Ragdoll cats are nicknamed "the gentle giants" and because of this they are indoor only cats! They are also the number 1 stolen breed of cat in the United States.

Blue Mitted. This is not Anya.
  • 4: Ragdoll cats are stupid and cannot be trained.
Truth: Okay this is totally not true at all! Ragdoll cats are a very smart breed and are happy to learn new tricks or to walk on a harness and leash, they also learn easily to stay off the counters. They are the easiest cats to train in my opinion. All my Ragdolls knew\know tricks! 


  • 5: Ragdoll cats do not shed. (see above at #1).

Truth: Try telling that to my curtains and our vacuum cleaner ;-) They shed, but it is (again like I said earlier) less than other long haired breeds or simi long haired breeds (Ragdolls fit into this category as do Birmans and a few others). I brush Anya once or twice a week with a slicker brush and a greyhound comb with a flea comb for her face. She is also kept on a good diet of The Good Life Indoor Recipe Cat Food (dry food), she barely sheds now!


Seal Colorpoint.

  • 6: Ragdoll cats are a "long haired" breed.
Truth: No, they are not. They fit into the category of simi long haired breeds, like the Birman, Ragamuffin, etc.


  • 7: Ragdoll cats are a colorpointed  breed.
Truth: Yes and no, there is the Bicolor pattern with various types of Bicolor, the Bicolors' coloring is restricted to the ears, tail, face (with an inverted v of white on the face) and coloring on the back (depending on what kind of Bicolor, Vans do not have coloring on their backs). However, all Ragdoll cats are BLUE EYED AND POINTED CAT BREED.






Ragdoll Mommy~

Friday, May 15, 2015

Kitten Update!

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015


Hi Everyone,


Today is an update on the kitten that will **hopefully** be mine. We will find out for sure in 2 to 3 more weeks. I will keep the blog updated. She just turned 5 weeks old on Wednesday. She is a female Blue Colorpoint Ragdoll kitten, so she'll look just like her dad (Prince Charming is also a blue Colorpoint Ragdoll and just got his Champion tittle not too long ago), to get a good idea what she'll look like as an adult, picture Anya but without white and gray where she is white.




Beautiful Angie (kitten's mom) born 12-26-2008, she is a Seal Colorpoint Ragdoll like Tadpole was. And, then there is the Blue Colorpoint female kitten that will hopefully be mine. I love her gray points.

Beautiful sapphires.

3 weeks old.

4 weeks old.

3 weeks old and lying next to mom Angie.

~ 3 week old fluffy polar bear. ~

Nice profile. Mom Angie is in the bottom right hand corner.

4 weeks old.

4 weeks old.

4 weeks old.

3 week old teddy bear.

4 week old baby with mom Angie.

Like sapphires.



Ragdoll Mommy~

Thursday, May 14, 2015

~ Remembering Nico ~

All Photo and Text Copyright Life with Ragdolls 2013~2015

Nico 8-14-2008 - 7-14-2014
10 months ago, today I lost my beautiful Nico to HCM. Forever in my heart.....some day in my arms.






Ragdolll Mommy~