Care & Safety

1. Food – I feed with Hill's Science Diet dry KITTEN FOOD and they should eat only kitten food until they are one year old. After one year they can be switched to Hill's Science Diet Adult food. I leave the dry food out at all times as kittens need to eat often! I also offer Sheba Cuts in Gravy or Pate, Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Poultry and Beef Feast Collection, and/or Science Diet Liver & Chicken can food daily. I DO NOT recommend changing food at least initially as this can cause digestive issues. It's NOT good to feed kittens or cats people food.
2. Treats - I offer Friskies Party Mix or Gravy Lovers daily after kittens are eating dry food. Most of them enjoy them plus it's a great way to reward them, find them if hiding or coaxing them into a certain room by shaking the container. 
3. Bowls for food and water. Stainless steel bowls are recommended as plastic can cause mouth ulcers. I recommend a water fountain (Drinkwell or Whisker City brands are all good). Ragdolls like them a lot. Never give milk to a kitten/cat as it may cause stomach problems, including diarrhea.
4. Cats naturally like to climb so I recommend a cat tree and one with the sisal rope for scratching works great and is very durable. I recommend ones with a wide base so they are less likely to knock them over while scratching. Showing them with your own hands/nails and sprinkling catnip encourages them to use. 
5. The kittens are already using large covered or uncovered litter boxes which most cats prefer the covered for privacy but some prefer the uncovered. I use Tidy Cat clumping and Dr. Elsey's Kitten Attract for multiple cats. The clumping litter makes it easier to scoop. I do not recommend changing litter at least initially to prevent accidents. 
6. By the time your kitten(s) are ready to go home with you they will have become accustom to our home and adult cats and will want to be close to you and your family. THEY WON'T BE HAPPY IF YOU CONFINE THEM! However, depending on the size of your home, you will want to make sure they have a safe place initially that has their food, water and litter boxes. To much space will make them insecure and they won’t know where to go to the bathroom.
7. Please bring a secure carrier to take your kitten(s) home in. I recommend a midsized sturdy carrier they can grow into.
8. Be SLOW introducing them to your existing pets.

1. The kittens will have had their FIRST/SECOND/THIRD FVRCP shot(s) and have been dewormed every 2 weeks starting at 4-6 weeks. You will be given a Pet Health Record on your kitten(s) from Trailside Animal Hospital in Columbia, MO to keep and you should take this to your vet when you take your kitten{s).
2. Kittens need at least 3 FVRCP beginning series and the last one needs to be given at 16 weeks and no sooner.
3. It is NOT recommended to give the ragdoll kittens/cats the feline leukemia shots.  They don’t tolerate it well and can become very ill or die.  It shouldn’t be an issue since they are strictly indoor cats. 
4. It is NOT recommended to give the FVRCP and Purevax Rabies vaccines on the same day for at least the first year. If they have a reaction your vet will not know from which vaccine. 

This is typically done at 5-6 months and is NOT recommended before as it can cause urinary problems, especially in male kittens. Best wait until 6 months especially with females and they should weight 5 pounds.

We do NOT recommend this.  There is a lot of documentation against this procedure.  I recommend multiple scratching posts/structures.  The very best, most durable and long lasting is the sisal.  Putting the posts close to the furniture where they like to scratch helps. Also, trimming your kitten's nails routinely helps.

Ragdolls do not shed or matt as much as other long haired cats do. However they do shed and this can be reduced by grooming with a soft wire brush or the furminator. In order for you kitten(s) to be comfortable with you grooming them you should start at an early age.

Ragdolls (as all cats) clean themselves and thus shouldn't need regular bathing. However, sometimes a bath is necessary and I recommend that you either "google" how to bath a kitten/cat before attempting to do so or take your kitten to a groomer.

Litter Training

Your kitten is already litter trained so housetraining should be relatively easy.  They are naturally attracted to eliminate in a particular substrate.  Problems can arise though if the kitten finds a dirty litter box or if they find it inconvenient to use the box. Cats should never have to go through obstacles such as dogs or children to get to their box.  They should never be bothered while in the box.  The box size should match the kitten size.  Be sure to scoop your litter box every day and have at least one litter box per cat plus one extra.

Nibbling

Every baby kitten needs to know the limits of good behavior or you will get a spoiled brat.  Ragdoll kittens have no natural fear of people which makes them very extroverted but can make them nippy if they learn that this gets them their way.  NEVER encourage any behavior where your kitten puts his or her teeth on you.  Hands are for petting and toys are for playing.  If your kitten gets too worked up simply end the game.  If you correct the behavior immediately it should stop but if it somehow gets reinforced you may need to give your kitten a time out or possibly use a squirt water bottle. Reward good behavior with treats!  You want to be the direct source of love.  This extra effort will pay off for years and years! 

Young kittens like to explore and can get into trouble doing so.

I do NOT recommend putting a collar on your kitten. Since they are indoor cats only there is no need and they can get hung up and even get strangled. If you really feel the need to I highly encourage you to purchase a break away collar.

Be careful as you close doors as kittens can be very fast and can get out or injured in a fast closing door. EVEN THOUGH RAGDOLLS ARE STRICKLY INDOOR CATS I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU HAVE YOUR KITTEN(S) MICROCHIPPED FOR SECURITY.

Make sure that power, blind, and drapery cords are out of reach.  They will chew and climb.

Dental floss and small strings can be very dangerous to small kittens and even adult cats as they are very attracted to playing with such things and can swallow and choke on them.

Also, watch the refrigerator, washer and dryer.  I had one of my ragdolls when she was very little jump into the lower shelf in our refrigerator and I had turned away to the sink and didn’t know she was in there.  Fortunately I found her quickly.

WATCH YOUR MEDICATIONS!! RECENTLY HAD A CUSTOMER WHO GOT A KITTEN FROM ME. KNOCKED THE MEDICATION PILL PACK OFF THE KITCHEN COUNTER AND ATE SOME ADDERALL WHILE THEY WERE AT WORK. RUSHED HIM TO THE VET AND VET TRIED TO REVIVE HIM BUT HE DIED. SUCH TRAGEDY.

Keep toilet lids down as they can jump in but may not be able to jump out!

Congratulations and enjoy your new ragdoll kitten!  They truly are very special amazing cats!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions/concerns you may have and send pictures and let me know how your kitten is doing! My email address is:  ruthiesragdolls@gmail.com and my cell phone number is 573-356-6441.