Like most people, our first cat was a Domestic family pet, but having loved the Siamese for so many years it was only natural that we would one day add one to our family. We decided we would like to show “Jai” our Chocolatepoint neuter and were really thrilled when he gained Firsts in all his classes.  The breeder of our cat also had some cats entered but did not seem to be as thrilled as we were at gaining Firsts in his classes. It was only later that we learnt about the prestige of also winning Best of Group, Top Ten, Best in Show and of course the ultimate Breeders Award of Merit.

Generally when we receive an inquiry from a prospective purchaser, the kitten they are looking for is that of a large gentle-natured indoor companion cat.  If on the other hand the new owner wished to show their pet kitten, we would choose one that we considered to be competitive on the show scene.  Temperament is an important factor, whether showing or not.

There have recently been reports of the danger that cats are having on wildlife.  With the Ragdoll being an indoor companion cat, it cannot be included in this threat to the environment.  The only time in my life that I have seen a cat “attack a bird” was many years ago when our old Siamese spay “Tao” came in from the garden bearing a gift in her mouth.  I immediately panicked thinking it was a bird and grabbed her by the neck and made her open her jaws to let it go.   A tiny field mouse escaped and ran across the floor!  I tried to get Tao to chase it again, but obviously her motto was, I caught it once, now it’s your turn!

When we began showing Ragdolls, we knew we had a generally unknown breed and that it would entail a lot of hard work to introduce them to the public.  We were limited on the number of cat shows we could attend because of work commitments, but we did receive many requests to put our cats on display which we really enjoyed, especially meeting the general public and talking non-stop about our Gentle Giants.

Ragvale  Michigan – Blue Colourpoint Ragdoll

  After breeding and showing all three patterns of the Ragdoll in the colours of Seal and Blue, we were keen to import the new and rare Tabbypoint from California, U.S.A. the home of the Ragdoll cat.  This was complicated by the fact that the kitten we had chosen had to be vaccinated for rabies and micro-chipped, then a waiting period of 6 months before the kitten could be flown to Australia for 30 days quarantine.  It was a day to remember when we all gathered at Christchurch Airport to welcome our new boy, the first Tabby Ragdoll to arrive in New Zealand.

“Stellarharts Ragvale Taegan (Imp.USA) our Seal Tabbypoint Ragdoll boy and Colin – The Boss!”

  Because the Tabby Ragdoll (or Lynx as it is also known) was not recognised by New Zealand Cat Fancy, it was essential for us to put forward a draft Standard of Points for this purpose.  Julie researched the Standard used by other overseas Cat Councils and later that year the Tabby Standard gained approval.  

“Ragvale Big Ben – Seal Tabby Mitted Ragdoll who helped us obtain Challenge Status for the Seal Tabby Ragdoll”

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Last modified: October 17, 2001