In the 40 or so years that have gone by, the breed history has managed to become intertwined with a series of myths and half-truths.
It was said that the extraordinary calm nature of this breed is the result of a car accident endured by the foundation cat, Josephine, and that Josephine's injury, a broken pelvis, had somehow caused a change that caused all Ragdolls to be especially docile. This explanation is obviously not scientifically feasible.
The more likely explanation is that the relaxed breeds, Persians and Birmans, used in the breeding program, created the Ragdoll's personality.

 Out of those early litters came Blackie, an all black Burmese-like male and Daddy Warbucks, a seal point with white feet. Daddy Warbucks sired the founding bi-color female Fugianna, and Blackie sired Buckwheat, a dark brown/black BurmSome of the original stock consisted of hardy, free-roaming street cats.  Ms. Baker created the foundations of the Ragdoll breed by selecting kittens out of Josephine, a semi-feral longhaired female. Both Fugianna and Buckwheat were daughters of Josephine. All Ragdoll and RagaMuffin cats are descended from Ann Baker's cats through matings of Daddy Warbucks to Fugianna and Buckwheat. By selecting individuals with the look and temperament she wanted for her breeding program, Ann Baker created the standard Ragdoll type.

 She trademarked the name "Ragdoll," set up her own registry—International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA)—and enforced stringent standards on anyone who wanted to breed or sell cats under that name. The Ragdolls were also not allowed to be registered in other breed associations. In 1975, a group broke rank with IRCA with the aim of gaining mainstream recognition for the Ragdoll.   The breed was selectively bred over many years for desirable traits, such as large size, gentle demeanor, and a tendency to go limp when picked up, as well as the striking pointed coloration. In 1994, a second group decided to leave the IRCA and form their own group due to increasingly strict breeding restrictions. This group later established the Ragamuffin breed.  Because Ann Baker owned the rights to the name "Ragdoll" for her new breed, no offshoot groups could call their cats Ragdolls until Ann Baker's trademark on "Ragdoll" was not renewed in 2005.  Over the years, RagaMuffin breeders have chosen to differentiate their cats by selective breeding and occasional outcrossings for desired traits, while maintaining the docile, attentive temperament of the original Ragdoll cats.

Ragdoll Breed Size

The Ragdoll is a large sized cat breed.

Males average between 15-20 pounds. 

Females are smaller and weigh 10-15 pounds on average. 

Ragdolls are slow maturing breeds; reaching full coat color at two years of age and older and full size and weight at four years.

Ragdoll Colors

At birth all Ragdoll kittens are white and develop their colors by the age of 10 days; however, they may not show full colors for two or three years.  

Ragdolls come in different colors -

seal, chocolate, (red) flame, and "dilutes" blue, lilac, cream and tortie There are three different patterns to the 'Traditional Ragdoll':

Pointed (nose, ears, tail and paws in the specific colors & no white),

Mitted - white paws, chin and tummy, with or without a blaze (a white line on the face),

BiColor -white tall socks, white inverted 'V' on the face, white tummy and often white patches on the back. Variations include a three-color "tortie-point" (mottled seal or blue with red present) and lynx (striped pattern on tail, face and points) which can be found in all 3 patterns.

 The Ragdoll Eye Color:

Blue eyes

  Ragdoll Personality

The Ragdoll cat typically has a very gentle and relaxed temperament.   When socialized from birth they are attentive and affectionate members of the family that enjoy and seek out human companionship.  Ragdoll cats remain playful throughout their lives, adjust well to children and pets and are sometimes called "puppy-cats" because of their propensity to follow their owners from room to room and meet them at the door.  Ragdoll cats are demurely vocal, careful with their claws and teeth when in play. 

Because of their non-defensive nature, a Ragdoll should never be allowed outdoors unattended.

Ragdolls are considered ideal pets, getting along well with children, dogs and other cats, and are equally happy in a one-human household, as long as you give them the affection they need and deserve.

Ragdoll Grooming

The Ragdoll coat is moderately long, with abundant guard hairs, shorter fur on front legs, longer on rear legs. 

Ragdolls require light grooming and great nutrition to give them an overall fluffy and healthy appearance. Ragdolls shed minimally. Their coats are easier to manage than many other long-haired breeds with just weekly combing to remove loose hairs and prevent mats. Bathing is rarely needed but well-tolerated, as are nail-clippings and vet visits. Ragdoll cats kept in a fairly constant temperature do not develop a huge winter coat and thus do not have as much problem with matting as Persians or Himalayans. Occasionally combing armpits and britches will help prevent large matts from forming, especially in winter, when conditions of dry air and static are common. Ragdolls have a low-maintenance coat.