My Ragdoll Family

My Ragdoll Family
Megailee Ragdolls

Friday, November 12, 2010

How Do We Place Ragdoll Kittens with Future Families?


On the left is a photo of a litter of newborn Ragdoll kittens. We are so happy when a baby is placed in a loving home and kitten and everyone does well. Some people prefer a certain color / pattern/ gender.
Personality and socialization is also important and each ragdoll does have their own personality but overall all are loving.

Did you ever wonder how we decide if the kitten is right for you or how does the family decide if that is the kitten for them ?





Megailee Ragdolls tries to match the personality of the kitten with the home situation.


For example:

Oliver/ Olivia was an only kitten in a litter and so I knew she would not be happy in a household with several pets and several kids or a lot of change. She needed routine. She just wasn't used to that and needed attention and quiet time. She is an active playful kitten but her upbringing was a bit different than some others. Some old posts on my blog talk about her bottle feeding days. There were a few good families that could have adopted her. She ended up placed as an only pet with a local adoptive parent who has a lot of time at home for her.

Sparky: He was one of 5 in a litter and super active. He was ok if you picked him up but preferred to play and jump on his brothers and sisters. He would wake them up to play!
He went to live with 3 active young boys and a dog and a parrot.

When placing a kitten in a household with a resident cat I try to match personalities. I place one who is curious and playful but not dominant so that he/she doesn't make the existing cat feel out of place. We hope to have the personalities compliment each other and not be a threat to each other. The goal is to be buddies for life.

Janessa was placed as an adult at age 3 into a family with an existing male who was about 1 year of age. Here her favorite activities were sleeping and eating. She was beautiful to look at and a super sweet girl. Her new family is thrilled with her. She plays with the boy all the time and he just sits and watches her sleep and waits patiently for her to wake up so she could play. They are also home alone during the day to keep each other company.

Sometimes a couple / family/ person will visit here if undecided and pick a kitten. Some base it on who runs up to them first. Some people like the biggest kitten in the litter. Others judge it on who will let them hold them the longest. Several criteria for a one hour visit. Of course if you visit during nap time vs feeding time the story may be different. Sometimes you need to go on gut feeling and at other times the breeder who spends more time with them should know the personalities better.

As with all living things it is nature, nurture, and environment that determines and shapes the personality and behavior of your Ragdoll Kitten.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Should Megailee Ragdolls Add a MINK Ragdoll ?

Megailee Ragdolls has always bred and raised traditional ragdolls. We have blues and seals in every pattern. I strive for healthy happy well socialized kittens.

Recently I have been thinking of adding a mink ragdoll to my small cattery. My reasoning is to cater to those people that want and like the color option. Some breeders and others have strong opinions about this but I think it is mostly due to whom and how they are placed for adoption.







The little boy in the photo is a blue mitted mink ragdoll. Any ragdoll breeder I add would be DNA HCM negative and registered with TICA with a pedigree. I think he is cute.

I believe if you are honest with people and have them understand that the main difference between mink and traditional is the color and color contrast between the points. The eyes are usually aqua (green/blue) vs blue and they are born with color vs white. Fur is not softer and they do not have special powers. Like lynx and the red series they would be a color option for potential ragdoll parents. They currently are not allowed to be shown but all are ragdolls and registered.

What do you think? Should Megailee Ragdolls in NC add a Mink Ragdoll to our breeding program?

My Ragdoll Kitten Family

My Ragdoll Kitten Family
Megailee Ragdolls