History & Overview

Ragamuffins are direct descendants of Josephine, the founding queen of Ann Baker’s original Ragdoll lines. Despite their identical backgrounds, a major difference in the Ragdoll and Ragamuffin recognized colors. While Ragdolls are blue-eyed colorpoints, Ragamuffins are recognized in many more colors, including the spectrum of solids, tabbies, tortoiseshells, and shaded varieties, generally associated with the Persian cat.

The Ragamuffin is now recognized as a separate breed in some of the traditional cat associations. The two related breeds also share many physical features, such as a soft, medium-length coat and large, oval-shaped eyes.

Character

Like the Ragdoll, the Ragamuffin has an affectionate, placid nature.

Appearance

Although colorpoint Ragamuffins are supposed to have blue eyes, the solids and other varieties may have green, gold or copper-colored eyes. The original The International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA) Ragdoll cats were not all colorpoints. Baker registered the solids and other colors without blue eyes as Miracle Ragdolls and continued to use them in her breeding program. Today’s Ragamuffin breeders carry on the noble belief that the non-colorpoints are as worthy of preserving as the colorpoints.