The Ragamuffin Cat Breed is a Large, Lovable, Fluffy Longhair

The ragamuffin cat breed is a large, lovable breed. They tend to be laid back, and are tolerant of children and other pets.

Black and white Ragamuffin catBlack and white Ragamuffin cat.
Ariele at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

They have a long, silky coat requiring minimal grooming, and have a tendency to be overweight.

The same characteristics that make these kitties such wonderful family pets may make them a bad choice for people who are not home for long periods of time.

This breed thrives on attention and enjoys "helping" its family do routine household chores, such as putting away groceries or folding laundry.

OK, so maybe playing in the grocery bags or boxes, and sleeping on the laundry is more like it.

Nevertheless, these friendly and cuddly kitties will usually enjoy the company of humans.

Along with the Ragdoll, from which the breed is descended, the Maine Coon, and the Birman, this is one of the largest domestic cat breeds.

They often weigh in at a very hefty ten to twenty pounds. Like many of the large cat breeds, they can take up to four years to reach full size and maturity.

About the Ragamuffin Cat Breed

Ragamuffin kitten tabby and white.Ragamuffin kitten
By Togle1 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Being one of the biggest of cat breeds, they naturally have big frames. Although these cats have larger than normal bones, however, part of their weight also comes from their tendency to carry a bit of extra fat on their bellies.

This breed has a big, solidly built body, a wedge shaped head that is a bit round with large eyes. Those large eyes are so expressive that many people say that their cats seem to talk with their eyes.

This cat has a long, gracefully tapered tail that is covered in long hair, giving it a bushy appearance. You can find these cats in almost any coat color and any pattern. Cats with points, however, can be registered with the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), but not shown.

The coat is long hair with an extremely soft texture. Despite the fact that these cats are longhairs, the silkiness of their hair makes them easy to care for.

Despite the long coat, this breed is not as prone to developing matted hair compared to some other longhairs, such as the Persian.

Under normal circumstances, your Ragamuffin should only need to be groomed once or twice a week. That should keep her coat looking beautiful and tangle free.

Daily grooming, however, is always a great idea. It will not only leave your cat looking spectacular, you'll both enjoy it. What's more, you'll reduce the chance that hairballs will ruin your cat's day (or yours).

Since these cats have a tendency to carry a few more pounds than necessary around their stomachs, you may need to keep a close eye on your cat's weight.

If she grows too overweight, some veterinarians will recommend feeding your kitty a weight management cat food. Often, simply cutting back on the amount of food and increasing exercise levels can offer the same results. 

Except for this weight problem, this cat breed has no hereditary health conditions and is an extremely healthy breed overall. In fact, the CFA breed standard refers to "robust" health.

The breed standard also goes on to say that the RagaMuffin is:

"people loving and affectionate – a large cuddly, feline teddy bear."

This breed was first registered with the CFA in 2003. In 2009, the Cat Fanciers' Association upgraded the Ragamuffin from Miscellaneous class to the Provisional class. In 2011, these kitties were finally granted full championship status.

If you want a large, gentle cat that actually enjoys being around children, then the Ragamuffin might be the purrfect breed for you.

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