Ragdoll cats are known colloquially as “floppy cats”, they did, after all, get their name, “Ragdoll” from being floppy. Many Ragdoll cats are known to literally “flop”. They adore being handled and often go limp when picked up – hence, its name and its nickname, the floppy cat
The History of Ragdolls is not that extensive because Ragdolls are a relatively new breed of cat compared to others. The first Ragdolls were bred in California in the 1960s by Anne Baker.
Baker bred a white Angora Persian type cat queen, Josephine, who had a Himalayan coat pattern (Siamese) to beautiful longhaired Burmese sire and Birman sire males. The breeding resulted in cats of substantial size, non-matting coat and a very equable disposition.
The kittens with the desired looks were kept and carefully line bred to keep the strain pure. In fact, all Ragdolls must be descendants of Josephine. No other strain of Persian, Birman, or Burmese has been introduced. The traits of the Ragdoll cat can only be found in Josephine’s descendants where the history of Ragdolls exists. The looks may vary slightly as to pattern or color, but the disposition must remain the same to be a Ragdoll. No one, not even the originator, can add to the lines at this time, and still have a purebred Ragdoll.