Thoughts of A First Time Ragdoll Cat Parent

 Let's get one thing straight: caring for a pet is a great responsibility. Everyone knows this, but pets are constantly abandoned, neglected or surrendered to shelters because people do not think twice about the different ways in which their life will change should they get a pet.

However, we are here to talk about cats! Not just any, but the very one I own: an indoor Ragdoll male with lots of quirks. Months ago, I decided I wanted a kitty. This came from yearly accumulated daydreams and I had read online aaall sorts of things saying that they are great for your mental health, yadda yadda yadda. It was set in my mind, so I got one. Not for cheap, either, but the breeder was a friend so he lowered the price a bit. My baby Miso is like no other thing in my life. He is extremely cute and a loving buddy (when he feels like it, really) but he is also a major source of stress like any other, as well. It's like he was designed to get on my nerves. This comes from the demanding experience of caring for a cat for the first time in my life. I had wanted him a lot! You cannot even imagine how much. But in the first few months together, I found myself regretting my decision. I did not think through very well how demanding cats actually are. At least mine is: the clingiest thing in the world, hard to please when it comes to playing, and the fussiest, pickiest eater ever. I have spent a great deal of money trying to please this everchanging tomcat. I don't even want to think about the amount. 

So here it is, I wanted a cat, I got one, then I regretted it. Of course, I was sad for thinking that, because I had grown to love Miso like crazy. Who doesn't love a cat? But he was a formidably tiring chore. He still is, to be honest. I am not trying to discourage you from getting that Ragdoll cat or kitten you want, but just sharing my experience so you think twice about what you are going to do. I mean, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade Miso for anything, but I just wish I knew how stressful owning him was going to be when I decided I was getting him. A blog like this would have come in clutch for help, so that is what I am doing.

I brought Miso home when he was about 9 weeks. A real looker, my baby. I would wake up every morning at 5 and 6 AM because that is when he awoke. Oh, that's another thing: forget your sleeping schedule if you are getting a Ragdoll kitten. You are now at its mercy and will have to comply, unless you are a bad cat parent. Right, so he awoke very early to get ready for a day of nothing and being adorable, I fed him, played with him and he slept, slept and slept. Ragdoll kittens are something like a sloth the entire day and play late in the evening and early in the morning. Cats and their crepuscular annoying selves, huh? But kittens do need their sleep to build their bones and immune system, so trying to keep them awake is a bad idea. A trick to make your kitty sleep most of the night is the holy grail of my sleeping schedule: to give it dinner late. When I got Miso, I also discovered that some cats just simply will not eat unless you get them something that they find delicious. Otherwise, your fur friend will choose starvation. Or at least my Ragdoll cat does this. Nowadays, I think I have found food he doesn't get tired of often, but I feed him three different brands to keep him from refusing to eat (he still does this often). He was very quiet when he was a kitten, but now he will not shut up. He meows an incredible amount. I googled and googled, trying to find something, and Google will tell you Ragdoll cats are a quiet breed and that if they meow a lot, it's vet time. No. Sometimes, your Ragdoll will simply decide it wants to be a major annoying kitty, and will meow for attention in a way that will drive you crazy. Another thing is the litter box use. Miso does this, he is not very good at covering the business, but he does it. However, because he is a longhaired cat, some of it gets stuck in his butt fur, and yes, if you get a Ragdoll, you will have to either wipe it away or wash its bum almost every time it goes potty using a non-scented cat shampoo. That is extremely annoying, so if you want to avoid it, do not get a Ragdoll cat, much less a longhaired cat at all. In order to prevent it from happening as well, you can take your Ragdoll cat to a groomer and get them to do a sanitary trim on it, which gets rid of the butt hair. It is something that will be costly in the long run because of course, the fur grows back. So you see how that can be stressful. It's not looking good for me.

Miso within the first two months of being brought home

If you are a person who likes to be out a lot, do not get a Ragdoll. They are cats that live off attention and if you are not there to give it what it needs, a Ragdoll is not for you. I am a homebody and like to be home a lot, so Miso gets all the time he wants to be annoying to me. Of course, he has been left alone for some time before, but never leave for an entire day or similar. Ragdoll cats are incredibly needy when it comes to playtime and general attention. If they do not get it, they will become stressed and run around like crazy trying to burn out that extra energy. I know this because Miso has knocked a couple of plants at home already doing just that. Vacuuming the soil from the carpet is not fun.

These were general misadventures of a first time Ragdoll cat parent. I will come back with more thoughts and advice. Until then, think twice before getting a pet!

Heaven 🐱