Introducing a kitten to a 5 yr old Ragdoll

17 years ago

I have a almost 5 year old Ragdoll. Her name is Chardonnay.

When she was younger I had planned on getting another pet as company for her, but at the time I was unable to.

Now I find that I could get another pet, but I am now unsure how she would handle it as she is a lot older and I must say I have spoilt her a bit. She is my family after all.

Anyway, I almost got a Burmese kitten yesterday, and I was wondering if I should be considering breeds and/or sex in finding the right cat that might get on better with Chardonnay.

If there are any stories or suggestions out there on what I should be considering or looking for, I would love to hear them.

To give you an idea of Chardonnay's character & temperament, not suure if this helps or not. She started out as being an indoor cat, as I was living in a flat at the time. She doesn't like being held for too long, but she is affectionate and loves being patted. She will follow me around a lot and she loves her toys. She is very playful and I even some times play chasing and hide & seek with her around the house. (She loves it!!!)

I did start letting her outside when I moved to a townhouse with a courtyard, at first it was great she loved it. She learnt to clime trees, and I always made sure she was inside by the time it got dark.

Originally she made a friend in the complex, a female Burmese. But after awhile, they started fighting and I believe Chardonnay was the dominant one who would attack the Burmese. After that time I had to keep Chardonnay inside again and I started taking her outside on a leash. At first she didn't like, but she got used to it and would eventually love to go out for a walk on the leash.

After a couple of years I have now moved to a house that has a big back yard and I have started letting her out by herself again. Chardonnay is absolutely loving this place.

Again I have her in by dark, and the majority of the time she stays where I can see her, but she does go exploring sometimes. I don't have to worry too much about her killing wildlife as the bids around here are aggressive, they will gang up and swoop her if she ventures too far.

I have seen 2 other cats in the neighborhood so far that have come into my backyard. It appeared that one of them actually chased Chardonnay back home.

Chardonnay sleeps on my bed with me at night (told you I spoil her), she has a scratching post which she adores.

And I have kitty litter and food etc. set up in the far corner of the kitchen for her.

Anyway, this is the backround of Chardonnay's life to get an understanding of what her character/temperament is like.

If you have some advice on what tyoe of kitten I should look out for, or whether you think I should not get a kitten etc. I would love to here from you.

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Comments (4)

michelle_s_phxaz
17 years ago
We had two Ragdolls, one male one female, when we got a third, Cali as a kitten. Frankie fell in love with her, they were instantly bonded, but Lily (who has always been standoff-ish around strangers) took a while to warm up to her.

I say that Ragdolls are usually well tempermented when it comes to meeting new kitties, so either sex would be okay.

One thing about Ragdolls, though, they lack the "killing" gene most cats have in them and are meant to be indoor only cats. If a large bird or other animal attacked (no matter how safe you think your yard is they CAN get in) Chardonnay would have no clue to protect herself in any way, her belief is that they would be play-fighting. This is how many Rags get killed, so I would keep her inside from now on for her own protection, or outside only when you are right with her.
deechardonnay
Original Author
17 years ago
michelle s phxaz - many thanks for your response.

May I ask what you got as your third kitten?

I understand what you are saying about keeping Chardonnnay inside and I would be absolutely devastated if anything were to happen to her, however I find it very difficult keeping her inside. She loves her outdoor runs so much and she will throw a tantrum if I don't let her.

I only let her out when I am home of course and I usually keep going to the door to check on her.

I suppose I could start walking her on a leash again, but it's so funny to see her trying to climb a tree like she's been doing it for years. She has an absolute ball.
I just feel cruel not letting her have a run.
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michelle_s_phxaz
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We got our third Ragdoll from a great breeder in California, RazlDazl Dolls and couldn't be happier with the breeder service or the kitten.

Before we moved, our first two had an outdoor enclosed patio that they were allowed to go out on, but when we moved to Phoenix there is nothing like that to allow them outdoor access. They throw tantrums a lot because they can't go outside, but you just have to ignore it. A few months back I found bunny ears, one foot and entrails in the corner of our yard; a coyote had jumped the 7' fence and killed a rabbit that got in our yard. This firmed up my resolve to keep them indoors only. If a rabbit can't get away, I know these three wouldn't stand a chance against a coyote, neighbor's dog, or hawk. Definitely do the leash thing, ours hated it and we never got a chance to get them used to it. I know they love to run and play, so another good toy to get is a laser pointer. I have never seen an animal go so nuts over a little red dot!
catlover_ks
16 years ago
Ragdolls should never ever be let outside. Going to the door to check on your cat will do no good if she is in the process of being eaten. I consider your situation to be similar to that of a small child who really really enjoys playing in the street and whose mommy "checks on her often." You are just asking for a tragedy. It only takes once, and then you would be heartbroken, but unfortunately it would be too late.

Introducing a kitten to a 5 yr old Ragdoll

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Introducing a kitten to a 5 yr old Ragdoll

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