Tortoiseshell vs Ragdoll - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

The Tortoiseshell isn’t a cat breed but rather a coat coloring of cats. It just happens that most tortoiseshell cats are females.

Known as Torties, these cats always have a couple of colors such as red and black as well as some fawn.

Tortoiseshell cats with the tabby pattern are referred to as Torbie cats. Tortoiseshell markings appear in many different breeds.

It was in the 1960s that a regular domestic longhaired cat with white fur produced several litters of cats. There was one litter where the kittens with a docile temperament, seemed to go limp when picked up.

Anne Baker set out to start a breeding program and all Ragdolls are descended from Baker's cats. In fact, the cat credited as the original Ragdoll was a cat with the name Josephine, and Ragdolls are sometimes called ‘the daughters of Josephine.

Baker set up her own registry, the International Ragdoll Cat Association. The IRCA still exists, but another pair developed the Ragdoll standard that is accepted by major cat registries. Today. The biggest international Ragdoll breed club is the Ragdoll Fanciers' Club International.

Tortoiseshell cats are your regular-sized cats. They can be medium-sized to large and weigh anything between 3 and 7kg.

They come in different colors and patterns. The colors are essentially cream, fawn, black, tan, and orange. Tortoiseshell markings appear in all the different cat breeds.

Because the tortoiseshell cat is a color and not a cat breed as such they can be different sizes and shapes.

Temperament:

Tortoiseshell cats aren't a specific breed, but there are people that believe that just the color of the coat is indicative of the personality – feisty and lively.

People who have owned these cats say they have a sassy temperament and can even be just a wee bit aggressive sometimes with their strong-willed attitude.

The beautiful Ragdoll cat is a large, heavy-boned cat. Sometimes they can be 9kg in weight. It has a soft, silky coat that can be semi-long to long.

The cat has remarkable blue eye and the beautiful silky coat comes in several shades such as cream point, chocolate point, seal point, and others.

The ears are medium-sized and, the legs long and strong and the oval-shaped eyes are blue. The cat is known as a pointed breed, which means that the body is lighter in color than the points.

Temperament:

Ragdolls are casual, even-tempered, laid-back kind of cats. They are playful but not particularly energetic so you won’t find these cats leaping onto top perches such as what other cats do.

These docile cats love to be petted and pampered and carried around. It literally goes limp with pleasure at being loved and pampered by its human companions. He’s such a friendly cat who, much like a dog, will even greet you at the door and learn to play some games.

This amicable cat gets on well with children and other pets in the home, making a splendid family pet and he can even learn to walk on a leash.

Your Tortoiseshell is a beautiful cat and fondly referred to as a Tortie. It has a coat similar to the coloring of a tortoise, but the temperament of the cat will rely much on your own personality and the lifestyle you provide him with.

They are fairly vocal, but because this cat isn't a breed but rather a coat color, nobody can say precisely how it will turn out in personality.

One thing is sure, if you offer your Tortoiseshell lots of love and care, you can be sure of a wonderful feline friend.

The Ragdoll really is a splendid cat for any family that loves pets. They are such loving cats and adore being pampered by their human owners.

These cats get on well with children and other pets, and because they are such mild-mannered cats, you never find a Ragdoll striking out in anger. That is why it is so important that children be taught kindness and gentleness with animals like the Ragdoll and not to take advantage of its good nature.

Playful and entertaining, the Ragdoll is bursting with his own unique personality – a super feline companion for the whole family.

Your cat's health depends on good food. If your finances allow, choose a high-quality food. Check the label for the feeding guidelines.

Always remember that your cat's age - kittens, adults, and senior cats have different nutritional needs. Sick cats will require a different type of food. Watch your cat's weight because being overweight can bring on a host of illnesses such as diabetes.

A cat has to have access to fresh drinking water every day and night to remain healthy.

Ensuring your feline friend is exercised both mentally and physically is important for good health.

Speak to your vet about the vaccines your cat needs as well as flea prevention.

All cats, whatever the breed, can succumb to any one of the many cat diseases there are. A high-quality diet, a loving, caring lifestyle, the appropriate vaccines and parasite treatment can all help to keep your Ragdoll as happy and healthy as possible.

Ragdolls are generally healthy cats but you may want to look out for bladder stones. Another disease to watch for is a heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This heart disease causes thickening of the heart muscle.

While the disease is usually found in older cats, there is also a juvenile form that affects younger cats, and often young Ragdolls.

Sometimes there aren’t symptoms, and if your cat has labored breathing, loses his appetite or has vomiting, you may need to get your Ragdoll to the vet who will listen to his heart for abnormalities.

Cats are known to be independent but they still need your care and attention. Before you take a Tortoiseshell into your home, prepare for his arrival.

Make sure you have food and drinking bowls ready, a comfortable bed, a stylish cat collar and tag of identification, cat accessories such as a brush, toys, and some top-quality cat food.

If you work all day, maybe it would be a good idea to get 2 cats as some cats can get very lonely during the day, and adding a companion can be an excellent solution for his loneliness.

Always be in touch with the vet if you see that your cat isn’t behaving in his usual way.

Your cat will need to be taken for check-ups and also all the necessary cat vaccinations required to ward off deadly cat illnesses.

Provide your cat with a litter box and make sure you remove the cat feces every day.

Provide your cat with toys. Choose them carefully to keep your cat happy and amused. Buy a scratching post too as all cats want to scratch and you want to save your furniture from your cat using it to scratch on.

Even though the Ragdoll’s coat is long and silky, it’s the kind of coat that doesn’t require too much maintenance. Certainly, you’ll want to comb and brush it once a week.

The other grooming he requires is regular nail trimming.

Understand your Ragdoll’s eating habits. Remember cats are carnivores and this means that their diet has to be made up of meat. Food puzzles are great for these cats but whatever snacks and treats you give your Ragdoll, make sure that they are healthy for a cat and don’t give your cat digestive problems.

Provide your Ragdoll with a litter tray and make sure to remove the feces every single day.

Cats are prone to periodontal disease, but while it has become the latest trend to brush your pet’s teeth, this can be upsetting and traumatic for a pet. A good diet can help to keep teeth healthy. Your vet can look inside your pet's mouth to see if any teeth need attending to.