Adopt a Retired Ragdoll

Nov 22

Did you know that it’s possible to adopt an adult Ragdoll cat from a breeding program? This unique opportunity definitely has its perks and advantages. In this blog post, we will explain everything you should consider if you are contemplating the adoption of a retired Ragdoll cat.

What is a Retired Ragdoll Cat?

A retired Ragdoll is a cat that has been part of a Ragdoll Breeding Program and is now spayed/neutered (or retired) and ready to be placed as a loving pet in their own forever home. This is a very bittersweet process for most breeders, since they have raised these Ragdolls from kittenhood or birth into adulthood.

At Pastel Ragdolls, you can visit our Male Ragdoll and Female Ragdoll pages to see the cats in our breeding program that we will be retiring one day. We are quite particular on where we place them as we want them to have the best and happiest lives possible. You can also view our Past Ragdoll Breeding Cats that have already been retired and placed as cherished pets.

Reasons a Ragdoll Cat is Retired

If you are considering a retiree Ragdoll, it is important to ask the breeder why they are choosing to retire the cat from their breeding program. This will help you better understand the cat, and its health, history and behaviors. Here we have listed some potential reasons that an adult Ragdoll may be retired from a breeding program.

Goals Reached: The most common reason that a Ragdoll cat is retired from a breeding program is if the cat’s breeding goals have been achieved. The Ragdoll may have produced the desired number of planned litters or contributed to the breeding program as the breeder had hoped.
Replaced by Offspring: Often times, a Ragdoll breeder may decide to keep back offspring from their breeding cats. When this happens, it’s sometimes not necessary to keep both the kitten and their parent since they share the same bloodline.
Unhappy as a Breeding Cat: Occasionally, a breeding Ragdoll may be unhappy in a multi-cat environment, such as a cattery. Not every cat likes the company of other cats. Some female Ragdolls may also not enjoy motherhood. At Pastel Ragdolls, our main priority is the health and happiness of our cats and we will not keep any Ragdoll in our program that is unhappy as a breeding cat.
Reproductive Issues: Sometimes a Ragdoll cat might be retired simply due to an unforeseen reproductive problem. This includes the development of pyometra (an infection of the uterus) or an inability to produce offspring. These issues are always unexpected and don’t affect the long-term health of the Ragdoll.
Health Issues: A less common reason for retiring a Ragdoll breeding cat is due to health concerns. Sometimes a breeder might bring in a cat from another cattery that ends up not being fit for breeding due to various health reasons. Other times, a health issue may pop up later in a cat’s offspring. We place these cats into loving homes with a discount and full disclosure of any health issues.

Adult Ragdoll Cats for Sale

Occasionally, we may have a retired Ragdoll cat come available for adoption at Pastel Ragdolls. If you are interested in adopting one of our retired Ragdolls, we first recommend becoming familiar with the adult cats in our breeding program. You can then monitor our website for Available Retired Ragdoll Cats and reach out if you see an available retired cat that you might be interested in. Once available, we post our retired Ragdoll adults on the same page as our available Ragdoll kittens.

Benefits of Adopting a Retired Ragdoll

There are some major advantages to adopting a retired Ragdoll cat. Depending on your household, an adult Ragdoll may be a better fit for your lifestyle than a young Ragdoll kitten. Let’s explore some of the benefits of bringing home a retired Ragdoll!

Highest Quality: The Ragdolls in breeding programs are usually exceptionally high show quality. Ethical breeders choose only the best breeding Ragdolls in regard to health, temperament and appearance.
Lower Adoption Fee: The adoption fee for a retired adult Ragdoll cat is going to be lower when compared to the Pricing of a Ragdoll Kitten. This makes them a great option for individuals who may be on a tighter budget.
No “Kitten Energy”: Retired Ragdolls have grown past the energetic “kitten phase”. They are going to be a lot more mellow and calm when compared to a young kitten, which may be a better fit for some households. Retired Ragdolls typically still enjoy occasional playtime but prefer lounging around the house and cuddling.
Stable Temperament: Ragdoll kittens are typically still evolving in terms of their disposition. With retired adult Ragdolls, there is no mystery when it comes to their personality and you can adopt them with their full temperament history.
Appearance is Established: When you adopt an adult Ragdoll cat, they have already grown and developed so there should be no surprises when it comes to their appearance. You never know exactly how a kitten’s appearance might develop over time.

Photos of Adult Retired Ragdoll Cats

We have placed some of our beloved breeding cats into their own forever homes. Here are a few photos of past adult breeding cats from Pastel Ragdolls that are now living their lives as treasured pets. You may notice that they are incredibly beautiful examples of Ragdolls. We also spend a lot of quality time with our adult cats, giving them constant affection and socialization. They typically have wonderful temperaments that are very true to the Ragdoll breed.