History and Development
Evolution of the Ragdoll Cat
The origins and development of the Ragdoll breed is difficult to establish and is somewhat shrouded in myths. Nonetheless, there are certain things that we do know for sure.
The Ragdolls were originated by Ann Baker, a breeder in Riverside, California. It was in early 1960 that the breed was created. It is believed that a long-haired white cat, named Josephine was the beginning of the breed.
Back then, Ann Baker advertised widely and mailed out literature promoting the breed to cat-lovers nationwide. Early publicity spread like wild fire and the breed quickly became an object of controversy.
Baker's breeding program consisted of a handful of breeders contracted under her. She was paid a royalty fee for every kitten sold.
As time when on, Ann Baker's statements and claims about the breed became strange, supernatural - and - very hard to believe. She publicized statements outlining how Ragdoll cats have human genes in them, that they are immune to pain & that they represent a link between us and space aliens.
The breeders once loyal to her were now having doubts about how to develop the breed without losing the integrity that these wonderful cats deserve. Because of this, several breeders broke off from Ann Baker and continued breeding Ragdolls for what they are - highly affectionate companions - with a lot of love to share with humans.
Denny Dayton was an instrumental figure in the history & development of the breed. After he broke away from Ann Baker, he fought hard to make the breed legitimate and acceptable by cat fanciers' standards. Dayton succeeded and in 1967, the Ragdoll breed was first recognized in the United States.
Dayton is the originator of RFCI (Ragdoll Fanciers Club International) the most reputable and highly respected Ragdoll cat registry in the world. Dayton also worked very hard to get the breed recognized by TICA.
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http://www.ragdoll-cats.com/history.htm
The cat in "Sheep's Clothing"
SELKIRK REX BREED ORIGINS
The Breed began in 1987 from a shelter cat mom in Sheridan, Montana and one of her kittens. A local breeder (Jeri Newman) was asked to look at the "strange" kitten which exhibited a slight curl on the coat. Jeri, who had an interest in feline genetics adopted the kitten and later bred the kitten to one of her cattery Persians, Photo Finish of Deekay. On July 4, 1988 the year-old "kitten" by then named Miss DePesto of NoFace delivered 6 kittens. Surprisingly, 3 of the 6 kittens had a curly coat and the other 3 were straight-hair kittens.
This 50% ratio of curly offspring is exactly what would be expected from a dominant gene for curl.This created even more interest by Jeri in exploring the development of a new breed based on the curly-coat trait. Jeri selected the breed name Selkirk to keep the same theme as the Cornish and Devon Rex regional names; the Selkirk mountains and a stream by the same name were nearby, so Selkirk it was. After several years of exhibition showing, the Selkirk Rex was admitted to Championship status by TICA in 1994.
The Selkirk Rex is produced by a (complete) dominant gene affecting the guard, awn, and down hairs. The curl is most prominent around the neck, underside, and the rear in both coat lengths. Guard hairs tend to have a coarse texture especially over the back, but the coat is very dense and overall soft and plush. The whiskers are curly as are the eyebrows.
The Selkirk Rex is a medium to large cat with body longer than legs, in good balance, with a slight rise to the rear. Heavy boning gives the cat surprising weight. Females are less massive than males, but both sexes have round heads and prominent jowls.
Kittens are curly at birth (especially the whiskers) and may lose their coat and begin to develop an adult curly coat at 8-10 months of age. The coat continues to develop until about 2 years of age, so kittens with moderate coat type or length should be evaluated mostly by head and body type. Whiskers become brittle and often appear broken off stubby hairs. Some Selkirks also molt, and coat texture is often seasonal and affected by hormonal influences.
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Selkirk Rex Breed Seminar Presented by the TICA Selkirk Rex Breed Committee