not to be confused with the very closely related ragdoll cats the ragamuffin often spelled ragamuffin is a breed all its own these large clingy and affectionate cats love people and have a personality as outsized as their big fluffy frames originwhile the details are foggy its generally agreed that ragamuffins were created by ragdoll owners who crossed the breed with other longhaired cats including turkish angoras himalayans persians and longhaired domestic cats in doing so they increased the breeds size and expanded the colors and patterns associated with these large fur balls the origin of the ragamuffin goes back to a cat named josephine and josephine wasnt even a ragamuffin she was in fact a ragdoll but given the mystery that surrounds the early days of the ragdoll breed its not surprising that ragamuffin origins are also intriguing controversyas it turns out there was once a rift in the world of ragdoll aficionados that led to a lot of tension between factions and even some good ole fashion litigation the founder of ragdoll cats and owner of josephine ann baker held stringent control over the breed and its classifications this didnt sit well with some admirers and caused a group of ragdoll breeders to depart from baker and her strict rules after some hostile years the group ended up with the ragamuffin breed it all sounds very stressful but perhaps worth it when the end result is such a wonderful kitty companion physical attributes of a ragamuffin cat ragamuffin with yellow eyes resting in a sinkattributesits not just their unique origin story that makes ragamuffins special they have some defining features both physically and personality wise that distinguish this impressive breed some of the most distinctive attributes include loveable purrsonalities ragamuffins are docile friendly and have a sweet temperament owners of this particular breed might even think theyve grown a second shadow because ragamuffins love to provide their humans with some serious companionship their pleasant demeanor makes them excellent pets for homes with children and other animals physical features these large lap cats tend toward the larger side of catdom female ragamuffins can weigh between and pounds while their male counterparts can tip the scales at more than pounds these big boned kitties have medium length coats that come in a variety of colors and patterns behaviors given their name it should be no surprise that ragamuffins have the tendency to stretch out and go limp in their owners arms like well a rag often called puppy like these large fur balls are attention seekers who enjoy playtime walks on a leash and can even learn a trick or two grooming and careragamuffins hav ft fur but luckily for enthusiasts of this breed their coat is tangle resistant one weekly brushing with a stainless steel comb should suffice for these kitties this will remove debris and dead hair while helping keep these loveable felines looking as beautiful on the outside de when it comes to ragamuffin upkeep its also important to brush your kittys teeth once a week to guard against periodontal disease a common occurrence in cats trim their nails every few weeks check the corners of their eyes and use a damp cloth arge clean dirty ears with a cotton ball and a mixture of water and apple cider or white vinegar no cotton swabs common health problems for ragamuffin cats ragamuffin cat with green eyes looking upcommon health issuesa hearty breed ragamuffi redisposed to the following hereditary issues cardiomyopathy this common form of heart disease in cats is caused by a thickening of the heart muscle polycystic kidney disease pkd this condition made its way to ragamuffins from their persian c an already large breed ragamuffins can have a tendency to overeat which makes them more susceptible to obesity owners of these king sized companions should monitor their food intake just to be safe and to make sure kitty isnt going back for seconds formation on proper portion sizes and meals need help finding a pet healthcare provider try our vet finder an aspca pet health insurance plan can help pet parents cover the cost of routine and unexpected visits to the veterinarian get a quote o a crazy beginning that its no wonder theres more than meets the eye when it comes to ragamuffins here are some fun facts about these cuddle crazed kitties ragamuffin kittens are actually born white and develop a color pattern as they matur t breeds ragamuffins are the rd most popular feline the breed can be prone to a condition known as heterochromia meaning they have two different colored eyes ragamuffins can live to the ripe old age of it can take four yea ical maturity originally called the liebling which is german for darling the name was later changed to pay homage to the ragdoll breed