Perhaps the best thing that I can do to explain a Ragdoll to you if you aren't already set on having one join your home is to invite you to visit our kitty family...
If that isn't an option, a good place to start would be with The International Cat Association's website (TICA). Here you can learn what a Ragdoll is supposed to be!
In my experience, the Ragdoll is the best cat breed there is! I feel like a broken record when I explain the breed to people that have never heard of them! I tell them the Ragdoll is large cat with beautiful blue eyes, and a medium to long haired super soft coat. The coat is only a single coat compared to most cats that have a double coat. Without a dense undercoat the Ragdoll is almost maintenance free and can be less of a problem to people with cat allergies as they shed MUCH less than most cats! It is a color point breed (which means that the colors are darker on all of the extremities like the feet, tail, and head). However, the coat of the Ragdoll has patterns that describe the amount of white on them that makes their appearance very unique and beautiful. See pictures on our dropdown page or by following the TICA link to better understand the colors and patterns.
So, after the talk of the physical perfection of these felines, I discuss how absolutely perfect their personalities are. How they are called Ragdolls because they are just so calm and placid that when you pick them up they just tend to be limp. How they are more like slightly independent dogs wrapped up in amazingly beautiful soft cat bodies. They will follow you from room to room, many will play fetch with you, greet you at the door when you come home, and somehow always seem to know what you need. I have been very proud to have two of my cats, Milo and Deyanna working as play therapy cats in Pennsylvania! Milo lived and worked with the late Dr. Jean Camberg LCSW RPT-S and assisted her in making progress with children that have had some very serious challenges!