Since Ragdolls are considered one of the most affectionate, clingy, and lovable cat breeds amongst all domestic cat breeds, you would think that bonding wouldn’t be a problem. However, as much as a Ragdoll cat will love its family, it only ever bonds to one individual in particular.
There are many different ways that you can bond with your Ragdoll kitty cat, but usually, a combination of things is the best way to go about it if you are striving to be your Ragdoll’s future number one.
In many ways, Ragdoll’s arent specifically a one-person cat, like a Doberman Pinscher almost always turns out to be a one-person dog that happens to love its family.
A Ragdoll will bond with one in particular, but it shares its affection so well that it will often not seem that way.
Bonding with Your Ragdoll Kitty
Bonding with your Ragdoll starts you and, in this case, should begin when it is still just a kitty, learning to use the litter box and the other various rules of the house. However, it shouldn’t be difficult, as a Ragdoll kitty is already formulating that loving and affectionate personality that Ragdolls are known for.
Learn How to Speak to Your Ragdoll
Ragdolls have their own particular language, even if most of it is body language—they aren’t very vocal cats, though they can be at times—and only some of it is kitty vocalizations. So study your Ragdoll kitty as you would study for a Geometry exam.
Although most Ragdolls share a very friendly personality, each one is unique, and yours will have its own body language, Mannerisms (so to speak), and meows. Learn what it is that it wants and respond in kind.
A Ragdoll’s body language, in terms of its ears and tail every bit as much as its body, is very informative, and once you know how to speak on your Ragdoll’s terms, you’ll be that much closer to a lifetime bond.
Play with Your Ragdoll
Ragdoll cats are so much like dogs that it’s often kind of spooky. You’ll find yourself wondering if you own a cat or a real-life dog that somehow became entrapped in your Ragdoll kitty’s body. In fact, it’s often remarked that Ragdolls are essentially “puppy-cats.”
One thing that dogs share with Ragdolls is that they bond more with the people that spend quality time with them and quality time means time spent playing. Play with your Ragdoll. Bring home toys that require you to be involved as well.
One of the best ways to engage in play with your Ragdoll kitty is to use toys, especially toys that you can manipulate in a twitchy, speedy sort of way. All cats, including Ragdolls, are quickly mesmerized and ready to pounce on something that moves around in fast, unpredictable ways.
You’ll have your Ragdoll pouncing before you can blink. Involve treats in the game and high praise for basic training accomplishments. This sort of interaction is the foundation of a strong and growing bond between you and your Ragdoll.
Take the Time to Groom Your Ragdoll Routinely
Grooming isn’t an irritation for Ragdolls like it can be for some cats, who just want to escape your grasp as soon as possible. A Ragdoll will instinctively understand that your grooming motions are helpful and it’s all right and good.
You should always make grooming a routine with your Ragdoll anyway, as Ragdolls are considered medium-haired to long-haired cats, which means that shedding—especially in the summer—can become crazy in a hurry.
You should spend around five or six minutes every day giving your Ragdoll a good brush. Keep it gentle so it doesn’t frighten her and, if she’s like almost every Ragdoll on the planet, she’ll be completely limp in your hands as you work to get out all of the knots.
When you’re all done, she’ll definitely appreciate the time and effort.
Feeding Time
If you are the one that’s feeding it daily, your Ragdoll will recognize that fact. You can trust in that much if nothing else. It will definitely go a long way towards establishing that bond because your Ragdoll will recognize that you are the provider, and she owes that to you.
It also establishes a good level of trust between you and your Ragdoll as she eats every night and feels better, full, and content each evening. You should follow it up with some quality lap time while you and her both digest the evening meal.
Your Ragdoll will also learn to associate the feeling of being full, content, and happy with you because you are the one that is bringing the food each and every day. There’s nothing more important in establishing a bond than trusting you for sustenance every day.
Play Hide and Seek
For some reason, cats associate a box or a cat house with a form of mental well-being and contentment. Be sure to provide that for your Ragdoll but remember, Ragdolls aren’t big into climbing like other cats, so you should keep her house low to the ground.
If you haven’t purchased a house for her yet, any box will do, so long as it’s plenty large enough for your Ragdoll to climb inside and hide away as a form of play, your Ragdoll will appreciate the fact that she has something of her own.
You can also incorporate play and toys in the box and/or cat house. Once you have something that she can hide in, move your playtime to the box or the house instead. Though your Ragdoll will spend 95% of its time right by your side, even a Ragdoll needs a safe space from time to time.
Get Down on Your Ragdoll’s Level
Regardless of what you’re doing, whether it’s playing and talking or feeding and giving her treats, get down on your Ragdoll’s level to do it. This is especially helpful when your Ragdoll is still a kitten.
Remember, you are a giant in your Ragdoll’s world, despite the fact that the males can reach 20lbs, and you are far less of an intimidating, gigantic threat if you are down your Ragdoll’s level.
Establish and Maintain a Routine
Trust is everything in any relationship, whether it’s between two people, two animals, or you and your Ragdoll. Breaking the routine occasionally, because we all know that things happen, is okay. However, don’t make it a frequent move.
If you don’t have a routine or frequently break a previously established routine, you run the risk of losing your Ragdoll’s trust, which will harm the bond between you or damage one that is forming.
So it’s crucial to establish a good routine with your Ragdoll and maintain it to the best of your ability. Ragdolls are very smart and clever cats. They will believe that something is wrong if the routine, especially feeding and playtime, is broken.
Final Thoughts
Bonding with your Ragdoll isn’t difficult, so long as you focus on your Ragdoll’s needs and are the primary source that fulfills their needs as a cat. It’s especially easy if you are the lone provider at home.
It may be a little more difficult in a family environment, but so long as you bring the food every evening, you have at least half of it covered.
Related Articles
- Why Are Ragdolls So Needy?
- Are Ragdolls Affectionate?
- Do Ragdoll Cats Get Along With Dogs?
- Are Ragdolls Lap Cats?
- What To Do If You Accidentally Step on a Kitten?
- Why Is My Ragdoll Cat So Small?
Sources
https://www.bustle.com/p/how-to-bond-with-your-new-cat-according-to-experts-9149282