Can a Ragdoll Cat be Black?
In short, a Ragdoll Cat can be black, BUT they are not recognized as an official purebred Ragdoll by the Cat Fanciers Association and The International Cat Association.
What are the official Ragdoll Colors and Patterns?
There are three officially recognized patterns that a Ragdoll may present in. They are:
- Bicolor – an inverted v mask marking on the face.
- Colorpoint – the ears, paws, face and tail are all colored and the rest of the body fur a cream color.
- Mitted – As with colorpoint but their paws and chin have white ‘mitts’. The mitted Ragdoll also has a belly stripe that runs from their chin to their genitals.
A lynx and tortie Ragdoll may appear in one of these official patterns.
Traditional Ragdoll Cats are officially recognized to come in several colors. Ragdolls are born all white but develop a color and pattern in the first few weeks of their lives
The Tradtional Ragdoll colors are:
- Seal – the extremities (nose, ears, tail and paws) are dark brown and their body a cream color with a shade of brown.
- Blue – the extremities are dark grey and their body a cream color with a shade of gray.
- Chocolate – the extremities are light brown and their body a creamy white color.
- Lilac – the extremities are light blue and their body a creamy white color.
- Flame – the extremities are a red/orange color and their body a creamy color with a shade of orange.
- Cream – the extremities are ivory and their body
Why is a Black Ragdoll Cat not recognized as a purebred Ragdoll?
A Black Ragdoll Cat does not match standard patterns or colors listed above that are set out in the guidelines of how a Ragdoll must present to be considered purebred. The accepted Ragdoll breed standard is that Ragdolls must exhibit pointed breed characteristics. Their body must appear lighter than their points – the face, ears, nose, tail and legs. A completely black Ragdoll’s coat is solid in color, therefore, lacking this essential characteristic.
Some Black Ragdoll cats may be bicolored with black and white markings.
Other variations of Ragdoll cats that are also not recognised as breed standard are:
- Mink Ragdolls
- Sepia Ragdolls
- Solid Ragdolls
The official Ragdoll cat breed standards state that all Ragdolls must have blue eyes as a requirement to be considered a true breed. However, a black ragdoll cat may have gold or green eyes instead of the usual blue color. Therefore they cannot be considered as a purebred Ragdoll Cat.
Click here to read Ragdoll Standards set out by the Cat Fanciers Association
How do you know if your Black Cat is a Ragdoll?
Black Ragdoll kittens are regularly sold by registered breeders that also specialize in breeding traditional Ragdoll colors and patterns, that the various cat associations recognize as purebred. So if you are not concerned about showing your Ragdoll Cat, and are looking for a loveable family pet then there is no reason why you shouldn’t be wary of purchasing a black ragdoll kitten from a reputable breeder . A Black Ragdoll still has the same physical and personality characteristics that Ragdolls and known and loved for, such as their relaxed temperament, large size and non-mating silky coat. To find a reputable breeder with Black Ragdoll Cats for sale visit our Breeders Directory.
We’d love to see photos of your Black Ragdoll cats! Tag us on Instagram or use the hashtag #ragdollcatsworld.