Ragdoll Breed Group Rational  

​

Christine Lupo, Amanda Jimmink, Elizabeth Boatwright  

​

“People talk about the middle of the road as though it were unacceptable. Actually, all human  problems, excepting morals, come into the gray areas. Things are not all black and white. There  have to be compromises. The middle of the road is all of the usable surface. The extremes, right and  left, are in the gutters.”  

--President Dwight D. Eisenhower  

​

Breeders of blue-eyed pointed (BEP) Ragdolls and breeders of mink, sepia, and solid Ragdolls are working  together to find a compromise in the advancement of the “New Traits” Ragdolls to the Championship class. The  current Ragdoll standard only allows for BEP cats. The mink, sepia, and solids cannot show in the championship  class. The authors of this proposal, under the governing regulations 31.4 and 33.9, respectively, in the TICA Registration Rules & Related Standing Rules, seek to establish a Ragdoll breed group to create a separate breed,  namely Cherubim, for mink, sepia, and solid Ragdolls so that they may compete in the Championship class.  

​

Ann Baker was the originator of the Ragdoll breed. While the BEP Ragdoll was the first focus of Ann  Baker, she also developed other categories & breeding lines. These lines included all colors and patterns. All  breeding lines developed by Ann Baker printed the following phrase across their IRCA Ragdoll registrations:  “Registrar of Cherubim Cats.” When certificates of registration were transferred from IRCA to the TICA Registry, all cats in all colors were registered as Ragdolls in one grouping. As such, a breed group structure correctly reflects  the Ragdoll/Cherubim relationship. The breed name Cherubim has been widely accepted by many Ragdoll breed  section members, and we propose using Cherubim as the new breed name for the mink, sepia, and solid Ragdolls.  

​

The TICA website states, “the strength of TICA lies in its members. Breeders, exhibitors, and cat lovers are  invited to join TICA and participate in the most progressive registry in the world” (www.TICA.org). A total of 1088  members of the Ragdoll Breed Section joined TICA because they, too, believe it to be the most progressive registry  in the world. The mink, solid, and sepia Ragdolls breeders trust this mantra and it is time for the mink, solid, and sepia Ragdolls to advance to championship status. This will allow them to have a written standard they can breed  to so they can show and preserve their lines. To date, thirty-three exhibitors have internationally shown their solid,  mink, and sepia Ragdolls for the purpose of submitting the application for the advancement of “New  Traits” to the Championship class and request TICA recognize their cats. The authors propose the creation of a  breed group which will allow the separation and coexistence of pointed and mink, sepia, and solid. This concession will  seek to have the solid, mink, and sepia adopt the name of “Cherubim.” These concessions are made to ensure ease  of passing a breed section vote and to receive recognition in a Ragdoll Breed Group Standard, on the TICA  website, in the show halls and breed seminars for the Ragdoll Breed Group. Given the history and the genetic  evidence of the origins of all Ragdoll cats, it is reasonable to see that the current barrier to the exhibition hall is not  aligned with TICA founding principles. 

 

The authors believe this would create a sense of belonging for many and ultimately increase the number of  exhibitors (and spectators) if the mink, solid, and sepia are accepted for show and the current TICA Ragdoll Breed  Standard is amended to reflect a breed group. The growth in membership within the Ragdoll breed section from  September 14, 2023 (951 members) to October 24, 2023 (1088 members) is substantial. That is 13% growth in  approximately a one-month period. The authors surmise that much of this occurred as a result of discussions of a  breed group and the notice of intent to apply for advancement to championship “New Traits” status published on  October 17, 2023 in the TICA Trend. The authors believe that this is indicative of members who breed mink, solid,  and sepia Ragdolls acting upon their excitement over the possibility of earning titles and learning within the show  halls.  

​

Representatives, breeders, and exhibitors of all viewpoints have collaborated to determine an equitable  compromise. The solution, based upon our unofficial poll, that will pass with a majority breed section vote is the  creation of a Ragdoll Breed Group to separate the BEP Ragdolls from the mink, sepia and solid Cherubims (72%  voted yes to being open a breed group, dependent on name). This will allow the BEP offspring of mink, sepia, and  solid cats to be registered and shown as Ragdolls while also allowing Championship Status for the Cherubim  (mink, sepia, solid) cats themselves. This document proposes the necessary changes to the Ragdoll Standard to  accomplish the creation of a Ragdoll Breed Group (RD/CH) and allow for the advancement of the mink, sepia, and  solid Cherubim into Championship. A Ragdoll Breed Group is, in Eisenhower’s words, our “usable surface.”  

 

SOURCES:  

Baker, Ann. Ann Baker’s Autobiography: Cherubims Research. Published by Business and Consumer Advocate of  the Animal World. 1985.  

Pickering, Robin, Pollard, David, Wallace, Lorna. The Definitive Guide to Ragdolls. Pontefract, W. Yorkshire:  Ragdoll World. 1995. First Edition.  

 TICA Registration Rules & Related Standing Rules. 19 January 2023. Version A. 28 October 2023.  https://tica.org/resources/our-publications/rules-regulations/file/1146-registration-rules-version-a-19-jan-2023-4 

UC Davis Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. Colorpoint Restriction. 28 October 2023.  https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/colorpoint-restriction 

 

​

​