Ragamuffin ( Liebling)

The RagaMuffin, sometimes listed as the Liebling, is a large semi-longhaired cat that was developed in the United States. Adults are weighty and well muscled, carrying a soft, dense coat and a rounded, sweet expression. The breed sits close to the Ragdoll and shares that calm, people-centred manner, but it allows a much wider set of coat colours and patterns.

Weight is one of the things that sets the breed apart. A good many toms reach 6.8 to 9 kg, while queens run a little lighter. These cats mature slowly and may not fill out to their full size and weight until roughly four years old. For all their bulk, RagaMuffins move quietly and would rather be down at floor level or on a lap than perched up high.

Temperament is the usual reason owners settle on the breed. RagaMuffins are friendly, warm and patient, and as a rule they get on with tamariki and with other pets in the house. They trail their people from room to room, and many go soft and limp when lifted, a habit they carry over from the Ragdoll.

Who it suits

The RagaMuffin suits a home that wants a steady indoor companion rather than an aloof or high-octane cat. It does well with families, with older owners, and in homes that already keep gentle pets. The breed does not care to be left on its own for long stretches, so it works best for people who are home a fair bit or who keep a second animal for company. First-time owners tend to cope with it easily, since the cat is placid and forgiving.

The RagaMuffin runs straight back to the Ragdoll, a breed created in California during the 1960s by Ann Baker. The Ragdoll earned its name for its large size, its docile way, and its habit of going completely slack when picked up.

In 1994 a group of breeders parted ways with Baker's Ragdoll programme. They wanted a broader breeding base and a wider spread of coat colours and patterns than the Ragdoll standard would permit. The Ragdoll name was trademarked, so the new group had to find a fresh name for their cats.

They landed on RagaMuffin for the new line. Outcrossing to other longhaired household cats was used to widen the gene pool while holding on to the gentle temperament and plush coat that owners were after.

The RagaMuffin picked up championship recognition with the Cat Fanciers' Association in 2011, and it is registered here through the New Zealand Cat Fancy. The breed is still scarcer than the Ragdoll, and many breeders keep their focus on temperament and coat quality alongside the wider colour range.

The RagaMuffin is a solid cat with a broad chest, heavy bone and a rectangular body. The head is a broad, modified wedge with a rounded forehead, full cheeks and a short nose that carries a slight dip in profile. The eyes are large and walnut-shaped, set well apart, and they give the breed its soft, sweet look.

The coat is semi-long, dense and silky, running longer around the neck and over the hind legs. The tail is long and nicely plumed. The coat texture holds off matting better than a fair few longhaired breeds, so grooming sits at a moderate level rather than a heavy one.

Coat and colours

Unlike the Ragdoll, the RagaMuffin standard takes in the full run of colours and patterns. That covers solid, tabby, tortoiseshell, calico and pointed coats, with or without white. Eye colour is not tied to coat colour, so any eye colour is allowed. Kittens often arrive paler and build up their full colour and coat density across the first few years.

The RagaMuffin is among the most people-oriented of the cat breeds. It looks for company, meets the family at the door, and will often settle on a lap for long stretches. Many go slack and easy when lifted, which makes handling simple.

With strangers the breed tends to be trusting rather than wary, though it does vary from cat to cat. RagaMuffins are patient with children and put up with handling well, which is part of why they suit families. They usually take to other cats and to placid dogs when the introductions are done slowly.

The breed is quiet and sits low to moderate on energy. RagaMuffins play in short bursts and take to interactive toys, but they are no great athletes. Because they bond so tightly with the household, they can grow unsettled if they are left alone for long spells on a regular basis.

The RagaMuffin's silky coat resists matting better than many longhaired breeds, yet it still needs a routine to stay clean and free of tangles, above all around the neck and hindquarters.

Grooming

• Brush two to three times a week with a wide-tooth comb or a slicker brush
• Check the ruff and hind legs for tangles through the moulting seasons
• Trim the claws every two to three weeks
• Clean the ears and look over the teeth weekly; brush the teeth when the cat allows it

Exercise

• Offer short interactive play once or twice a day
• Use wand toys and balls to keep the cat moving and hold off weight gain
• Provide a sturdy scratching post and a low to mid-height cat tree
• Rotate the toys to keep an indoor cat interested

Environment

The RagaMuffin is an indoor cat. It is heavy and trusting, which leaves it poorly suited to free outdoor roaming. Set out warm resting spots, a quiet feeding corner and clean litter trays. Since the breed bonds so closely with people, a companion animal helps when the household is out during the day.

As an obligate carnivore, the RagaMuffin needs a diet built around animal protein. Pick a complete and balanced cat food matched to the cat's life stage. The breed is large and matures slowly, so kittens do well on a growth formula until around 12 months, and big or slow-maturing individuals may stay on kitten food a touch longer on veterinary advice.

Portion control counts for more with this breed than with most cats. RagaMuffins pile on weight easily, so feed measured amounts rather than leaving food down all day.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to no more than about 10 percent of daily kilojoules and take that off the meals. Fresh water should always be on hand, and some cats drink more from a pet fountain. A balanced commercial diet usually covers every needed nutrient, so add supplements only where a vet advises it, for instance skin, coat or joint support in an older cat.

The RagaMuffin is generally a healthy breed with a lifespan that runs from 12 to 16 years. Its broad gene pool, built up through outcrossing, helps keep it robust overall. Even so, it shares some inherited risks with the Ragdoll, and careful breeders screen their cats.

Weight management is a running concern. The breed's large frame and relaxed way make obesity easy to slide into, and that in turn lifts the risk of diabetes and strain on the joints.

Preventive care

• Annual veterinary exams, moving to twice-yearly visits for senior cats
• Keep vaccinations and parasite prevention up to date
• Dental checks and tooth brushing at home
• Hold the cat at a lean body weight
• Ask breeders about HCM screening and PKD genetic testing

The RagaMuffin's calm, people-focused nature makes it more cooperative than a lot of cats. It will not work for praise on its own, but it responds well to food rewards and enjoys the attention that training brings. Litter training is usually plain sailing, since the breed is naturally clean.

Keep the sessions short, a few minutes at a stretch, and stop while the cat is still keen. Consistency from everyone in the house helps the cat work out what to expect.

Basics

1. Set up a quiet, easy-to-reach litter tray and reward early use
2. Teach the cat to come to a sound or word paired with a treat
3. Introduce a scratching post and reward its use to spare the furniture
4. Practise gentle handling for the claws, ears and the carrier
5. Add simple tricks such as sit or target touch once the basics hold

The RagaMuffin reaches sexual maturity at the usual feline age, but it comes to full physical maturity slowly and may not finish growing until around four years old. Breeders generally wait until a cat is physically mature and has cleared health screening before breeding from it.

Queens carry a typical feline gestation of about 63 to 67 days. Litters tend to sit at the small to average end. Kittens arrive with paler coats and build up their full colour, density and body size gradually across the first few years.

Raising young RagaMuffins goes best with early, gentle handling and plenty of exposure to household life, which underpins the friendly, trusting temperament the breed is known for. Some breeders still outcross to approved lines to keep genetic diversity up and inherited disease risk down. Anyone looking to buy should seek out breeders who test for HCM and PKD and who socialise kittens well before they head to new homes.

Registering a Ragamuffin ( Liebling) and its chip in New Zealand

Keeping an indoor Ragamuffin ( Liebling) safe is partly latches and partly paperwork. The paperwork half is a free profile carrying your contact details and her photo, ready for the day a door swings wider than it should. Cat registration with United Pet Club never costs anything.

Pop the fifteen digit number from the vet paperwork into your free United Pet Club account, check your phone number is current, and your Ragamuffin ( Liebling)'s chip finally points somewhere. Every brand is accepted, every update free, and the record answers scans at any hour. Microchip registration is the link in the middle.