Alot of the problems you will encounter you just won't know until you get them. I found a rag doll mix in a drain and kept him. He was the best cat. Just slept by the pool all day and didn't/couldn't jump the fence. He was super cuddly too, you'd just be sitting there and he'd jump on your chest.

Or at night you'd hear little pitter patters of feeties and a little scooter purring around your face.

Just look at YouTube training and obedience videos. Some are super smart (probably the inherited Burman trait) or they aren't bright at all. Mine was dumb. But either way you can get them into a good routine. As for food I had a mix of dry for his teeth and wet for his hydration and nutrients. Just do the Google.

Best of luck with them! They are a super low maintenance pet.

>>2063756

Cheers, man. That's reassuring stuff. About your cat jumping on you and at night is really good to hear, exactly what she's wanted in a cat.

After some Google, we'll them each their own litter tray and food bowl, and they can share water. But there's a lot of conflicting or overly vague descriptions of feeding schedules... is one wet meal and two dry meals enough for one day? Morning and night only? And what changes should be made for an adult cat other than the formula of the kibble?

Obviously good information is available, but so-called experts also breed cats with no hair, stunted legs and mashed-in faces, whereas this board seems to have folks who like healthy animals.

I wasn't really into such a girly breed, but now I'm getting pretty excited to see them again on the weekend!

Thanks again.

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I have had 2 ragdolls for going on 10 years. They are great cats, but can be some work. Have a regular vet because they can have some health problems but can be kept under wraps if you work at them.
Pic is my ragdoll

>>2063756
>ragdoll mix
It's a mutt, anon. if you're not smart enough to figure that out, you're not smart enough to be giving advice. Hardly any cats are purebred, you really think your dumpster kitty is a rag mix? People who pay for purebreds, like OP, almost always desex their cats and are smart enough to keep them inside regardless.
>>2063738
Look at the parents, or literally any adult ragdoll, actually. All of your questions are Google-able; think about that before you make threads in the future. The only important part is that you'll need three litter boxes. The general rule is one litter box per cat plus one. If you don't have at least two, you run a pretty good risk of having them shit on your floor.
Also, the whole "dry food is good for teeth !!!!" is bullshit. They can't even chew kibbles because their teeth are designed exclusively for meat eating. Ideally, you should feed them a raw diet. Rad Cat is pretty good. However, raw diets are super expensive and impractical for most people. Just remember wet is better than dry and feed as much wet as possible. Weruva, wellness core, tiki cat, and blue buffalo are all pretty good wet food brands. You'll notice that quality almost always goes up with price when it comes to food. Don't go cheap.

>>2063832
http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2010/12/the-7-best-natural-commercial-cat-foods-so-far/ Forgot to add this link. Again, yes, this is all super expensive, but if you can afford two purebred ragdoll kittens, you should definitely be able to afford a quality diet.

Don't let them on counters, tables, etc. It may be cute when they're new, but that shit gets old real fast.

Walking in gravel pits of their own shit and piss then dancing on your counters and stealing any meat that's not nailed down and contaminating the rest is not cool.

Make sure the litter boxes are in private areas. They don't like to give out free shows to perverts.

For starters, keep the food and water far away from the litter box. Some cats don't mind, but some do. Their instincts are not to eat next to where they do their business.

Replace all your cheap vinyl blinds with faux wood. Just do it. Because they will destroy cheap blinds. Alternatively, you can leave all the blinds up about 18" so they don't have to enter from the side.

If you don't have a handheld vacuum with a wall mount/charger, get one. And put it near the litter box.

Don't listen to anyone about food. Everyone will insist theirs is best. Wet is best. Dry is best. Raw meat is best. Blah blah blah. The only thing I've consistently heard over 30 years is a surprising amount of vets stick to Purina because it has a century of trial of error behind the formulas. Do what you think is best. Talk to your vet. Don't fall victim to advertising or big mouths.

Don't let anyone guilt you about not rescuing a pet. It's your toy. You don't have to buy used. Even purebreds need homes. Of course, they're the first to disappear from shelters for a reason. Hmm.

Don't put litter boxes anywhere that water might hit the floor. Like by a shower. Litter will mix with water and get under the floor boards and your bathroom will forever smell like cat litter.

Get some gerbils. Cats love Gerbil-TV and they're incredibly cheap/easy to maintain.

>>2063832
>The general rule is one litter box per cat plus one
Depends a lot on the cats. I had one box for both my cats, and the closest I ever had to accidents was one finishing her poo just outside the box. If you don't have the space for one box plus one, don't sweat it. But if you do, then do it.

110% agreed on the food though... good advice on that.

>>2063839
>Depends a lot on the cats

Depends even more on the owners. 2 cats with 1 box is fine if you clean it every other day. I keep it in my bedroom closet by my clean clothes. No smell because I keep it clean.

If you're lazy (and don't get me wrong, that's fine, we all have our own speeds), you will want to get more boxes to compensate.

>>2063839
Look it up. Anybody who knows anything suggests at least one litter box per cat. They're naturally territorial and just having one can easily make them nervous and cause relationship issues. Many cats need two litterboxes even in single-cat households. Plus, having two litter boxes means the shit is less concentrated, which means less frequent cleaning and more comfortable kitties.

>>2063835

It's a cat. It shits in a box and eats dead birds.

Cats were living for 20+ years centuries ago before super-premium foods. There is no miracle food that is going to make it 30+ years. That page reads like it is on the PETA domain.

A good dry food will keep your cat alive and healthy, and will be easy to just plop in a dish with no cleanup. Don't fall for all this new age garbage. Get some Iams or something suitable to your cats age/lifestyle and be content that you're doing good.

Because it seriously makes no fucking difference no matter how loud /an/ gets about their trendy "raw" diets made by advertising execs turned pet food producers that haven't been thoroughly trial tested over a few decades.

>>2063849
Dogs have lived into their twenties on vegetarian diets. People have made it into their nineties smoking and drinking every day. What's your point? I'm suggesting what's best for OP's cat, not what it'll survive on. I'm not sure why you're angry. It's like somebody going on a diet and getting mad that they're not eating exclusively McDonald's because they could still live off that.

>>2063849
>eats dead birds
Yeah, they eat dead birds. Not little dehydrated kibble full of grain and bullshit.

>>2063850
>I'm suggesting what's best for OP's cat

You're suggesting what advertisers and bloggers say is best. Any vetinarian will say stick to foods that is tried and tested.

Blue is a great example. Blue is KILLING animals. And it's not just some one-off thing. There are dozens of health issues stemming from Blue foods. Because it was never really tested. It was created by advertisers with a vision in mind. First they made the TV story board ads, then they made the food around it.

Don't. Put. Anything. In your loved ones that has not been put through the ringer. Ever. This is common sense. No vet will ever tell you to use raw food or Blue unless they are seriously under educated about pet nutrition.

>>2063832
>>2063838

Cheers, dudes. Three trays in the laundry sounds reasonable; they're cheap and I'd rather not have cat piss up a wall. I grew up with the cats not allowed up on benches, tables and sideboards, so that's also fine. Thanks for the bit about window blinds, though.

They're currently on a Purina for kittens along with good quality wet food, and we won't change their diet too much until they reach adulthood. Thanks for that link; it's a pretty comprehensive list, unfortunately I don't think I've seen any of those brands available in Aus. But I do think the breeder knows his shit.

>>2063828
Any health problems that pedigree cat owners don't think to talk about because they're used to them, but that a moggie owner wouldn't know about? Obviously they've been tested and cleared for PKD, HCM, FELV and FIV. And again, I know lilies are toxic, and chocolate is common knowledge, but is there anything else which shouldn't be left about?

Bedtime, but I'll check back on this thread tomorrow.

Thank you again, real good stuff so far.

>>2063853
Most vets will still tell you that dry food cleans teeth and that Friskies is a good staple, they're just as bad. No vet will suggest raw food because most of them are old as fuck and/or know their clients likely don't have the money or time.
You might be right about blue, I haven't really seen it too high up on most lists. Still, this doesn't mean a 90% corn diet is preferable.

>>2063865
Not that anon, but I had a vet once tell me to stop feeding Blue. Apparently it is crazy-divisive.

They are prone to heart problems that can cost a fortune or worse, kill them early. Make sure the breeder is reputable and has their cats tested for genetic heart issues yearly, and has a health guarantee for their kittens that lasts at least 5 years as it takes a while for genetic heart issues to pop up. If your kitten does get heart issues, don't buy from the same breeder again; you will just get another cat with heart issues

>>2063863
What wet food are you feeding them? Purina isn't that great; there are better alternatives. Plus, those kitten, adult, senior ect formulas don't matter too much. Just feed as much wet as you can, really. Look for real meat (not byproducts) and no cheap fillers (corn, rice, potatoes). Regardless of how you think grains/similar affect cats, they're only added to cut down production costs and generally isn't a good sign.
I did have a dry food list, but I can't find it, so you're on your own here.

>>2063852

They don't eat dead birds. They eat alive native birds. And native mammals. We live in Australia, where native crap is everything to us because it sure as shit ain't culture. These fuckers are going to be indoor cats, so we just want to know that we're not feeding them the feline equivalent of Froot Loops as a staple.

>>2063867
See >>2063863, but thank you. Also, testing them for a genetic issue yearly?

>>2063868
The dry is Purina Pro-Plan Chicken and Rice Formula for kittens. Any good? We'd rather stick with Royal Canin or Purina as they're available everywhere.

The wet is Royal Canin, Dine (only ones in a round tin, apparently), Fancy Feast and Wellness. Is this okay?

So, without trying to start a fight:
Is half a serve of wet and a handful of kibble for both morning and night enough?
A whole serve of wet each for each meal?
3 meals a day? Morning, afternoon and night?
Wet and dry always as separate meals?
And as they grow towards adulthood? Portion sizes?

As I said, I had moggies growing up that would eat rodents and unfortunately birds, good cat stuff from the meat fridge of the supermarket and generic pellets. However, the ragdolls are ostensibly my partner's, she wants what's best for them and can afford to.

But we just don't know what is.

Also, this might sound too stupid to bother asking about or conversely we might be stupid for not knowing it to be necessary, but do we need to brush their teeth?

>>2063868
>Purina isn't that great

>animal food that's been tested and perfected since 1894
>clearly has no idea what they're doing and "isn't that great" since they've barely survived for 122 years and are the oldest active producer of animal feed in the world.

>kitten, adult, senior ect formulas don't matter too much

It is really important for dogs because of the amount of growth, especially medium/giant breeds. Gaining 100lbs in 10 months is no joke (my Pyr gained 70 in 8 months) and it has to be done perfectly or any number of problems can arise. In other words, don't do it on raw because the protein/fat/calorie balance has to be spot on during growth.

For cats, they need more protein and calories as kittens, and less calories as seniors. You'll get a skinny kitten or fat elder cat if you're not careful.

>Regardless of how you think grains/similar affect cats, they're only added to cut down production costs and generally isn't a good sign.

The grain thing is a myth. Grain free foods were developed in response to consumer demand fueled by armchair-science that doesn't have any basis in actual nutritional science.

The reality is, all fancy manufacturer labels aside, grain is nutritionally balanced and an excellent source of protein. Google it. And not some "natural food" blog. Go to PetMD or something. There are many sources that explain why grain is fine and the push for grain-free is unnecessary and just another way to ramp up food prices for profit.

>They don't eat dead birds. They eat alive native birds. And native mammals.

What is the composition of a bird or mouse? I will give you a hint - It's not 100% white meat, like what they claim goes in those ultra-premium cat foods. So the whole debate is null and void.

>>2063877
>The dry is Purina Pro-Plan Chicken and Rice Formula for kittens. Any good?

It's fine. I use Purina Pro-Plan Focus on my dogs. Vets agree. It's the only type that has a puppy formula for giant-breed dogs (giant, not large).

>>2063877
>Is half a serve of wet and a handful of kibble for both morning and night enough?

Let your cats decide. Wet food is sort of tricky to work with since once they are done eating, the food is trash. There is no perfect suggestion here. Use enough wet food to cover all the dry, and keep an eye on house much they eat and tweak it as the days go by. It should be enough for them to finish in 10 minutes. Pick up the food when they finish to prevent grazing (that will give you a fatty, let me tell you ...)

>>2063738
You'd have been better off getting a Neva Masquerade Siberian, but hey, what's done is done.

My recommendation is to use Royal Canin food.

>>2063881
Purina kitten chow ingredients:

>Chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, soy flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols, wheat flour, fish meal, animal liver flavor, dried yeast, calcium carbonate, turkey by-product meal, phosphoric acid, salt, choline chloride, taurine, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, potassium chloride, manganese sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, Red 40, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.

the first few ingredients are literally by-products. cats don't eat corn gluten and mouse by-products in nature, dude.

>>2064290
B-but you're just catering to PETA bloggers! S-stop being trendy! Cats have been surviving for years on corn diets, how dare you try and feed them anything but friskies!

>>2063877
Looking at ingredients helps. You can't trust the VET RECCOMENDED! GRAIN FREE! ALL NATURAL! on the package. Your goal is to find a food with quality ingredients, not by-product or grains. Grains, potatoes, and similar are just cheap fillers when they're at the top of the ingredient list. Try and keep the first five ingredients free of by-products and at least three real meats. You can also check online to see if there have been any major problems with a certain brand. Don't listen to the other guys, I'm not sure why they're unhappy I'm telling you not to feed your cat byproducts and corn as a staple diet. Fancy Feast isn't great, not sure about royal canin. Wellness core is good, stick to that.
I'd ask your breeder specifically how much to feed daily. It doesn't matter if you separate wet and dry, but they're going to prefer wet food because they can actually chew it and it tastes good. Again, as long as there's as much wet as possible, you're still doing better than almost every cat owner on your continent.

>>2064290
>the first few ingredients are literally by-products. cats don't eat corn gluten and mouse by-products in nature, dude.

... and? You want a good nutritional balance for a healthy, long-lived pet, yeah? Where that nutrition comes from means dick.

The fact is, you're paying quadruple the price because it comes from white meat chicken instead of mouse biproduct or grain, when the actual nutritional value is EXACTLY THE SAME.

In fact, fancy "super premium" foods cause health problems because it's too damn rich for animals to handle.

Find an unbiased source for your information, and go fucking nuts. Learn some things, and save some money. Here is one on grain:

http://www.petmd.com/dog/centers/nutrition/evr_multi_what_is_grain_free_pet_food_really

In a nutshell, that article explains why grain-based foods can be just as good as food without grain. From a completely unbiased source with nothing to gain.