What Breed In My Cat?

[Dawnvm]

I purchased this kitten and was told he was a ragdoll now I'm not sure, anyone help

 

[StefanZ]

The looks could certainly be a ragdoll, even of decent quality. But as you arent sure its apparently not 100% sure.., It could be an occasional mix too.

 

[Dawnvm]

Thank you for replying he was brought as a ragdoll but someone said he looked Siamese, as I've never had either breed I wasn't sure.

 

[StefanZ]

Siamese old type could have such looks. But he is more alike ragdoll. The fur shortish but may change yet.

May I ask what did you pay?

 

[Kieka]

Ragdolls are typically long hair while Siamese are a short hair. Did you get him through a registered breeder or off something like Craigslist?

 

[Dawnvm]

Siamese old type could have such looks. But he is more alike ragdoll. The fur shortish but may change yet.

May I ask what did you pay?

It's a long story saw him on face book they wanted rid that day couldn't wait till the next day (they said he was a she) full of flea dirt, in poor condition, took him to vets4pets he was underweight had the runs, vet said he thought he was a ragdoll, he's picked up really well now, I only paid £250 thought it should have been more.

 

[Kieka]

It sounds more like someone thinking they had a ragdoll then actually having a ragdoll. The kitten is a decent lookalike for an old type Siamese but I wouldn't put it as a purebred or pet quality purebred and the coat isn't long enough for a ragdoll unless it does a serious poofing as it grows.

It happens very frequently as ragdolls are highly desirable as pets. Sometimes it is purely innocent as a longhair pointed is often labeled as "ragdoll" by rescues and shelters. So someone adopts one thinking it is one even though it doesn't have the pedigree to back it up. That person then misidentifies a friends cat who has kittens or breeds their cat and sells the kittens thinking they are ragdolls. It can also happen with malicious intent as someone wants to upsell the kitten and have justification to ask for more money. Just recently I saw someone selling a pure black cat as a siamese because the mom was pointed and another selling a snowshoe lookalike as a persian because they were told the mother was persian even though they never saw it.

Cat breeds are not like dog breeds. Having a lookalike for a breed does not make a cat that breed. Dogs have been so interbreed and refined in their breeds that rescues and vets can easily identify the puppies as a specific mix or breed. Kittens though are not so cut and dry. Some kittens look nothing like their adult version until they grow up. Others will look just like a specific breed but have no biological connection. Its because most modern cat breeds are from naturally occurring coloration or body types that someone liked enough to refine and define.

Ragdoll is a newer breed that came out of mixing Siamese and long hairs partnered with a specific personality that they selected for. But the breed is only a few decades old and is frequently naturally occurring, at least in looks, with no actual connection to purebred recognized ragdolls or with only distant relations. Snowshoe is a similar breed and I have a lookalike myself. I know my one cat is closer to an actual purebred based on several key factors but my second lookalike is definitely not close. She looks like it, someone selling her would probably call her it, the shelters would label her as Siamese but she has at least four generations of feral tabby street cat in her background. She is just lucky genetics.

I am really glad your cat found a good home. It is good that you found him and are taking much better care of him then he got before. He is a gorgeous kitten and should grow into a lovely cat. But given the background and care he had before I would guess someone just found him on the street. He is likely a pointed domestic short hair; lookalike of an old style Siamese.

 

[Dawnvm]

It sounds more like someone thinking they had a ragdoll then actually having a ragdoll. The kitten is a decent lookalike for an old type Siamese but I wouldn't put it as a purebred or pet quality purebred and the coat isn't long enough for a ragdoll unless it does a serious poofing as it grows.

It happens very frequently as ragdolls are highly desirable as pets. Sometimes it is purely innocent as a longhair pointed is often labeled as "ragdoll" by rescues and shelters. So someone adopts one thinking it is one even though it doesn't have the pedigree to back it up. That person then misidentifies a friends cat who has kittens or breeds their cat and sells the kittens thinking they are ragdolls. It can also happen with malicious intent as someone wants to upsell the kitten and have justification to ask for more money. Just recently I saw someone selling a pure black cat as a siamese because the mom was pointed and another selling a snowshoe lookalike as a persian because they were told the mother was persian even though they never saw it.

Cat breeds are not like dog breeds. Having a lookalike for a breed does not make a cat that breed. Dogs have been so interbreed and refined in their breeds that rescues and vets can easily identify the puppies as a specific mix or breed. Kittens though are not so cut and dry. Some kittens look nothing like their adult version until they grow up. Others will look just like a specific breed but have no biological connection. Its because most modern cat breeds are from naturally occurring coloration or body types that someone liked enough to refine and define.

Ragdoll is a newer breed that came out of mixing Siamese and long hairs partnered with a specific personality that they selected for. But the breed is only a few decades old and is frequently naturally occurring, at least in looks, with no actual connection to purebred recognized ragdolls or with only distant relations. Snowshoe is a similar breed and I have a lookalike myself. I know my one cat is closer to an actual purebred based on several key factors but my second lookalike is definitely not close. She looks like it, someone selling her would probably call her it, the shelters would label her as Siamese but she has at least four generations of feral tabby street cat in her background. She is just lucky genetics.

I am really glad your cat found a good home. It is good that you found him and are taking much better care of him then he got before. He is a gorgeous kitten and should grow into a lovely cat. But given the background and care he had before I would guess someone just found him on the street. He is likely a pointed domestic short hair; lookalike of an old style Siamese.

Thank you, he's a lovely friendly kitten now, gets on well with my dog, even after only 2 weeks, I think I can be safe putting him as an ordinary kitten for insurance policy, I didn't want the policy to be void if I put a wrong type of kitten

 

[StefanZ]

Yes, for insurance you just write domestic short(?) hair, pattern seal point.

Also, I suspect the insurance charge is higher for purebreds? After all, what you want to insure for is help with vet costs, not all the extras purebreds may befell to.
So no point hinting he is perhaps purebred, no point at all.

 

[Kieka]

Agreed, stick to domestic short hair for insurance. Just make sure your vet shows the same on their records so there isn't a misunderstanding along the way.

 

[abyeb]

He is cute! More of a seal point old style Siamese lookalike than a Ragdoll, but technically a Domestic Shorthair. If you're really curious, you could always have a DNA test done on him!

 

[Dawnvm]

Thank you all for your help.