For the past eight years Jo-Anne Clarke of Tewantin has been taking her Ragdoll cats to the Ekka to educate people about cats, tell them about the Ragdoll breed and demonstrate the breed’s appearance by displaying her award-winning cats.
This year Jo-Anne, who breeds her cats under the name Tipasheena Ragdolls, will take four kittens to the Royal Queensland Show on Sundays at the breeder display day.
The Ragdoll is a large breed of cat with a distinct colorpoint coat and blue eyes and a semi-long and silky soft coat that was developed by American breeder Ann Baker in the 1960s. They are best known for their docile, placid temperament and affectionate nature. The name ‘Ragdoll’ is derived from the tendency of individuals from the original breeding stock to go limp and relaxed when picked up.
Ragdolls are often known as “dog-like cats” due to their tendency to follow people around, their receptiveness to handling, and their relative lack of aggression towards other pets.
“It’s good to promote the breed and educate people about cats,” Jo-Anne said.
“We tell them to keep them inside and to desex them early.
“Ragdolls are such lovely cats. They follow you around. We can get ours to fetch like a dog.”
Among Jo-Anne’s cats are Rocky, a 12kg stunner that has grabbed plenty of attention at previous Ekkas and a recent point score winner of the year.
For more on the Ekka visit Ekka.com.au
