Caring for a Rag doll Cat

Feeding:
Fresh food and water is an absolute necessity for your rag doll. It is recommended that you always have a bowl full of dry food available for your cat, as well as a bowl of clean water. Wet food is probably not necessary on a daily basis, but it is really up to you, and what your rag doll prefers. You may need to experiment with different brands and flavors of wet food. It can provide extra nutrients and add variety to your rag doll's diet. We recommend feeding your rag doll one of the premium brands of food, as the quality is usually better. Usually kittens should have a special formula of food, so check with your veterinarian or local pet store if your not sure.

Grooming:
You should try to clean the water bowl daily, and the food bowl as much as possible to prevent germs and bacteria from building up.Rag doll coats can vary in thickness and hair type. The average ragdoll hair is fairly thick, and very soft to the touch. The length of the fur can be medium to long.They usually do a good job of grooming themselves, and don't require excessive brushing. It is a good idea to brush them strenuously a couple of times a week to prevent matting of the fur. The other reason for brushing on a regular schedule, is if you happen to find a knot forming, you can easily brush it out before it gets out of control.Rag dolls tend to enjoy grooming and make it easy for you to brush away!

Bathing:
Bathing is not really necessary if regular grooming is done. It may be beneficial to give your rag doll a bath a couple of times a year, to clean the coat if really dirty or if they have gotten into something that can not be brushed out.Make sure that you use a shampoo and conditioner that is formulated especially for cats, as regular human products may be harmful to your rag doll.

Claws:
Declawing a cat is a controversial subject, and one that brings many different opinions. We generally don't recommend declawing a rag doll unless it will help with the safety within a household, specifically with children. Clipping the claws can be done on a regular basis to avoid damage to your furniture or other items in the house, so if that is your only reason for declawing the cat, your decision should be weighed carefully because it is not reversible.Keep in mind that if a rag doll cat is declawed, it should be limited in it's exposure to the outside world. Without front claws, a rag doll doesn't have much of a defense against other animals or threats that it might encounter.

Litter box:
The litter box should be kept in a fairly secluded area to allow for privacy, but not so out of the way that it is difficult to access for cleaning. Usually a laundry room or other spare room serves as a good location.We recommend scooping out the inside of the box at least once a day, and actually replacing the litter weekly. If you have more than one cat, then it may be necessary to clean the box twice daily, morning and night for example.There are many different brands and types of litter out there, it is just a matter of preference. The main thing is to find something that your cat will use, is easy to keep clean and affordable for your budget.

Veterinarian:
You should take your rag doll to a veterinarian on a regular basis according to what they recommend. You will want to get vaccination shots and any other treatments that will keep your cat healthy and safe.There may be special considerations if your rag doll spends more time outside, such as pest control and a higher susceptibility to disease. Make sure you discuss this with your vet and work out a plan that makes sense.

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