So, you’re considering a Ragdoll kitten but aren’t sure yet which breeder to work with or where to get your kitten from.
Should you price shop? Should you buy local or ship a kitten? What are you looking for in a kitten? Here are some things to consider…
- Consider picking a breeder to work with first and then a kitten subsequent to that. Finding a good breeder is like finding a good realtor or financial investor. You will likely have a relationship with your breeder for weeks to months to years. You need to find someone you like, trust and respect above all. So how do you find this breeder? Ask your friends, search the internet, search on TICA. Then talk to them. Send a message and give them a bunch of information about yourself. Then schedule a phone conversation or Video call and see if it’s a good fit. Once you find one you like, you will then find the perfect kitten.
- Consider your absolute maximum budget for a kitten or two. In the kitten world, the old adage you get what you pay for is generally true. Stay away from rock bottom prices as they are likely unregistered, ill repute backyard breeders and the kitten you get may not be purebred, healthy or with the characteristics you are searching for.
- Traveling is stressful for a kitten. Consider buying locally, if at all possible, to reduce the stress. You may also want to consider buying locally so that you can meet the kitten and the breeder at pick up. I’ve heard too many horror stories of people going to the airport to pick up their beloved pet only to find that its not what they were expecting or appears sick.
Consider going in with little to no requirements in terms of gender, color or pattern. Work with your breeder on finding the right kitten for you from what they have available.
So why buy a kitten from Oh My Stars Ragdolls? What makes us special?
- Probably 99% of the breeders out there love their cats and animals in general. Of course, you want to find a breeder who shares the love you have. I took that love of animals a step further by becoming a veterinarian. I spent 3 years after college getting my prerequisites and applying to vet school before even being accepted. I then spent 4 years studying to become a veterinarian. These were not easy years! I practiced 3 years at a small practice in Sammamish Washington and then moved to Tacoma and worked 21 years at a practice there. I know what it means to struggle for a passion, what it means to be dedicated to a cause and to love and care for the animals in my charge. When I discovered Ragdolls, it was natural to pour my love and knowledge of animals and animal husbandry into breeding.
- One of the biggest reasons people come to Ragdolls is for their temperament. We are looking for those kitties to warm your feet, follow you around the house, purr loudly in your ear and melt into your arms as you hold them. Studies have shown that one reason humans are so drawn to cats is because they about the size of a human baby. It’s true. Temperament is hugely a factor of genetics and it’s something we breed for here at Oh My Stars. Not all Ragdolls have the right temperament and not all breeders pay attention to it. Health and Temperament are paramount to anything else in our cattery. But the other factor is conditioning and raising of the kittens. It was recommended to me by my mentor that I consider breeding for two main reasons. The first was my veterinary degree but also the fact that I have two small children who could help me socialize these beautiful kittens. Raising these kittens is a family matter. My kids adore these babies and can’t keep their hands off of them.
- From the time the kittens are born they are handled so they learn to trust the human hand. They are played with and loved on. Once they are litter box trained, they live in the house with the family just like a pet. They learn to snuggle with humans and rely on humans for their care but also their social needs. More so than any other breed of cat I know, the Ragdoll is extremely social.
- A good deal of breeders just allow buyers to pick their kittens from a list of pictures. To us that feels very superficial and does not make for the best relationships. What makes us different here at Oh My Stars is that we consider ourselves to be kitten/human “MATCHMAKERS”. We believe that what makes the best relationship between owner and pet is the personality of human and feline. We take into consideration your living situation, your lifestyle and your desires and match kittens we feel would best suit all those considerations. Sure gender, color and pattern are nice but they are just the wrapping on the package. What really counts is the personality underneath. No one knows these kittens better than we do and we make it a priority to give you the best relationship with your furry friend. Do not expect a meet and greet where you sit on the floor and play with the kittens until one pops out at you. My experience is that this is just stressful to you and to the kittens. You will worry you are picking the “best one” and will second guess your decision for weeks. Kittens are like people in that they have good and bad days or high energy or low energy days. Observing a kitten on any given day does not give you a true representation of that kitten as a whole. I implore you to trust us to match you with your perfect fur baby. It is something we consider ourselves very good at.
- I always tell my people that once the kittens leave our household to yours, our relationship does not need to end. In fact I hope that it doesn’t. I hope to hear from you as your kitten(s) develop on how they are doing with pictures and videos. I am also here in the event you need some guidance along the way, whether its behavioral or medical. Given my years of experience and veterinary degree I hope this can be of added value to you.
- Lastly, we here at Oh My Stars Ragdolls hope to establish a lifelong relationship with you as the new stewards to our kittens. The relationship we have does not end the minute you walk out the door. We are here for advice, support and friendship each step along the way. That is one of the things I have loved most about being a veterinarian, the relationships I establish with my clients and it is true in my cattery as well.
We here at Oh My Stars Ragdolls may do things a bit differently than other breeders. We believe very strongly that kittens should be “matched” to owners based primarily on personality and temperament. Sure, color, pattern and expression are nice but they are just wrappings on the package. The key to a long-term happy relationship between you and your furry friend relies mainly on temperament. So for us, posting a photo and asking you to choose based on a single photo and brief description seems a bit backwards. Soooo…
Consider me your feline/human “Matchmaker.”
I ask you to trust me in this process. I have done this a lot and am good at it! I know people and I know cats and am good at making successful matches. Put your agendas and beliefs aside and let me guide you in selecting the purrfect match!
Here’s the Process…
- Application
Fill out an application. This helps me to get to know you a bit better and figure out if we might be a good match. I do not use this information as anything other than a process to get to know you better. It doesn’t lock you into any sort of agreement. It is simply a first step. (Link to application)
- Communication
Send me an email or text letting me know you have filled out an application. This alerts me that an application has been sent as I don’t always see the notifications. It also opens up the dialogue between us that will follow. This step is as important as all the others. Please expect that I will reply and . expect a reply back from you. I will never intentionally ghost you and expect the same from you. (link to my email address ([email protected]) and phone number 253-355-0156).
- Phone conversation
I will set up a time to call you by phone or possibly Face Time. This is where we really get to know one another. This is so helpful for me in figuring out which kitten(s) I believe would make a good fit and it is essential for you in building trust in me, in my kittens/cattery and in the process for matching you with the right Ragdoll kitten.
- Deposit
Once you have decided to get a kitten from us at Oh My Stars Ragdolls, I ask for a deposit of $500. This deposit confirms the agreement that you will be getting the right kitten for you from us. It may not confirm exactly which kitten you will be receiving at this time. That may happen later. I take deposits via Venmo(preferred), Zelle or Paypal. The deposit is non refundable and non transferrable once a litter or a kitten is established.
- Wait
I recognize this is the hardest part of the process. This is the time it takes for me to really get to know my kittens as individuals. I watch them and handle them and determine who is confident, cheeky, demure, feisty, chill, etc. This is when I am working on the puzzle of fitting kittens to owners.
Fill out a matching form. I will be sending out a form closer to pick up that is an extended version of my application. I will asking a myriad of questions that will help me in the matching process. I take gender, color and pattern into consideration but temperament and home environment take priority in my process. I also give preference based on order deposits are received.
- Confirm a kitten
I will come to you with my suggestions for which kitten(s) I believe would be a good fit. I will send photos and videos and may even do a Facetime call. Once you have confirmed with me that the match is correct, I will mark the kitten as yours in the website and in my records. Once this is done, there is no switching kittens! Your deposit is locked in for that exact kitten. If you should decide that you do not want the kitten for any reason, your deposit will not be returned or transferred.
- Establish a pick up appointment
I will schedule a date and time for your pick up appointment. This is typically done a few days to a week after the kitten(s) has been spayed/neutered. I will send you the instructions for the appointment including the address and your balance which will be paid in cash. This is also the time to make an appointment with your veterninarian It is vital that you make an appointment within 2 weeks of pick up per the contract.
If you are unable to schedule an appointment within a week of the surgery appointment or the kitten turning 12 weeks, there will be a boarding fee of $20 per kitten per day. I am happy to discuss with you the holding of kittens. If you are planning to be away from home within a month of the kitten coming home, consider either adopting at a later time or boarding the kitten here until pick up time. It is far less stressful for the kitten to stay here than transition to a new home and a new person in a short period of time.
- Enjoy your Ragdoll kitten!
Spend time getting to know your new friend. He/she will need to take time getting to know you, your family, your other pets and it’s new home. Have patience and have fun! We here at Oh My Stars Ragdolls LOVE getting updates with photos and videos, We want to know how it’s going and how the match is working out. Our relationship does not end once you step out the door. Our hope is that we will continue to have a relationship, however that relationship looks, for any foreseeable future!
