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cats for lovable people
Legendary Ragdolls
The famous "Blossom-Time" Picture
ver the years this picture has almost become a "trademark" of the Ragdoll breed. Many have tried to take a similar photo (a picture with Ragdolls in all three patterns), but so far I've rarely seen one whose quality could compete with the original. In worldwide use by Ragdoll clubs and breeders, this motif decorates business cards, letter-heads, websites, stickers, book covers, pens, pocket-lighters, tee and sweatshirts, bags, etc. So there is probably not a Ragdoll fancier out there who doesn't recognize this unique picture, but only a few know more about it.
enny Dayton (USA), to whom we owe this beautiful photo, was so kind to send us wonderful information about the pictured cats and how the picture was taken.
The pictured cats are:
"Blossom-Time Pip", seal mitted
DOB: December 19, 1971
Dam: "Miss Chef of Blossom-Time", seal mitted
Sire: "Raggedy Ann Buddy of Blossom-Time", seal colorpoint
"Raggedy Ann Red Ryder", AKA FLOPPY, seal bicolor
DOB: August 23, 1967
Dam: "Raggedy Ann Fugianna", seal bicolor
Sire: "Raggedy Ann Kyoto", seal mitted
"Blossom-Time Happy", seal colorpoint
DOB: October 21, 1973
Dam: "Lolita of Blossom-Time", seal mitted
Sire: "Raggedy Ann Buddy of Blossom-Time", seal colorpoint
FLOPPY:
s we started breeding, we realized we needed a Ragdoll as a "demonstrator" for our Cattery. We had many people that came and we always presented the cat in a separate area to be handled and get to know what the Ragdoll was all about. This led us to our first "ambassador", FLOPPY. His original name was Red Ryder, sold to a couple in Southern California by another breeder. The people who bought him had him declawed on all four feet and neutered (information on declawing). They returned FLOPPY to the breeder as he would not use his litter box. When we first saw him he was in a cage with a bunch of other cats, beaten up by the cats with claws. BUT we saw such a great beauty in him that we acquired him on the spot. When we got him home, he used the litter box to urinate in but would defecate outside the box. We gave him two boxes side by side and from that time on he never missed using his boxes, one for urinating and one for defecation.
e knew we could not show him in the associations in the Cat Fancy, but he was responsible for many sales of kittens at our Cattery. Due to his unique disposition he would "flop" down just by looking at him and want his stomach rubbed. He responded to strangers the same way. Therefore, shortly after we acquired him we named him FLOPPY. A true Ragdoll through and through. He never was used as a breeder."
PIP:
IP was bought by a man as a birthday gift for his wife and for some reason she rejected the cat (probably because she did not pick him out) so PIP was returned to us. He was such an outstanding beautiful cat with all proper markings that he was destined to be our show cat. PIP was a true show-off at shows and tolerated at least a hundred or so strangers handling him throughout his career spanning 79 shows in 8 years. He was "breathtaking" at shows and loved every bit of it. He was written about many times and made the cover of Cat Fancy magazine. We retired him and he truthfully can be credited for selling many Ragdoll kittens out of our Cattery. PIP weighed in approximately 17 lbs. After his retirement he was bought by an East Coast breeder."
HAPPY:
APPY was one of our stud cats at the time the picture was taken. He was only eight months old and very large for his age. HAPPY was just that, his disposition was incredible. He loved people and would head-butt anyone, and he also tried to steal any jewelry you had on. Even though he was a breeding cat, anyone could handle him. He was everyones' idea of what a Ragdoll should be.
hortly after we had our three patterns as salesman for our Cattery, we knew to further promote the cats, a picture was in order. The photographer, Edward Linneman, was a professional. It took 72 shots before we accepted the one that you know of today. The funny part was they were all on a table getting set up and to get them still enough at once and hold their attention, Laura and I were underneath the table gently holding on to their tails. What a time, but it was all worth it."
enny Dayton is kind of a legend himself as he is one of the pioneers who worked very hard for recognition of the Ragdoll breed shortly after the breed was developed. Without a doubt, in my opinion, this was the basis for the breed's popularity of today!
n 1975 Denny founded the very first Ragdoll club, the "Ragdoll Society". For many years he kept the so-called "Genetic Chart", a sort of gigantic pedigree where all Ragdoll cats used for breeding are registered. In the early years of the breed when there wasn't such a wide diversity of bloodlines, the Genetic Chart was an especially indispensable part of all breeding plans.
enny and his wife Laura's first breeding pair was "Raggedy Ann Rosie", seal mitted, and "Raggedy Ann Buddy", seal colorpoint. This is how they named their cattery "Blossom-Time" after Rosie (Rose) and Buddy (Bud). Many of their breeders/pets were also named after flowers, herbs and living plants (Bananas, Sunflower, Camellia...). The very first Blossom-Time litter was born May 30, 1970.
hen Denny and Laura decided to stop cat breeding in the early 1980ies, it was a big loss for the Ragdoll world. Fortunately, they had sold some of their breeders to Great Britain. The very first Ragdolls came from England to Germany, thus several of the German Ragdolls still directly go back to Denny's cats.
