Please make sure any plants in your home are cat safe before you bring your kitten/cat home. The following plants ARE TOXIC to cats:

*Lily* (especially dangerous, even a little pollen can kill your cat), tulip, dracaena, Jade Plant, dieffenbachia, Peace Lily, Poinsettia, Narcissus/Daffodil, Ficus/Fig, Pothos, Philodendron (including Monstera). Some of these plants aren’t deadly poisonous, but can cause upset stomach or other symptoms. Please look up specific scientific names of your plants and make sure they are safe for cats.

ASPCA LIST OF TOXIC AND NON-TOXIC PLANTS

Please also familiarize yourself with the risks of reclining chairs and corded window blinds with cats. Reclining chairs can harm your kitten, and can cause tails to be degloved when reclining. Window blinds are dangerous as cats may try to play with them, and then get tangled and strangle themselves. We also don’t recommend collars for the same risks, even breakaway collars. We highly recommend microchipping instead.

Please also be aware of the risk with cats and dryers. Make sure to check your washer and dryer before running EVERY cycle. Cats are attracted to the warmth, and there have been cases of people accidentally using the machine without realizing their cat is in it.

Ragdolls are an INDOOR ONLY breed. I do not recommend going outside with them at all, as they have no survival instincts, and giving them a taste of the outdoors will cause them to bolt out of your door when you don’t want them to. If you are aware of these risks and decide to take them on walks or hang out in the backyard with them, please make sure they are harnessed and leashed or contained in some way at minimum. They should NEVER be outdoors unattended and unsupervised, this is in our contract. We highly recommend microchipping, ask your vet about the best time to do this at your first appointment.

Go over these risks with the entire family. Brainstorm with each other on other things that might be harmful. Google more lists on “Common Cat Accidents that Result in Death”. Cats are curious, and as lovingly as I can say it, Ragdolls are not the most intelligent. You need to be their intelligence.

Going Home Day is a big day for kittens! Kittens will be excited to explore and meet new people, but also nervous about the change and new environment. To make this day and first week easier, please follow our Going Home Day Introduction Week below.

Going Home Day Introduction Week

Day 1: Kitten should be kept in one “safe” room with toys, bed, and litterbox. In a bedroom or bathroom is a great idea! Let the kitten adjust in this one room for the full first day. If they are comfortable and confident on Day 2, you can allow them to explore more. If still nervous on Day 2, leave them in “safe” room for another day or two. Please give them at least one full day in the “safe” room to reduce their stress, and let them learn where the litterbox is. Please make sure you are using the litter we recommend during the first two weeks, as new litter might cause toileting accidents. Changes to new litters should happen slowly, reach out if you’re wanting to change to a new litter and I can help so there’s no accidents.

Day 2-7: If kitten is comfortable and confident on Day 2, allow them to explore another area/s of the home. Remember to take the kitten back to the litterbox every few hours to remind them where it is. If there are any accidents, put the kitten back in the “safe” room for another day, and give kitten more reminders of where the litterbox is more often. You can also introduce a second litterbox at this time. If you need to leave the kitten alone any time during the first 1-2 weeks, put them back in their “safe” room until you’ve returned.

You should have 1 Litterbox per Cat/Kitten + 1. (Ex: 1 Cat = 2 Boxes, 2 Cats = 3 Boxes, 3 Cats = 4 Boxes, and so on…)

By Day 7 the kitten should have the layout of the house memorized and feel more confident. Return to “safe room” as needed when you need to leave the kitten alone, or busy times when you are unable to remind them of litterbox area every few hours.

Feeding

When kittens go home they are used to 3 wet food feedings/day – Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner! Please let your kitten eat as much as they can during these meals, as wet food should be their main meals and allow them to get needed water intake. Cats get a lot of their water intake from their diet. We do also leave dry food out at all times so they can snack throughout the day. Allow them to eat as much wet food and dry food as possible, I find as long as they don’t experience food insecurity they won’t develop overeating habits.

If needed, you can change to 2/day wet food feedings, Breakfast and Dinner, around 8-12 months old. Ragdolls should stay on a kitten diet until at least 12 months old. You can continue kitten diets until 2 years old if your vet recommends it, as Ragdolls are a large and slow maturing breed and some might require a kitten diet longer for continued growth.

First Vet Appointment

-Kittens are susceptible to common feline diseases until they are fully vaccinated and complete their kitten series of FVRCP by 20-24 weeks of age. Please limit risk by keeping kitten indoor only, and limit kitten exploring vet office where potentially sick animals have been. Keep them in carrier as much as possible in these areas of possible exposure-

Please bring your Health Record booklet to your first vet appointment. This is so your vet can add the dates of the (2) FVRCP vaccine and dewormings your kitten has already been given to their file at the new clinic.

Kittens will need a General Health Check Up within the first week of going home. They may be due for their 3rd FVRCP vaccine at this time as well. You may also do an additional deworming and microchipping if your vet recommends it.

1st Appointment Check List

• General Health Exam (Bring Kitten Health Record!)
• 3rd FVRCP Booster Vaccine (if it has been 3-4 weeks from 2nd FVRCP vaccine)
• Deworming (if vet recommends)
• Microchipping (the needle is large, so it is okay to schedule this at their 4th FVRCP booster appointment instead. Please have them microchipped by 6 months of age, just in case! You are also welcome to list me as a secondary contact on the microchip in case they cannot get ahold of you.)

I recommend only giving one vaccine at a time. Do not double up on FVRCP and Rabies during one vet visit. I recommend first Rabies vaccine around 6 Months Old, after they have completed their FVRCP Kitten Series.

FVRCP Kitten Series Boosters are given every 3-4 weeks until 20-24 weeks of age. The last dose MUST be given after 20 weeks of age as this gives the most immunity while efficacy of mother’s milk wears off. This is usually 4-5 total vaccines by their last dose around 20 weeks of age. After completing the FVRCP Kitten Series, they will need a FVRCP booster 1 Year later. After the 1 Year Booster, boosters are not needed as often and depends on the specific vaccine your vet is using. Ask for their recommendation. Usually every 2-3 Years.

1st Rabies vaccine at 6 months of age. Booster vaccine 1 year later, and then follow vets recommendation on boosters for specific vaccine requirements. Usually every 2-5 Years.

We DO NOT recommend the FELV or FIV vaccine. The FELV infection has an immune-suppressive envelop protein (p15E) that is also used in the FELV vaccine, the risk is likely low, but the potential cons outweigh the pros. The FIV vaccine is off the market as of right now because it caused issues. Ragdolls should be indoor anyway, and have a very low risk of these diseases if they don’t interact with a positive diseased cat. All of our cats are tested negative for FELV and FIV.