Are Ragdoll Cats Good For Apartments?

Ragdoll cats are immensely popular cats and for good reason. They are bred to be calm, friendly, and calm cats. Not to mention supremely elegant in appearance with long coats and bright blue eyes!

I use to foster a few ragdolls in the past and one of them named ‘Chanel’ (a 3-month-old Ragdoll kitten) almost made me adopt her on the spot. Unfortunately, my apartment had a bit more cats than it could handle at the time. So when she eventually had to leave because she found an owner – I was sad but her memory still stays with me because she was just that beautiful.

For people looking for a quick answer, are Ragdoll cats good for apartments? Yes, Ragdoll cats are bred to be indoor cats therefore, they are made to live in spaces such as apartments. They are calm, loving, and trusting without much of the traits that a wild cat would have such as escaping skills, hunting skills, or awareness. This makes them great for new cat owners in apartments but it also means: never let them sneak outside.

Luckily this is quite unlikely as they barely move anyway! This trait however gives rise to and accentuates the common risks and problems that all indoor cats deal with.

Ragdoll cats are just a ball of adorable fun. However, there are some factors to be considered before taking in a Ragdoll cat in which will be discussed in the below sections.

Ragdoll Cat Apartment Guide

This article is meant as a reference point for this breed. Their breed lets us predict their behaviors but in the end, based on the cat’s environment or the way they were socialized, the cats might have some different traits or characteristics.

How Much Space Do Ragdolls Need?

A lot of people think it’s cruel to have cats indoors but Ragdoll cats don’t need much space at all. They can be raised in small apartments such as studio apartments too! I have raised and fostered many Ragdolls inside my studio apartment as small as 20 square meters.

However, the smaller apartment or living space that you might have, the more effort that their owner has to take to create an environment where the Ragdoll isn’t bored or too inactive. Because Ragdoll cats are more than happy to be bored and lazy.

So whether you have a large apartment or a small apartment – it doesn’t matter if it isn’t thought out in a way that is engaging for cats.

For more information about exactly apartment sizes and the number of cats that might be recommended visit my article: How Many Cats Can I Have In My Apartment?

Ragdoll Cat Temperament For Apartments

Some people will tell you it’s cruel to keep a cat inside an apartment or indoors all the time but the truth is vastly different – indoor cats outlive their outdoor counterparts by a factor of 3-5. This is especially for Ragdoll cats – they are just too passive and docile to be outside.

This makes them easy targets for predators and even thieves because they’re likely not going to run away or defend themselves. Even if they do bite, it’s like a tickle compared to other cats.

So this makes them suited to be apartment cats or indoor cats. They’re going to follow you around like a stalker and just want to be there just in case there’s a snuggle session.

They’re also not very coordinated so that you don’t have to be worried about them messing around with your stuff! A lot of things are in reach in apartments, therefore, if a cat gets really bored – it’s likely that other cat breeds might cause some havoc. That’s generally a non-issue with Ragdoll cats.

They also learn their name quickly and they’ll usually come when called – most of the time (if they aren’t too sleepy). In general, they’re perfect for apartments and most living spaces as long as it’s an indoor type of environment.

Of course, it isn’t to say they don’t like the outdoors – they’ll enjoy any outdoor enclosure or balcony that you might have but the risks are too high for them to roam around by themselves.

Ragdoll Energy Levels in Apartments

Ragdoll cats are not particularly active so they do lean towards the lazy spectrum of the cat energy meter together with the Scottish Fold and Persian friends.

Quite similar to Scottish folds and Scottish straights, it’s more likely you’ll find them curled up in their favorite than running around with their head cut off as a Bengal cat would. They’re not bold cats – therefore, it’s hard to imagine them doing something outside of what we expect them to be doing.

This is great for people that want to have relaxed lifestyles and don’t want to be too involved with thinking of activities for their cats to do. This doesn’t mean that Ragdoll cats are not playful however, they’re great during playtime and play sessions but don’t expect them to play by themselves much.

While they aren’t the most active cats, they feed off the energy of the things around them. They love attention and loved being talked to. They’re very social and communicative (almost as chatty as Bengal cats!) and generally will let you know if they need something.

Ragdoll Risks in Apartments

As discussed above, Ragdoll cats don’t really move much and this makes them more susceptible to common dangers and health risks that indoor cats usually face. These are:

• Obesity
• Boredom
• Hairballs

While these risks are not immediate dangers – they do affect our cat’s quality of life and behavioral habits. A bored cat is almost always a cat that has bad habits. Either learning to playing/destroying items around the house or just getting into places that they’re not supposed to.

Having a good lifestyle for Ragdoll cats is the best way for them to lead healthy and engaged lives.

This is easily done through catification and playing with our cats in the correct ways. This is more true in smaller spaces such as apartments because of the decreased horizontal space – focusing on ways to make our cats jump and climb is important.

For more ideas and hacks on how to entertain your Ragdoll cat indoors, click here!

Other Things to Know About Ragdoll Cats

• Ragdoll cats do have long coats that need to be groomed but luckily they don’t shed as much as other long hair breeds such as the Persian.
  
• Pure-bred Ragdoll cats are also sometimes known to produce less of the protein that causes cat allergies in humans but your mileage may vary.
  
• For those thinking about getting a companion cat for your Ragdoll cat in an apartment, because of their docile behavior, it’s recommended that you choose a cat that’s similar in personality. Another Ragdoll cat or another equally calm and passive breed is likely the best choice.
  
  This will help both cats to match each other’s energy levels and play styles. For a comprehensive guide on cat introductions inside apartments and how age, playstyles, and energy levels affect cat relationships: Cat Introductions Without Separation/Isolation!
  
• They are great family cats – they’re incredibly tolerant of kids and people touching them. They aren’t too picky about where they’re touched either (i.e. some cats hate belly rubs, but most Ragdoll cats quite enjoy belly rubs).
  
• If you like cats being on your lap while you work on the computer or watching a movie – they’re great at warming up your thighs.
  
• Unlikely to jump over pet gates – even though they probably can if they tried but they’re not going to try so having any sort of gate is enough to deter them from going inside a particular room.
  
• Ragdolls are relatively independent, therefore they can easily be the only cat in the home.

Apartment Essentials for Ragdoll Cats

Ragdoll cats are one of the largest domestic cat breeds – male Ragdoll cats are up to 8kg and female cats up to 6kg. For such a calm and docile cat – it’s quite funny that Ragdoll cats are one of the largest. This means that you can’t cheap out on cat towers, furniture, or cat towers. They need strong stable cat products that they can trust to support their weight.

For more apartment essentials, including odor control, hair and shedding management, and other great products updated/curated by me visit: Recommended Cat Apartment Supplies Page!