Ragdoll cats are adorable, furry, affectionate, and easy to love. However, they are also one of the more expensive breeds. It’s vital to ensure that you have the patience and time to take care of a Ragdoll kitten and that you are also financially secure enough to afford one. Although adopting a cat is one of the highest costs of pet ownership, there are several other expenses you’ll have to consider.

In general, you can expect to pay from $400 to $2,500 for a Ragdoll, with monthly expenses ranging from $265 to $750. We’ll break down the Ragdoll cat’s price for you in the guide below so you can decide if you have what it takes to give this adorable feline a forever home.

Bringing Home a New Ragdoll Cat: One-Time Costs

The highest one-time cost for a Ragdoll kitten is the adoption price. Ragdoll kittens are in high demand, which, unfortunately, raises the price. A reputable breeder can sell you a Ragdoll kitten for around $1,500, but show-quality Ragdoll kittens can cost over $2,000.

Before adopting from a cattery, thoroughly research the breeders in your area to determine if their facilities are sanitary and if the breeding practices are sound. If a breeder charges a few hundred dollars for purebred Ragdolls, it’s best to look elsewhere. A low price often indicates that the breeder has not provided the best care for their cats.

Free

You’ll rarely find a Ragdoll for free. However, you’re welcome to keep looking, and possibly you’ll get lucky. Sometimes, owners will put their cats up for adoption when they realize they cannot properly care for them. Or maybe a friend or family member can no longer take care of the cat, and they reach out to you to take them.

Adoption

If you can find a Ragdoll cat at a rescue or pet shelter, you can expect to pay $400 to $1,000 to adopt them. Ragdolls don’t enter shelters very often; people adopt them quickly, so you must act fast. The adoption fee often includes vaccinations, microchipping, and deworming.

Breeder

If you can’t find someone giving away a Ragdoll cat or find one to adopt, the next choice is going to a breeder to purchase one. If you find a reputable breeder, you can pay up to $2,500 or more to purchase a Ragdoll kitten.

Before adopting from a breeder, ask them if you can visit the cattery. Meeting the parents can help you determine if the offspring are well-cared for and healthy, and you can inspect the property to ensure it’s clean.

Initial Setup and Supplies

Once you’ve paid the breeder or rescue center to bring home your Ragdoll kitten, there are a few items you’ll need to purchase first. You want your new feline friend to feel comfortable, safe, and loved in your home.

These initial supplies will include a cat bed, food and water dishes, microchipping, vaccinations, food, toys, and numerous accessories. At the very least, you’ll need food and water dishes, food, a litter box, litter, and vaccines. However, as a responsible pet owner, you will want to have your cat spayed or neutered and microchipped. The prices below will vary depending on where you live.

List of Ragdoll Cats Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does a Ragdoll Cat Cost Per Month?

Once all of the one-time costs are taken care of, it’s time to start thinking about the monthly costs. Keeping a cat healthy and happy takes a lot of money, time, and patience.

Ragdoll cats, just like any other animal, are a lifetime commitment when you give them a forever home. To save money, you can look at pet product websites for coupons, and you can often receive a discount by contacting the company and filling out a survey.

Health Care

If you’ve purchased or adopted a perfectly healthy Ragdoll cat, your monthly healthcare bills should be pretty cheap, if not non-existent. However, it’s common to pay over $250 a month in healthcare-related costs if your Ragdoll is sick or getting older. You can ensure your Ragdoll stays healthy with the proper food, grooming, and yearly vet visits for checkups. We’ll break down the costs of each of the expenses below.

Food

Food will be one of the most significant expenses since you must feed your Ragdoll cat high-quality cat food to keep them healthy. Ragdoll cats are very active, so they love to play, and they tend to be bigger than some other domestic cats, so you’ll have to spend between $50 and $100 a month for high-quality, protein-filled food.

You can save money on pet food by joining a subscription club that discounts its regular prices when you order every month. Chewy has one of the highest-rated subscription services, and its customer service is excellent.

Grooming

Ragdoll cats are considered high-maintenance cats due to their high grooming needs. If you pay a groomer for your cat’s nail clipping, fur maintenance, and dental care, you may spend more than $50 a month, but you can reduce your costs by performing some of the grooming at home. Brushing your Ragdoll’s hair and teeth every day will keep them healthy and save money.

Medications and Vet Visits

If your Ragdoll is healthy, it will not cost you $100 to $200 monthly for vet visits and medication. You’ll pay a similar amount yearly if you take your cat to the vet, but your monthly costs will be relatively low. Ragdolls that suffer from health conditions and must see the vet more often are more expensive, and the cost of medications and treatments will also raise the prices. You can also speak to a vet from the comfort of your own home to help make a plan and determine when a in-clinic vet visit should be made.

If you need to speak with a vet but can't get to one, head over to PangoVet. It's an online service where you can talk to a vet online and get the advice you need for your pet — all at an affordable price!

Pet Insurance

You can expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $50 monthly for a good-quality pet insurance plan. This, of course, depends on the pet insurance provider you choose to purchase your policy through, the age and health of your Ragdoll cat, and your location.

While many pet owners don’t feel that pet insurance is necessary, especially for a perfectly healthy cat, treating a sick or injured cat is much more expensive than $25 to $50 per month. However, if you decide that pet insurance isn’t something you want to invest in for your Ragdoll, set aside funds for the unexpected so you’re covered if the worst should happen.

Environment Maintenance

If you want your Ragdoll cat to remain healthy, they need a healthy environment to thrive. You should purchase litter box liners, quality litter, deodorizing spray, scratching posts, and a comfortable cat bed.

You can expect these items to cost you between $25 and $90 a month, depending on the brand you buy and how many cats you have. The litter will be your biggest expense for environmental maintenance for your Ragdoll feline friend. Changing the cat litter goes a long way, but replacing it keeps your cat healthy and happy and your home smelling fresh.

Entertainment

Of course, you want to keep your feline pal entertained since they need mental and physical stimulation. You can buy cat tunnels, cat towers, food puzzles, toys, and treats. There are also cat subscription boxes that you can subscribe to that will send you a box of toys for your cat for a monthly fee.

You should expect to spend between $30 and $60 monthly for entertainment for your Ragdoll, whichever route you choose.

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Ragdoll Cat

As you can see, purchasing a Ragdoll cat and taking care of them can be an expensive endeavor. The cost of keeping your cat healthy, happy, and feeling loved is $265 to $805+ a month, depending on where you live and the stores you frequent.

Additional Costs to Factor In

You’ll want to factor in a few other costs when it comes to caring for your Ragdoll cat. For example, if you travel on business or often go somewhere your Ragdoll can’t go, you must pay someone to pet-sit your feline.

If you intend to show your cat, you must pay extra for training and hotel rooms. Also, if you get your Ragdoll as a kitten, as most pet owners do, you’ll need to factor in the costs for repairs to your household and furniture since kittens have a habit of sharpening their claws on everything.

However, Ragdoll kittens learn quickly to avoid scratching the furniture, and most have no issues using the litter box, so it won’t be long until your kitten exhibits less destructive behavior.

Owning a Ragdoll Cat on a Budget

Though it may be tempting to cut corners when it comes to taking care of your cat, you must remember that the more corners you cut, the more you may pay in the long run. You can save money by grooming your cat at home and looking for coupons and discounts for food and supplies, but it’s difficult to reduce your expenses for veterinary visits and medications.

Taking your cat for veterinary appointments and providing quality food is vital, but if you avoid going to the vet and adequately caring for your pet, your expenses will increase significantly.

Saving Money on Ragdoll Cats Care

The best way to save money on Ragdoll cat care is to budget and spend your money wisely. For example, spending money to buy the best quality food for your Ragdoll may seem expensive, but it’s less expensive than paying the vet bill should your cat become sick. You can also use coupons, which are easy to find online and even in the Sunday paper.

Conclusion

Ragdoll cats are not only expensive to purchase or adopt, but they are also expensive to take care of. So, how much do ragdoll cats cost? You can pay $1,500 to $2,500 or more for your Ragdoll cat from a reputable breeder. It’s important to note that any cat will be costly regarding food, vet visits, cat boxes, and cat litter.

While Ragdoll cats are more expensive to purchase than most other breeds, if you can afford it and watch your money, you will be more than happy that you chose to give this cat a forever home, and they will return your love in spades. Ragdolls are loyal, loving, gorgeous cats that any cat owner would be lucky to own.

See also:

• How Much Does It Cost to Own a Savannah Cat? Price Guide
• 11 Amazing Ragdoll Cat Facts: Surprising Things You’ll Love to Learn

Featured Image credit: madeinitaly4k, Shutterstock