In this article
Ragdoll cats have so much going for them, including a relaxed and affectionate nature. Their striking blue eyes and soft, medium-length coat make them look almost as stunning as their sweet personalities. These cats come in a vast variety of colors and patterns. Like Siamese cats, Ragdolls have the Himalayan gene, which affects the development of points on their coats.
Cats with this gene will develop the classic pointed coloration because the gene that codes for melanin production within their fur is essentially faulty. It doesn’t work at body temperature, so the fur on the cat’s body will remain a pale color. As the body temperature drops across the ears, face, tail, and legs, we start to see melanin and color produced. That is how a pointed coat occurs!
We will first look at the colors available before diving into the different types of patterns. Now, let’s take a look at those eye-catching coat colors.
The 20 Ragdoll Cat Colors
The six main colors of Ragdolls are seal, chocolate, blue, lilac, red, and cream, although some associations also include cinnamon and fawn. These colors can either be solid or shaded with lynx (tabby) markings, tortie, or a combination of both, known as tortie-lynx.
For every Ragdoll cat color, the breed standard states that all points should be clearly defined along the face mask, ears, tail, legs, and feet.
Point Ragdolls
1. Seal Point Ragdoll
Seal point Ragdolls have body fur in a warm cream-to-fawn color, which fades into a lighter shade across their tummies and chests. This Ragdoll cat’s points are a deep and rich brown, with the nose leather and paw pads in the same shade.
2. Chocolate Point Ragdoll
The chocolate point Ragdoll has pale ivory fur across most of their bodies, which fades toward their chests and stomachs. Their points are warm milk chocolate in color, and their nose and pads are cinnamon pink (with tones of brown).
3. Blue Point Ragdoll
A blue-pointed Ragdoll has cool shades of white across their bodies, merging into points of deep gray-blue color. Their tummies and chests will be almost pure white. Their paw pads and nose leather are slate gray.
4. Lilac Point Ragdoll
Lilac-pointed Ragdolls have a pure white body with warm, pink-toned gray points. Their pads and noses are lavender to pink shades.
5. Red Point Ragdoll
Red-pointed Ragdolls are sometimes called “flame points.” Their bodies are a bright white and sometimes have pale shading in the same tone as their points, ranging from a deep and rich red to a brighter apricot shade, although darker colors are preferred. Their nose leather and paw pads range from flesh pink to red tones, depending on the color of their points.
6. Cream Point Ragdoll
Cream-pointed Ragdolls have body fur in a bright white and points in a subtle cream that can have pink or buff undertones. Their pads and nose leather can be seen in a range of pink tones, depending on the intensity of their cream points.
Lynx Point Ragdolls
Now, we’ll look at lynx point Ragdoll cat colors. These colors are based on the same six shades but are overlaid with distinct lynx or tabby barring, ticks, and stripes.
7. Seal Lynx Point Ragdoll
Seal lynx point Ragdolls will have rich brown points overlaid with lighter lynx stripes or bars. Their bodies may have paler brown stripes and ticks over cream or fawn fur. Their nose is either seal brown or sometimes pink with seal brown edges, and their pads are seal brown in color.
8. Chocolate Lynx Point Ragdoll
Chocolate lynx Ragdolls have points in the color of milk chocolate, with distinct stripes in a paler chocolate tone. Their bodies will be ivory but can have ticks and stripes in a pale brown.
9. Blue Lynx Point Ragdoll Cat
Blue lynx point Ragdolls will have most of their fur in a white to platinum shade with undertones of blue. Their points are a deep slate gray with paler bars. Their white bodies can have stripes or ticks in a pale blue-gray. Their nose and pads are slate in color; a pink edge is permitted in the nose.
10. Lilac Lynx Point Ragdoll Cat
Their body fur is glacial white but can have some stripes. The points are frosty gray with pinkish tone bars. The nose can be lavender-pink and might have a pink edge, and their paw pads are lavender-pink.
11. Red Lynx Point Ragdoll Cat
A red lynx-point Ragdoll has a white body contrasting strongly with their points, which can be bright to apricot red. These points are overlaid with paler stripes that can extend onto their bodies. Ticking across the white fur is also sometimes seen in a paler tone than their points. The nose and pad paws are flesh or coral pink in color. Freckles may be present on their nose, lips, eyelids and ears.
12. Cream Lynx Point Ragdoll Cat
The cream lynx point Ragdoll will have a bright white body with points in slightly darker yet subtle shades of cream or buff. These points have paler stripes that merge into the main coat color.
Tortie Point Ragdolls
Next up, the tortie points! These Ragdoll cats have distinct points in either seal or chocolate. The points are blended with tortie markings in either red or a combination of red and cream.
13. Seal Tortie Point Ragdoll Cat
Ragdolls with the seal tortie point coloring will have cream to fawn bodies, and the fur is lighter in the belly and chest area. Their seal brown points are mottled with red or red and cream. Their nose leather and pads are seal-brown that can be mottled in a flesh or coral-pink color.
14. Chocolate Tortie Point Ragdoll Cat
Chocolate tortie point Ragdolls have ivory bodies that can develop mottling as they age. Their points are a milk-chocolate shade overlaid with either red or red and cream. Their nose and paw pads can be a cinnamon, flesh, or coral pink color that is desirable but according to the specific pattern and might have some mottling.
Cream Point Ragdolls
Ragdolls with cream points have mottled areas like tortie points, but this time, the patches are only seen in cream and never combined with red.
15. Blue Cream Point Ragdoll Cat
These Ragdoll cats have cold white bodies with deep slate gray points mottled with cream. The chest and belly fur is lighter in color, and their bodies may also become mottled as the cat matures. The nose and paw pads can be slate gray, flesh, or coral in color and might have some mottling.
16. Lilac Cream Point Ragdoll Cat
The lilac cream point Ragdoll has a pure white body with gray points in a cold tone. Their points are a frosty gray with pink tones. This is overlaid with cream-mottled patches. Their nose and pad paws are flesh or coral pink and might have some mottling.
Tortie-Lynx Point Ragdolls
Now the tortie lynx points! These blend many colors into one beautiful coat color, combining the best tortie and lynx patterns. These Ragdolls show the normal tabby pattern, overlaid and intermingled with different shades of red or cream. Both elements, tortie and tabby, should be clearly visible, and each point should show some breaks in the color, even if it is small. Any large areas of red or cream may show some tabby markings.
17. Seal Tortie Lynx Point Ragdoll Cat
These Ragdoll cats have fawn to pale cream bodies that can have stripes and ticks in the pale colors of their points. Their points have a dark brown undertone and mottling in red or red and cream overlaying the base color. Their nose leather and paw pads can be a range of colors, from seal brown to pink.
18. Chocolate Tortie Lynx Point Ragdoll Cat
Chocolate tortie lynx point Ragdolls have ivory bodies with milk chocolate-colored points. These points have paler barring and an overlay of mottling in red or both red and cream. Their nose leather and paw pads can be seen in various colors, including cinnamon, pink, flesh-colored, or mottled.
Cream-Lynx Point Ragdolls
Cream lynx point Ragdoll cats have tabby or lynx-style barring and ticking across their points and sometimes their bodies. On their points, this is overlaid with cream mottles. They look more like pure lynx-pointed Ragdolls than tortie-pointed Ragdolls.
19. Blue-Cream Lynx Point Ragdoll Cat
The blue-cream lynx-pointed Ragdolls have platinum to blue-white fur across their bodies with gray-blue points. These points are overlaid with barring and cream mottling. Their nose leather and paw pads can be a range of colors, including slate, mottled, or pink.
20. Lilac Cream Lynx Point Ragdoll Cat
The lilac cream lynx point color is a pure white body combined with gray points that have a pink undertone. These points have barring covered by cream mottles. Their bodies may have pale bars or ticking. Nose leather and paw pads will be lavender-pink, coral, or flesh-colored, with some mottling allowed.
The 4 Ragdoll Coat Patterns
There are many colors that a Ragdoll can have, so let’s look at the patterns they can come in as well. The four patterns can be seen on any of the coat colors listed above.
21. Bi-Color Pattern Ragdoll Cat
A bi-color Ragdoll cat will have darker points on the ears and top of the head, bisected by a bright white blaze. The points extend across their back (also referred to as a “saddle”) and tail. The white facial blaze should resemble an upside-down “V,” extending to the edges of their eyes. Their nose leather should be pink, and while pink paw pads are preferred for judging classes, you may also see a mixture of colors on their pads. Their chin, chest, and all along the underside of their tummy should be a snowy white.
22. Van Pattern Ragdoll Cat
Ragdoll cats with the van pattern only have darker points across their ears, mask, and tail. This color should be well defined from the surrounding white fur, although minor spotting patterns are allowed all across a cat’s coat with this pattern. They should have pink noses and pads.
23. Colorpoint Pattern Ragdoll Cat
The colorpoint pattern is the classic pointed pattern, where the ears, face, tail, and feet are all a clearly defined darker color. It’s common to see cats with a paler chest, chin, and bib than the points, but this should still differ from the paler remainder of their coat. The nose and paw pads of a colorpoint Ragdoll should be the same color as their points.
24. Mitted Pattern Ragdoll Cat
The mitted Ragdoll pattern is similar to the colorpoint pattern, except their paws will be overlaid with bright white mittens. The mittens on their back paws can go up and around their hocks but not over their thighs. The front paws should have evenly matched tiny mittens extending to the wrist. The chin of a mitted Ragdoll should be white, with it joining to a white stripe across their bellies. The face of a mitted Ragdoll can have a white marking shaped like a diamond, star, hourglass, or line. This can be made up of either one line or a broken line but should be central and symmetrical.
A mitted cat’s nose leather and paw pads should match the color of their points, but the pads may have a small number of darker spots.
Conclusion
You might see Ragdolls advertised in other colors and patterns, including the mink bloodline some breeders offer. The colors and patterns we’ve listed are all accepted by the official Ragdoll Breed Standard of the Cat Fanciers Association.
Maybe you’ve found your dream combination of Ragdoll color and pattern in our list, or perhaps you’ve successfully identified the coloring of your cat! We’d love to know more in the comments below.
Related Reads:
- Ragdoll vs. Siamese Cat: What’s the Difference?
- Ragamuffin vs. Ragdoll: Which Cat Breed Is Right for You?
- Ragdoll British Shorthair Mix – Guide, Pictures, Temperament & More
Featured Image Credit: natlas, Pixabay
12 Responses
Greetings-
I recently adopted a cat from the Humane Society and found your site as I was trying to find out what kind of cat she is. She has the softest fur I’ve ever encountered and, while still a bit skittish possibly from her apparent days as a stray, she prefers sleeping next to me, which I love. She purrs a lot, too. I think she might have some Ragdoll in her although she doesn’t have blue eyes. Mostly white, with orange markings. I would love to have your opinion on what she is. A side note: I see that you are in the Philippines. I lived there in Quezon City for a couple of years as a child when my father taught at the University. I have such fond memories of my time there!
Hi Robyn Ryan. Congratulations on adopting a kitty! It’s so nice to hear how you are enjoying her company. It is hard, nearly impossible to know what a cat is from just a picture. But we can try, please send a good quality pic via our Cat of the Week contest: https://www.catster.com/submit-your-cat/ site, also add a note to forward to Dr. Paola for ID. We think she may be able to help, but with her being adopted, chances are she is a mix, and that is totally fine. I you wish to know with accuracy, then your best vet would be one of the DNA tests: https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/best-cat-dna-tests/
Good luck!
What about blue point tortie, or blue tortie lynx or lilac in tortie
Hi Delia. Just to clarify, this isn't an exhaustive list. Female Ragdolls can indeed be tortie, and more specifically blue point torties, blue tortie lynx, or lilac torties. The tortoiseshell pattern typically appears only in females because it requires two X chromosomes to be expressed. In very rare cases, males with Klinefelter Syndrome (XXY) can exhibit this pattern, but they are sterile.
Hola mis gatos son lynx bicolor son todos blancos y la cola con color gris como sus orejas y el otro es una piel chocolate su rostro atigrado y manchas en colas y patas.
Que lindos Carmen, por favor considera enviarnos su foto para nuestro concurso: https://www.catster.com/submit-your-cat/ ????
Do all ragdolls have the same disposition. My daughter's blue point is so loving and wants to be with you all the time. My seal point does not like to be held and has to come to you for affection. If he does not like something you do or not do he will often attack and bite me especially around the ankles. It's like he has a wild streak in him at times and he will not back off unless you spray him with water(he hates that). Is this normal?
Hi Elena. Cats, even from the same breed, are different individuals; they all behave differently and react differently. What you are describing sounds like an aggression problem. While natural, it is not something we wish to normalize. Finding the triggers is a clue to prevent and manage this undesired behavior. We recommend you book a one-on-one consultation at www.pangovet.com for personalized advice.
Very detailed and easy to digest. Your article was able to hold my short attention till the end of this article!
Hi KD we are happy to hear this! Thanks for reading us.
Loved your article and the illustrations you included. I'd love to know how you would categorize our Ragdolls. They are both mitted, but are they also Lynx point? They are both really gorgeous and have incredible rag doll personalities.
Hi Jan Wharton, thanks for reading us we are delighted to hear you enjoyed our post. Your cats would be classified as Mitted Lynx Point, with the base color further specified (e.g., Seal Lynx Mitted, Blue Lynx Mitted). They sound gorgeous, please consider submitting their pictures to our Cat of the Week contest! You can use this link ???? https://www.catster.com/submit-your-cat/ Thanks for reading us!