A question that we get asked frequently. Of course we never know for sure what Mother Nature will send us but with ragdolls with their 6 colours and 3 patterns with 2 overlays, it can be tricky to know what will arrive.
Colours
Ragdolls are mainly a pointed breed – which means that their colour is temperature controlled and the colour goes to their extremities, ears nose tail, paws. The colours are Seal (Black but called Seal in a pointed breed), Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Red and Cream.
Patterns

There are also 3 patterns – point (no white), mitted (white front paws, white back boots, white chin and chest strip that go under their tummy from their chin to the tail) and Bicolour (all white legs with an inverted V on their face).
Extra to the above the girls can be Tortie which means their base colour is mixed with Red or Cream to create multiple colours. Another variation is Tabby. Some overseas associations call this Lynx but for Australia its “Tabby”. This means that their base colour is broken up into lines rather than block colours.
Blue and Chocolate

What comes is determined by what genetics the parents carry. Blue for example is what we call ‘dilute’ can be carried or be visual. If you have 2 Blues you wont get Seal (Black) Chocolate (Brown). Chocolate can also be carried but like Blue you have to have it with both mum and dad for it to come out. If you have Blue and Chocolate (on both sides) you can then get lilac! Are we having fun yet???
The with Radolls you can add the 3 patterns and that increases the options.
Extra also is Tabby – you have to have one parent be a Tabby to get Tabby babies.
Torties are always girls – the Red/Cream is a sex linked gene. From Tortie mother you can get Red/Cream boys. You have to have a Red/Cream dad to get Tortie girls. If you mate a Tortie mum to a Red/Cream dad that’s when you can get Red/Cream girls because the Red/Cream gene is then on both sides – both mum and dad – so it can appear. That one is a bit tricky.
Solid and Mink

Here at Dolljavu we also have the Solids and Minks. This is just another variation of the 6 colours shown in another way but that’s a story for another day!
So that is just a bit of what can help produce the colours in the kittens.
