The Ragdoll is a large breed of cat – which, of course, should not live in a confined indoor space. The idea of allowing the cats more free space by simply letting Ragdoll cats outside and allowing them to roam freely is therefore an obvious one. But such free-range access should be treated with caution. Here are arguments for and against, as well as a few solutions for the “healthy middle ground”.
Arguments against: Why can’t Ragdoll Cats Go Outside?
Ragdoll cats are very trusting. The danger that someone might come along and just take them away is quite serious. Especially pedigree cats are very popular. And Ragdolls with their blue eyes and soft fur look really beautiful …
Ragdoll domestic cat and not free-ranger by nature and may not be able to judge the danger of traffic. Our Yoda, for example, is someone who would easily lie down for a nap under a parked car, just because he likes the place. I don’t even want to think about what would happen if the car would drive off a short time later …
Unfortunately there are animal haters everywhere. Some even put out something to eat in which there is poison. This potential danger does not only concern the Ragdolls, of course, but applies to all outdoor cats.
A common argument: “Cats do not think like humans. If you are fine in the apartment / house, they have room to play, sleep and enough to eat, they are fine. They can’t miss anything they don’t know.”
The life expectancy of outdoor cats is not as high as that of indoor Ragdoll cats. The reasons are obvious: the traffic, the danger of being attacked by other animals, eating poisonous plants, animal abusers …etc. Ragdolls have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years (on average) – but only if they are kept as house cats in a secured environment.
Arguments for: Can Ragdolls Be Outdoor Cats?
Ragdolls are not small kittens, but big pedigree cats. To offer them a correspondingly large free space, where they can romp around, instead of “only” being “locked up” at home, is certainly also nice for the Ragdolls.
Important: The Ragdoll cats should be vaccinated, chipped and neutered when you let them out. It is strongly recommended to register your cats.
If you do not live in the city with a lot of traffic, but in the countryside, where you can estimate the “dangers”, you can rather think about letting the Ragdoll cat outdoors sometimes.
Middle way: secured free access
It’s only better to give your Ragdolls as much free space as possible and let them “sniff” the big wide world. But if you live in the middle of the city with a lot of traffic, you can make a little trip to the in-laws not far away to find the (secured!) garden. This works wonderfully!
If you have a balcony, you can let Ragdoll cats go outside here too – but be careful: it has to be secured, too, which means a cat-friendly net stretched all the way to the top, so the cat can’t scurry through or get stuck at any point. The same applies to a terrace.
If you don’t have a garden or a balcony, but still want to let the Ragdoll cat out, you can go for a cat harness with a leash. It is best to measure the cat’s neck and chest circumference before ordering to make sure the cat harness fits.
However, it is most important for the Ragdoll cat to have a companion to play with and a human to care for and spend time with. The character of the Ragdoll cat shows exactly that: it wants to be with its humans. No matter where – indoor or outdoor.
