RagaMuffin kittens are quite easy to care for, but for a new furmom or dad, tips are always helpful!
RagaMuffins have an easy care coat which is fluffy, but generally mat-resistant. This is because most RagaMuffins lack an undercoat. Generally, a good once a week brushing is sufficient to keep your RagaMuffin's fur shiny, soft as silk, and tangle free! Bathing can be done as you feel it necessary, but please use a mild shampoo such as: http://www.lifesabundance.com/Catalog/ProductDetail.aspx?realname=20058932&cat=0&hdr=&Ath=False&ProductID=101022%28Pet_Base%29 or a waterless shampoo, like: http://www.lifesabundance.com/Catalog/ProductDetail.aspx?realname=20058932&cat=0&hdr=&Ath=False&ProductID=101025%28Pet_Base%29
RagaMuffin kittens are a fairly large breed, males reaching upwards of 20-25 lbs, females being generally more petite at 10-15 lbs. They are also slow to mature; a RagaMuffin is 4 years old before they are considered fully matured. This gives them longevity of life (RagaMuffins have a life expectancy of 20+ years) and keeps them kitten playful for a long time! RagaMuffins believe that everything on Earth is there for their entertainment, so we must take care to make sure nothing harmful comes into their reach (and remember... they're cats... so their reach is considerably longer than you may think!). Please researcch your house plants to make sure they aren't harmful to kitties... even hanging ones, cats are VERY resourceful when they get it into their minds that they want something. Also, beware of any thin linear object such as thread, string, floss, etc... as kitties LOVE to play with things like this, but--if swallowed--it can be fatal. We lost our precious Hadassah to internal damage done when she swallowed some embroidery floss I was working with. Even after rushing her to the vet for emergency surgery, it was just too much damage for her to recover.
=(
When the RagaMuffin breed
first won my heart, back in 2008, I decided that these sweet babies
deserved the absolute best food on the market but, let's face it...
I'm not made of money any more than most folks. So, I began
researching on the internet to answer the question: of what would
the BEST cat food consist?
My research showed me
that cats are obligate carnivores. Their systems simply
aren't designed to digest or work with a plant based diet.
So, a lot of the store brand cat foods were automatically off the
list. Most of them get their protein from corn, wheat and
corn/wheat bi-products like gluten. So, looking at foods that
provide a meat based protein, I found that not all of those are
created equal either! Store brand pet foods are mostly owned
by corporations which also make human food. So, anything that
wouldn't be allowed to be used to make their human food products
ends up in their pet foods (I won't go into what that often
consists of...).
So, what are we to do
when we want to bless our pets? I found a wonderful answer to
that question--Life's Abundance! This company produces a very
high quality HUMAN GRADE pet food (human grade means that nothing
the USDA wouldn't allow in human food will be found in this pet
food) which is holistically formulated by a nationally known
veterinary dietician, Dr. Jane Bicks. It is made in small
batches, packaged and shipped directly to your door--generally
within 6 weeks of production! It has no fillers, no harsh
chemical preservatives, but it DOES have something very important
that most pet foods don't: pre-and pro-biotics! The
good microflora that you get from eating quality yogurts which
helps keep our 'Muffins' digestion working
optimally.
Life's Abundance Cat Food
is over 97% bioavailable; which means that when your kitty eats it,
over 97% is immediately available to run a healthy kitty. It
also means that less than 3% ends up in the litterbox for you to
have to scoop. =) This remainder is fiber to keep kitty's
digestive system clear of blockages. I have researched the
food, I've researched the company (it's NEVER had a recall in its
over 12 years of operation) and I feel that, for the price, this is
the BEST choice out there. It's what we feed our kitties and,
if you keep feeding it to your BlessedHope kitty we will extend the
health warranty for 5 years instead of our usual 2! You may
do your own research at www.lifesabundance/blessedpets. There
are many informative articles and videos on the site and a page
where you can compare it to other leading brands of food to see
both price and ingredient comparisons.
RagaMuffins are quite a
healthy and robust breed. They are not susceptible to any
illnesses and here, at BlessedHope, all of our mom & dad
kitties have been tested for the HCM gene which can cause genetic
heart defects in kittens! They are kept indoors in controlled
environments to reduce the possibility of contact with any
illnesses or parasites. BlessedHope RagaMuffins have been
provided a very healthy diet, from their conception, of Life's
Abundance foods which are human grade and "holistic" in their
formulation by Dr. Jane Bicks (a veterinary dietician).
RagaMuffins have a lifespan of about 20 years and can weigh up to
20+ pounds!
BlessedHope RagaMuffins
are strictly indoor only cats. There are just too many
dangers outdoors from dogs, cars, snakes, birds of prey, even other
cats who don't have the sweetness and manners our kitties
possess! Our contract specifically states that our sweet
'Muffins are indoor ONLY cats. However, being the curious
creatures that they are, they will WANT to go explore the great
outdoors. RagaMuffins have been bred specifically FOR their
sweet temperaments. They tend to want to make friends with
anyone and anything. So, to protect them, we suggest "door
training". It's quite simple and very effective. You
simply use a spray bottle with the nozzle turned up all the way and
fill with water and vinegar in a 1/1 ratio. Next, leave the
door opened and hide around the corner of the doorframe. As
soon as you see whiskers, SQUIRT! It only takes a time or two
for your BlessedHope RagaMuffin to realize that outside is NOT
where he/she wants to be!
RagaMuffins are bred to
have sweet temperaments, to love affection, and to bond with their
people. When you first receive your BlessedHope RagaMuffin,
please be aware that--for all his/her life--we have been their
people. It will take a little while for their bonds of
affection to break with us and form with you, their new furrever
family. My suggestion, to speed the process, is to set up a
litter box and food & water bowls in a very small room (we like
to use our hall bathroom) and let this be your RagaMuffin's first
introduction to his/her new home. Let your new kitty explore
their new surroundings (cats NEED to feel that they're completely
safe, so your kitty will need to see, smell and feel every nook and
cranny before he/she can feel comfortable in the room) and then
come visit him/her. Sit and talk to him/her but let your
kitty come to you when he or she is comfortable. Let him/her
stay in this room for at least a few days and make frequent
visits. Don't leave any toys... YOU are the big exciting
thing to play with. =) After a day or so, your RagaMuffin
will joyfully run to you for attention. When you feel that
you and your 'Muffin have bonded, you can let them out of the small
room and let them get a feel for the rest of their new home.
If you have another pet, please introduce your new furrbaby
gradually and with close supervision. Don't leave them alone
together for at least a couple of days to make sure your old friend
fully accepts your new friend.