RagaMuffin Kittens: Adopt or Buy in Australia?

Should you adopt or buy a RagaMuffin?

Start by asking what you actually want. If it is the breed name and papers, be ready for a long, careful search, because the RagaMuffin barely exists in the registered Australian cat fancy. If it is the RagaMuffin's nature (big, soft, calm and cuddly), a registered Ragdoll breeder or a long-haired rescue cat gets you much of the way there with far less risk.

Rescue fees read 11 November 2026 on the pages linked below. A reference, not a quote: breeders and rescues set and change their own prices, so check with them.

What is a RagaMuffin, and how is it related to the Ragdoll?

A breed split from the Ragdoll. The Cat Fanciers' Association says that in the early 1990s a group of breeders formerly associated with Ann Baker, the Ragdoll's founder, broke away from her registry. They worked with carefully chosen domestic longhairs to add fresh genes, kept the Ragdoll's large size, long coat and mellow nature, and chose a different type and a much wider colour range. The name links back to the street cats in the breed's ancestry. The CFA granted RagaMuffins registration in 2003 and championship status in 2011.

The ANCATS breed description tells the same story: breeders who left Ann Baker in 1993 could no longer use the Ragdoll name, had been breeding all colours and patterns, and chose RagaMuffin instead.

From the CFA RagaMuffin standard and the CCCA Ragdoll standard, read 11 November 2026.

The practical point: a pointed, blue-eyed long-haired kitten is a Ragdoll type, not a RagaMuffin under the CFA standard, which says pointed RagaMuffins are for breeding only and cannot currently be shown. And a long coat on a mixed-colour cat does not make it a RagaMuffin. Only papers do. For a side-by-side of the Ragdoll and another close look-alike, see Ragdoll vs Birman.

Is the RagaMuffin recognised in Australia?

Not by the CCCA or the ACF. The Coordinating Cat Council of Australia's standards page lists a Ragdoll standard and no RagaMuffin standard, and tells readers to check with their registering body which breeds it recognises. The Australian Cat Federation's standards page also lists a Ragdoll standard and no RagaMuffin. ANCATS includes a RagaMuffin description among its breed notes.

Overseas, the CFA recognises the breed and the UK's GCCF has a RagaMuffin breeding policy. So if a breeder here offers papers, ask exactly which registry issued them, and check with that registry yourself.

What does a RagaMuffin kitten cost in Australia?

We cannot give a figure. No Australian cat council or club publishes a RagaMuffin price, and Cats Victoria (GCCFV) says kitten pricing is up to individual breeders. In November 2026 we searched council breeder directories and the web for Australian RagaMuffin catteries and found none with council membership and its own website, let alone one that published a price.

Prices on listing and marketplace sites are not a reference we use. If you are open to the Ragdoll, our Ragdoll price guide reports what member breeders publish.

Reference figures only, not quotes. Fees change, so check with the rescue. Rescue fees usually include desexing, microchipping and vaccination. A big long-haired cat also has ongoing costs: see our cost of owning a cat guide and the cat cost calculator.

Which health tests should a RagaMuffin breeder show you?

Heart and kidney tests first. The CFA says that because of their diverse background RagaMuffins tend to be sturdy with no breed-specific genetic issues, but that conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, a thickening of the heart muscle) and polycystic kidney disease (PKD) may occur in all cats, and genetic testing of breeding cats helps breeders manage them.

• The Ragdoll HCM variant. The UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory lists its Ragdoll HCM test for the RagaMuffin. The GCCF breeding policy says further imports and official outcrosses should test clear of it, and warns that a clear result does not mean a cat will never develop HCM. The ACVIM consensus statement lists the Ragdoll among breeds believed to be at increased risk.
• PKD. UC Davis also lists a PKD1 test for the breed.
• A heart scan. International Cat Care says many cats with early heart disease show no signs and changes may only show on an ultrasound; it also advises an annual heart scan for breeding cats during their breeding years.

Ask to see results for both parents, with names that match the litter. Anything about treatment is a conversation for your vet.

What do RagaMuffin types in rescue look like?

Big, soft, long-haired cats with no breed label, mostly. Across the rescues we aggregate, a cat listed as a RagaMuffin is a rare sight, while Ragdoll crosses and domestic longhairs are listed regularly. If the RagaMuffin's laid-back nature is what you want, those are the cats to look at.

Browse Ragdolls and Ragdoll crosses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide. Or see cats rescues flag as suited to indoor life in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide.

An adult in foster care comes with notes on how it handles children, other pets, grooming and being picked up, which tells you more about a lap cat than any breed name.

How do you check a RagaMuffin breeder?

1. Which registry issued the papers? The CCCA and ACF publish no RagaMuffin standard, so ask exactly which body registers the cats, and check with that body directly, not through a link the seller sends.
2. Are the parents RagaMuffins on paper? Ask to see both parents' registration. “Ragdoll x RagaMuffin” is a cross.
3. Heart and kidney results for both parents (Ragdoll HCM variant, PKD) and a recent heart scan for breeding cats.
4. The mother, in person or on a live video call, before any deposit.
5. Age and paperwork. At least 10 weeks old (ANCATS rules recommend 12), vaccinated, microchipped and desexed or with desexing agreed in writing. State breeder-number rules are in our kittens for sale guide.

What do RagaMuffin kitten scams look like?

Scamwatch says scammers set up fake websites and social media profiles for popular breeds, including pets that do not exist. Its advice: view the pet in person, ask for a video call if you cannot visit, check the breeder is legitimate, and compare prices, because a very cheap pet is likely a scam. It warns about being asked to pay by money order, pre-loaded card or to several different PayIDs or accounts.

• A rare breed in good supply. When councils list no RagaMuffin breeders, a seller with steady litters needs extra checking.
• A pointed, blue-eyed “RagaMuffin”. Under the CFA standard pointed RagaMuffins cannot be shown; that kitten is a Ragdoll type.
• Papers from a registry you cannot find, or no papers at all.
• A kitten under 10 weeks, or one offered before it is vaccinated and microchipped.

Is a RagaMuffin the right cat for you?

The CFA describes a docile, people-loving, affectionate lap cat that suits families with young children and people who live alone, gets on with dogs and other cats, and needs combing only once or twice a week. It is a big, slow-maturing cat, and the CFA notes many RagaMuffins are happiest in a lap. ASCIA says all cat breeds can cause allergies, a RagaMuffin included.

Not sure it fits? Try the what cat breed is right for me quiz and our guide to adopting a cat in Australia. Weighing other breeds? See Munchkin kittens and Manx kittens, two breeds with welfare questions worth knowing about first.

Find a calm long-haired cat near you

Long-haired cats listed by rescues, by city:

• Long-haired cats for adoption in Sydney
• Long-haired cats for adoption in Melbourne
• Long-haired cats for adoption in Brisbane
• Long-haired cats for adoption in Perth
• Long-haired cats for adoption in Adelaide