Do Ragdoll Cats Make Good Barn Cats?
In Canada, there is an increasing need for barn cats. In fact per capita parts of Alberta have more horses per person than anywhere else in the world. It is a hotbed and includes places like Spruce Meadows and The Calgary Stampede. It is also where Heartland is filmed.
Because of this high number of horses, also creates a high number of barns, boarding facilities and horse-riding equestrian centres.
What does this have to do with Ragdoll Cats?
Ragdolls and Horse People
It may not come as a surprise to any of you, but pet people are generally pet people. What this means is that people who have one pet, are more likely to have multiple pets.
There are a lot of horse people that have dogs, and a lot of horse people that have cats. And horse people generally are required to have a place to keep their horse, if they don’t have their own field to keep it in.
These are called boarding facilities. They are a place where people with horses pay to keep their horses. Lots of horse people love Ragdolls.
What About Mousing?
Ragdoll cats are not generally known as the best mousers. Maine Coons are a better breed for that. But Ragdolls are very well known for their ability to be easy to cuddle, and they are really good with kids.
Horse boarding facilities and horse riding instruction facilities are full of kids so owners are always looking for pets that are also good with kids.
This brings up the Ragdoll.
Ragdolls aren’t all the same. Some Ragdolls are great mousers and some Ragdolls are great at being lazy. I think it would really depend on the cat.
Obviously, Ragdolls are more known as house and apartment cats, for indoor living, but they may be a great solution for a barn where kids and families are, and where mousing duties are abundant.
What About Other Animals?
Ragdolls are known for being great with other animals like dogs and cats. So the solution could be to get a great mousing cat, and a Ragdoll as the companion cat. Cats are usually betting in twos.
Ragdoll cats are also pretty good with dogs because they take a submissive role, so with multiple different dogs coming in and out of the environment you should be good to go.
Ragdolls will likely be good with horses too. Lots of cats get used to horse, and especially when you mix them with the most gentle horse breed you should be fine.
What About Getting Dirty?
Well yes a long haired cat will have a higher chance of getting dirty in a barn setting, than a short-haired variety. This may be part of the reason why so many barn cats are short haired.
There are obviously lots of ways around this, like brushing and grooming the cat. It may however also be a deal breaker if that’s no something that you have time for. A short-haired barn cat may be a better solution for mousing.