The seal point pattern for ragdoll cats
I have two cats.
They are both of the seal point ragdoll variety. Neither of them are seal point Ragdoll kittens as they are both older cats, but seal point Ragdoll cats they are!!
In fact, I guess you could argue that they are a mix of seal mitted and seal point, but they are missing some key elements to be seal-mitted ragdolls. This article has been updated in 2021 to give you all of the latest information.
The seal point Ragdoll cat is the most popular colour of ragdolls and personally, I think the most stunning.
What are the Seal colours?
The “seal” name for this colour pattern type literally comes from a seal and the colour of its coat. It’s a dark brown/blackish colour. You can always distinguish ragdoll cats as a seal colour from this dark colour.
Read Also – Wait…can Ragdolls be Black?
Ragdoll cats can even be BLUE…well actually more of a grey.
The seal colour pattern is a gradual pattern. The cat will look kinda like an unmixed mocha, or when you add milk to coke. The pattern will go from white to dark and usually get darker on the points.
Interestingly the colour pattern for seal ragdolls is also a heat colour pattern. It follows the hottest and coldest spots on the cat. Where it is coldest, it is darkest.
What are the points, and what is the ragdoll pattern
The points on a cat are pretty straightforward. They are the nose, ears, tail and nose.
This pattern is seen on all ragdolls with the seal points. The length of their colours will be different from cat to cat, meaning that some will only have small points and others will have a darker colour over more of their body.
The pattern for a seal point is also very distinct and will always be the same points. Many ragdolls have different-looking points, but the consistency of the pattern is that all the points have some of the colours.
What is the Eye Color of a seal ragdoll?
The coloration of a ragdoll and its eyes will change over time. All Ragdoll kittens are born white with blue eyes. As they begin to develop this will begin to change.
Ragdoll coloration can take up to 2 years to develop fully. Most breeders and people familiar with the breed will be able to get a pretty close guess early on though. There are a couple of things you can do to predict what colour your kitten will become.
- Colour from the kitten’s parents. There is a pretty interesting colour chart here based on genetics. The reality is the colour of the parents has a big effect on what the colours of the kittens will be.
- Early Signs of colour. Seal points will often show early, but not always. Also, some colours will show up on their faces giving you a tip as to what you have as a kitten.
How do you recognize a seal point Ragdoll cat?
The important trait that makes a Ragdoll cat a seal point is the patch of brown fur on its face. This is the critical element that makes it a “seal” because the seal is brown. As for the points, these are brown patches on its extremities – ears, paws, face and the tip of its tail.
Are Seal Points Affectionate?
Yes, and…no…ha. I have found that ragdolls are very affectionate but they are still cats. So you’ll need to be patient and provide a great environment. Here is an article I wrote all about it.
If you want to know the current cost of a ragdoll cat click to read this article about pricing. Part of the pricing for a cat needs to include the other things you will need to purchase for owning a cat. These things include but are not limited to a cat fountain, cat litter, cat food and a cat carrier, especially if you are going to travel with your cat.
Seal Point Ragdoll Cat FAQ
How do you Recognize a Seal Point Ragdoll Cat?
The definitive feature that makes a Ragdoll cat a seal point ragdoll cat is the patch of brown fur on its face.
This is the required element that defines the colour pattern as seal. The point distinction comes in the form of dark brown/black colouring on the ears, feet, nose and tail. These are the points, and when you put them together you get seal point.
At what age can you tell that a Ragdoll cat is a seal point?
All Ragdoll kittens are born white, except for the mink ragdoll. As the ragdoll kitten begins to age the colour pattern defined by that kitten’s genetic code starts to show.
Because of this, you wouldn’t really have a seal point ragdoll kitten, although trained and experienced breeders will know if the kitten will turn into a seal point ragdoll cat or if they will turn into one of the other patterns or colours.
Usually by 2-3 weeks of age ragdoll breeders have a good idea of what kind of colour pattern the ragdoll kitten will turn into. However, as mentioned above it may take a couple of months for the colours to really set in.
Especially the lighter colours.
They also have the ability to gain information from the parents and that will help them know the possibilities. If two seal point ragdoll cats had kittens there is a really good chance that there will be a seal point ragdoll kitten in the mix.
You should never take a ragdoll kitten before it is 12 weeks old. Ragdoll kittens develop at a slower rate than other breeds of cats and need their mother for a little bit longer. By 12 weeks you will definitely be able to tell what the colour pattern will be.
The seal point ragdoll will have points after a couple of weeks, or it should. Seal point Ragdoll kittens will start to become more obvious at this time. Their colours will change and their points will become more pronounced.
Seal point Ragdoll Kittens will have a face that will start to darken and it will gain some colour.
What is the Rarest Ragdoll Colour?
The rarest ragdoll colour is the lilac lynk point Ragdoll. The seal point Ragdoll is not one of the most rare types of Ragdolls, however the seal point ragdoll can be difficult to find as breeders are trying to fill in the gaps with less bred types.
This beauty is a recessive gene and therefore isn’t as abundant as some of the others. It is also because the seal points make breeders more money so they generally breed for those colours. The lilac lynx is usually a white colour and its body shades in a ghost stripe or ticking.
Their points are frosty grey and have some pink tones in them. These different tones are separated by a lighter background colour usually white or light grey.
Lilac point is a pinkish beige colour and is dilute of Chocolate point. There are 2 ways to say “Lilac”, Lilac point or Lilac either or, I prefer saying Lilac point.
Can Ragdoll Cats Go Outside?
The short answer is no ragdoll cats cannot go outside. Ragdolls are very well known for their behaviour and character traits, these include flopping on the ground when approached by another cat or dog.
Typically this means that they will not protect themselves and that is why they cannot go outside. The only time I take my cats outside is when they are 100% supervised and on a leash or harness system. Back in 2013 people thought a little differently, but that has changed.
This doesn’t change based on colour. Seal point ragdoll cats and any other form or pattern need to stay inside. It is important that you work with your seal point ragdoll kitten to train it to not go outside unsupervised or on a leash.
Why are Ragdoll Cats so Floppy?
The name of these cats says it all, their floppy nature is why they are called ragdolls. Ragdolls were bred this way when the breed was started in the 1960s, their laid-back nature and floppy cuddly style was what the original breeders whereafter.
This trait of the ragdoll has been passed down through the generations and is what they are known for now. These cats love human attention and that is why they make the best indoor cuddle companions.
The biological reason for it is that ragdoll muscles react when they are picked up or approached by a human, another cat or even a dog.
Their muscles relax due to internal reactions and they flop. It doesn’t hurt the ragdoll at all, but it is necessary to be careful, especially when children are holding a ragdoll. The floppy nature of the cat can sometimes lead them to be dropped.
You definitely don’t want to drop your ragdoll cat.
When do Ragdolls Get Their Color?
Firs of all it is important to note that Ragdolls will change colour throughout their lives. It may not be as dramatic as it is in their first year, but they will shift and change.
All ragdoll kittens are born white, but within a few days they will start to show some colour. Within their first few weeks seal and blue colours are going to be more evident, especially pointed kittens.
Seal Lynx kittens can be recognizable at this point, and depending on their parents might help you lean in that direction as far as pattern goes.
Having said that however most of the colour will be in place 8-12 weeks after birth. The pattern may take up to two years to fully show, and as we said above there is still a chance that the colour will shift and change as the cat matures.
This is all about body temperature, which is why the colours change.
Why do Ragdolls Change Colour?
The reason that a ragdoll cat can change colour is because of its internal body temperature. As a Ragdoll cat begins to age parts of its body become cooler than other parts, and these colder parts go darker. A ragdoll cat, like a lot of other animals, changes its colour because of body temperature.
Seal Ragdolls are known to change colour throughout their lives, and even get quite dark all over. This is due to body temperature, and as they age they will change colour. Senior cats are known to change again as they age.
A Ragdoll Kitten will showcase this the best. Most of the time a ragdoll kitten will be all white for quite some time, and then the ragdoll kitten will slowly start to change colours. The colour changes however are for the exact same reason, the internal body temperature of the ragdoll kitten.
At What Age do Ragdoll Kittens Calm Down?
The Ragdoll cat matures at a slower pace than other breeds. It is a larger cat so it takes a little more time to get to full size and maturity, much like the main coon. As such you can expect your kitten to take a little longer to calm down.
A Ragdoll kitten has been known to not calm down fully until it reaches the age of 3, by this time it is a Ragdoll cat.
Many of the Ragdoll cats that I have owned or bred had all taken different amounts of time to “settle” into their personalities. Most of them however hit a maturity change at the age of 6 months, and then again at 1 year.
It seems like these natural intervals do something to help these cats settle in. They will act a lot like kittens until these points, but you will start to see them slowly change.
The biggest change for a male Ragdoll cat is when it is neutered, this will make a huge difference in its personality and calmness.
A mitted ragdoll kitten and a point ragdoll kitten generally act the same. A mitted ragdoll kitten will be born white just like the pointed kitten, but won’t develop black socks like the pointed kitten.
What is a Flame Point Ragdoll Cat?
A flame point Ragdoll Cat is a fancy name for a ragdoll cat that has orangy/reddish colouration on its points instead of the seal markings described in this article. The points are the same as the seal point, the ears, tail, nose and feet. You can check out our flame-coloured Ragdolls article and get more information about that type of colouration.
The flame point is a Cat Fanciers Association-recognized colouration and Ragdoll pattern and your Ragdoll will be registered as such. The flame point and flame-coloured cats are generally more creamy or white in the body than the seal point.
What is the Difference Between the Seal Colour and the Blue Colour?
The blue colouration for a ragdoll cat is more of a grey colour to your eyes, but it is called blue by the Cat associations and by breeders (2011). This colour differs from the seal colour in that it is lighter and less pronounced. The seal colour is really the same as the grey colour just significantly darker and more brown/black. The blue colour is more of a grey-looking colour, its a colder colour and can at times look bluey-grey.
The blue colouration is applied to the same patterns as the seal, meaning you can still get the blue point, blue mitted and blue lynx just like the seal colour.
It provides a wondrous variety within the Ragdoll breed and really does give each cat its own “fingerprint” of sorts.
What is a Seal Point Mitted Ragdoll Cat?
A seal-point mitted Ragdoll is a type of ragdoll cat that has seal points and is also mitted. This typically means that the mitts are white instead of black.
The seal point ragdoll that’s mitted is generally shortened to seal mitted ragdoll cat. So instead of seal point ragdoll that’s mitted, you get seal mitted ragdoll.
What is a Seal Point Mitted, and how are they Different than a Seal Point?
A seal-point-mitted cat is different from a seal-point because of their paws, hence the seal-mitted name. A seal-point-mitted cat will have white socks, or mitts, a seal-mitted cat must have at least one white paw. A seal point regular will have black or seal-coloured mitts.
Obviously, these differentiations can be all four paws or sometimes not all four paws. However if one of the paws is white then the cat is technically a mitted cat.
However, a seal-mitted ragdoll also needs to have a white chin stripe, which is why many cats probably have more seal points than seal mitted.
What is a Seal Lynx Ragdoll?
A lynx ragdoll is characterized by having tabby-style pencil lines in its face. Usually, the seal lynx also has white eyeliner and darker pencil lines in its face.
This variation is caused by genetics and the agouti gene which turns on the tabby colouration.
The seal lynx can be found in all pointed colour patterns, but the most pronounced is in the darker colours like the seal.