Cherubim Ragdolls: TICA's Newest Ragdoll Breed

Effective May 1st 2025, TICA will officially recognize Mink, Sepia and solid Ragdolls as a new breed called Cherubim. 

This change comes from the need to distinguish certain Ragdoll cats from the established breed standard.

The Ragdoll Dilemma

Ragdolls are known for their laidback personality and beautiful blue eyes and their history goes all the way to the 1960s. Non-pointed colors like mink, sepia, and solid have long been a point of controversy. Although, present in the Ragdoll pool, the non-pointed variations were considered disqualifications for show purposes.

In 2024 Spring Meeting TICA recognized the unique characteristics of these non-pointed cats and decided to create the separate breed: the Cherubim.

“Breeders of blue-eyed pointed (BEP) Ragdolls and breeders of mink, sepia, and solid Ragdolls are working together to find a compromise in the advancement of the “New Traits” Ragdolls to the Championship class. The current standard only allows for BEP cats. The mink, sepia, and solids cannot show in the championship class. The authors of this proposal, under the governing regulations 31.4 and 33.9, respectively, in the TICA Resistration Rules & Related Standing Rules, seek to establish a Ragdoll breed group to create a separate breed, namely Cherubim, for mink, sepia, and solid Ragdolls so that they may compete in the Championship class.”

(pg 19, TICA Board of Directors, Spring Meeting Agenda, May 17-19, 2024, Harlingen, Texas) 

The History of Ragdoll Breed

Ann Baker, the breeder credited with developing of the Ragdoll breed in the 1960s, initially envisioned a broader range of colors and patterns, including the non-pointed variations that now define the Cherubim. The term “Cherubim” was initially used by Ann Baker to describe her original line of cats including both pointed and non-pointed varieties to convey their sweet and lovable personalities.

Breed Characteristics 

According to TICA:

“The Ragdoll (RD) is a large semi-longhair, blue eyed pointed cat of moderate type”

"The Cherubim (CB) is a large semi-longhair, mink, sepia, or traditional colored cat of moderate type”.

Traditional Ragdoll are a pointed breed, characterized by a lighter body color with darker points, coloration stronger at their extremities (face, legs, tail) and blue eyes.

Cherubim Ragdoll or Mink Ragdolls are known for their richer color and plusher, silky fur that can be compared to the softness of mink or rabbit fur, their coat is also naturally not prone to matting easily.

While Traditional Ragdoll kittens born all white and don't acquire their color until 4-14 days of age, minks are born with color. Also the point color of the mink is much reacher and darker than the color point of the traditional Ragdolls. Other than that minks come in all the standard colors of blue, seal, chocolate, lilac, flame, cream, tortie and blue/cream. As well in all the standard patterns: Colorpoint, mitted, bi-color and Lynx.

The eye color of the traditional Ragdoll and the Mink Ragdoll is also a distinguishing feature. In the traditional Ragdoll the eye color is always blue, whereas the Mink Ragdoll may also have beautiful aqua (sea blue-green, olive or yellow) eyes, which usually develop by 12 weeks.

Traditional, mink, and sepia Ragdolls' color continues to deepen and darken as they mature, until they are up to 3 years old. Solid Ragdolls are born with full color, and they do not darken or lighten as they mature... their coat color remains the same.

Most importantly, Cherubims have the same affectionate nature and laid-back personalities as traditional Ragdolls. 

In a litter it's possible to have variety of kittens with both traditional and mink characteristics, but because parents have mink in the last three generations on their Pedigrees, kitten will be classified as a Cherubim Ragdoll by TICA.

Sources: 

🐱 Floppycats.com/cherubim.html

🐱 poshraggies.com/blog/cherubim-cats-new-ragdoll-breed

🐱 TICA Board of Directors, Spring Meeting Agenda, May 17-19, 2024, Harlingen, Texas, pgs 19-24 

🐱 Baker, Ann. Ann Baker’s Autobiography: Cherubims Research. Published by Business and Consumer Advocate of the Animal World. 1985. 

🐱 Pickering, Robin, Pollard, David, Wallace, Lorna. The Definitive Guide to Ragdolls. Pontefract, W. Yorkshire: Ragdoll World. 1995. First Edition.