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Breed: RagaMuffin

RagaMuffin: grooming and care

CFA records that the RagaMuffin grew out of the Ragdoll, when a group of breeders broke away from the Ragdoll founder's registry and kept some of its traits. It is a big, slow-maturing cat, and most of its grooming questions come back to its size.

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Relaxed long-haired cat lying on the grooming table

Last reviewed October 10, 2026 · by the Dogtown team

The coat

A rabbit-soft coat resists mats, yet VCA scores its shedding 4 out of 5

CFA compares the coat to rabbit fur and asks for a texture that is soft, dense and silky, longest around the neck where it forms a ruff, and medium to medium-long on the sides and stomach. Its standard penalizes a cottony undercoat, and its breed profile says the fur tends to resist tangles and mats. VCA calls the coat mat-resistant and recommends weekly combing to clear the dead hair out of it.

Resisting mats is not the same as not shedding. VCA scores the RagaMuffin 4 out of 5 for shedding: a dense coat on a long, heavy body lets go of a lot of hair even when nothing is tangling. Loose hair that is not combed out either gets swallowed while the cat washes or ends up on the sofa, so the weekly comb is mostly about catching it first.

  • Soft, dense and silky, often compared to rabbit fur (CFA)
  • A ruff at the neck; medium to medium-long on the sides and stomach (CFA)
  • Resists tangles and mats (CFA, VCA)
  • Shedding: 4 out of 5 (VCA)

The belly

The belly is where a heavy RagaMuffin needs your help most

VCA describes a hefty, long-bodied cat of 10 to 20 pounds that is prone to a fatty pad on its lower abdomen, and CFA says mature males may reach 20 pounds, with the breed taking up to four years to reach full size. A big cat with a soft belly pad spends a lot of time lying on its stomach coat, and it has to fold a long way to wash its own underside.

That is why the stomach is the place to look first. A coat this mat-resistant will rarely knot along the back, but the hair on the belly pad and between the hind legs is pressed flat, warm and harder for the cat to reach, so a tangle on a RagaMuffin is most likely to turn up there. Comb it with the cat on its side, a few strokes at a time, and stroke the chest in between.

At home

Comb once or twice a week with long teeth, starting where the cat enjoys it

CFA suggests a long-toothed comb once or twice a week and VCA asks for weekly combings, so a daily routine is not needed. The long teeth matter: the coat is dense, and short teeth skate across the top while the loose hair stays put. VCA rates the breed 5 out of 5 as a lap cat and calls it very docile and easygoing, so your lap is the natural place for the session.

Weight belongs in the same routine. VCA says it is vital to measure this breed's food portions daily to prevent obesity. Cornell's Feline Health Center describes a simple home check: run both hands, palms down, across the ribcage on each side, and in a severely obese cat the ribs cannot be felt under the fat. If you are unsure what you are feeling, ask your vet, since Cornell advises that any feline weight-loss plan be run under a vet's direction.

  1. 01

    Settle the cat on your lap or on a towel beside you

  2. 02

    Comb the ruff and chest with long teeth, from the chin downward

  3. 03

    Comb the back and sides along the lie of the coat to clear dead hair

  4. 04

    Roll the cat gently onto its side and comb the stomach and belly pad in short strokes

  5. 05

    Comb between the hind legs, holding the hair at the root so nothing pulls

  6. 06

    Finish with a rib check, both palms flat along the sides of the chest

At the studio

A docile cat makes the table easy, so the visit is about the coat rather than restraint

CFA calls the RagaMuffin docile, people-loving and affectionate and says the breed is rarely aggressive. That helps at the studio, where cats are groomed in a quiet room at 210 Eastern Ave in Gloucester, away from the dog floors, by cat behavior specialists who keep restraint light. Calm still does not mean willing to go on forever: the groomer watches for a flicking tail or a body that stiffens, and pauses there.

Book the Full Bath at $95 when the shed outruns your comb: a bath with water, a brush-out and a nail clip. A dense coat on a 15- or 20-pound cat takes a while to dry, so allow for a longer visit. Minimal Trims at $45 shortens the belly and britches and clears a tangle there without water, and nail clipping alone costs $20. The Full Service at $120, which adds shaving to the bath, is for a coat that has already matted.

Bring a carrier the cat can stand and turn around in, which for a grown male means a large one, and carry it level with both hands. There is no evaluation visit for grooming; every cat is assessed for coat and temperament on arrival, and a cat that cannot be groomed safely is referred to your vet. Appointments are made online, in the Dogtown app or by calling 978 491-5922.

  • Full Bath, $95: the shed, with a brush-out and nails
  • Minimal Trims, $45: belly, britches and a tangle there, no water
  • Full Service, $120: a coat that has matted
  • Nail clipping, $20: on its own between visits

Vet first

A greasy back, a belly you cannot comb or steady weight gain goes to your vet

VCA lists the fatty belly pad as a breed trait, so a soft, swinging lower belly is not a worry on its own. A cat that is gaining weight all over is different. Cornell lists osteoarthritis, the erosion of cartilage in the joints, among the conditions extra weight can aggravate, and notes that excess weight burdens the heart. Grease or flakes along the lower back, the part a heavy cat stops reaching, deserve a vet visit before a bath.

CFA's profile also names hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and polycystic kidney disease as heritable conditions that genetic testing of breeding cats helps to manage. Neither shows in the coat, so both belong to your vet's annual check-up rather than to a grooming visit. For evenings and weekends on Cape Ann, the City of Gloucester lists local veterinary offices on its website.

  • A belly that has grown along with the rest of the cat
  • Grease or flakes along the lower back
  • Ribs you can no longer feel with flat palms (Cornell)
  • Hiding, or a new reaction to being touched

At Dogtown

Cat grooming for a big, soft cat

A bath for the shed, a dry trim for the belly or a nail clip, in the cat room on Eastern Ave.

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Asked and answered

Questions people ask about this

Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.

Is grooming a RagaMuffin different from grooming a Ragdoll?
Very little in the routine. CFA says the RagaMuffin's history is closely tied to the Ragdoll's and that its breeders kept some Ragdoll traits. Both have soft coats that resist mats and need a weekly comb. The RagaMuffin can be the heavier cat, and VCA scores its shedding 4 out of 5, so expect a fuller comb.
Do RagaMuffins need baths?
Not regularly. CFA says most RagaMuffins do not need routine baths. A bath helps in a heavy shed, after a mess the cat cannot clean or when the coat has gone limp and oily, and the Full Bath at $95 at our Gloucester studio adds a brush-out and a nail clip. A greasy patch on the lower back is worth showing your vet first.
Is my RagaMuffin's belly pad a sign it is overweight?
Not by itself. VCA describes a fatty pad on the lower abdomen as a trait of the breed. Overall weight is the real question: Cornell suggests running both palms across the ribcage, and in a severely obese cat the ribs cannot be felt. If that sounds like your cat, ask your vet for a plan, which Cornell says should take weight off gradually.
How big a carrier does a RagaMuffin need?
A large one. CFA says mature males can reach 20 pounds and females about 15, and the breed keeps filling out for up to four years. Choose a carrier the cat can stand and turn around in, with a door or top opening wide enough to lift it out without pulling, and carry it level with both hands.
How often should a RagaMuffin see the groomer?
Let the shed decide. With a weekly comb at home, a RagaMuffin may need the studio only for a $20 nail clip and a Full Bath at $95 when loose hair starts piling up. Book sooner if you find a tangle on the belly that will not comb out; Minimal Trims at $45 clears it without water.

More questions? Read the full FAQ

Sources

Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.

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