Compare
Persian vs Ragdoll
Two calm, quiet, long-coated indoor cats; the Persian is smaller, flat-faced and needs daily grooming, the Ragdoll is larger and easier to care for.
Verdict
Both are placid, quiet cats for indoor homes, so the thing that decides it is care and health. The Persian is medium, with a long dense coat that needs combing every day and a flat face that brings breathing and eye concerns. The Ragdoll is larger, has a silky coat with little undercoat that needs combing about twice a week, and lists only one health concern. Choose the Ragdoll for easier care, the Persian for the classic round face.
Choose the Persian if
- You want a medium cat of about 7-12 lb that suits a very small flat; it scores 5 for apartments.
- You will comb a long, dense coat every day.
- You prefer the most placid cat, scoring 1 for energy and 1 for voice.
- You have weighed the flat-face welfare debate and the kidney disease risk.
Choose the Ragdoll if
- You want a large, floppy cat of 8-20 lb that is the more affectionate of the two, scoring 5 against 4.
- You have young children or other pets; it scores 5 for both against 4.
- You want lighter grooming; it scores 3 for grooming against 5.
- You want a breed whose listed concern is limited to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Where they are alike
Both are very common to common breeds that score 1 for voice and 2 or lower for energy. Each needs a quiet, indoor home and a regular vet check, and each lists hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Side by side
| Persian | Ragdoll | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Longhair and semi-longhair | Longhair and semi-longhair |
| Origin | Named for Persia (Iran); developed in Europe | Riverside, California, United States |
| Size | Medium | Large |
| Typical weight | About 7-12 lb (3.2-5.4 kg) | Females 8-15 lb (3.6-6.8 kg); males 12-20 lb (5.4-9.1 kg) or more |
| Lifespan | Studies put the median near 11 to 12.5 years | Recent UK data put the median near 12 to 13 years |
| Coat length | Long | Long |
| Coat | Long, dense, fine coat standing off the body, with a full ruff and brush tail | Soft, silky, semi-long coat made mostly of guard hairs, with little undercoat |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Championship breed since 1906 | Championship breed since 2000 |
| How common | Common | Very common |
| Affection | 4 | 5 |
| Energy | 1 | 2 |
| Playfulness | 2 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 1 | 1 |
| Grooming needed | 5 | 3 |
| Shedding | 5 | 3 |
| Good with children | 4 | 5 |
| Good with other pets | 4 | 5 |
| Happy alone | 3 | 2 |
| Trainability | 3 | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 5 | 4 |
| Allergies | No breed is hypoallergenic. The Persian's long coat sheds heavily and holds dander, and people who react to cats often react to this breed. | No breed is hypoallergenic. The Ragdoll's coat has little undercoat and sheds moderately, but people who react to cats usually react to this breed too. |
| Suits | A quiet indoor home where someone has the time to comb a long coat every day and wants a gentle, undemanding companion. | A family or a household with other pets that wants a large, placid, affectionate indoor cat and will comb the coat twice a week. |
| Less suited to | A busy or noisy house, a home that cannot afford regular grooming and vet care, or anyone who wants an athletic, climbing cat. | Anyone who wants an active, climbing cat, a cat that copes with long hours alone, or a breed with no known heart risk. |
| Registries that recognise it |
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| Health conditions to watch |
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Facts come from each breed's profile. Scores run from 1 (low) to 5 (high) and describe a breed in general. Every cat is an individual, so meet the cat before you decide.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026