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Ragdoll vs Scottish Fold
Two calm, quiet, affectionate cats; the Ragdoll is large and semi-long, the Scottish Fold medium and short-coated with a cartilage disorder.
Verdict
Temperament is close: both are calm, quiet and affectionate. The thing that decides it is size, coat and health risk. The Ragdoll is large, with a silky semi-long coat that needs combing twice a week, and it lists only hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The Scottish Fold is medium, short-coated and compact, but the fold gene is linked to a painful bone and cartilage disorder, and some places restrict breeding it. Choose the Ragdoll for a large, easy family cat. Choose the Scottish Fold only after weighing that welfare debate with your vet.
Choose the Ragdoll if
- You want a large cat of 8-20 lb that relaxes in your arms.
- You have young children or other pets; it scores 5 for both against 4.
- You want the more affectionate cat, scoring 5 against 4.
- You want a breed with no ear-fold welfare debate.
Choose the Scottish Fold if
- You want a short, plush coat; it scores 2 for grooming against 3.
- You live in a small flat; it scores 5 for apartments against 4.
- You are away more often; it scores 3 for independence against 2.
- You accept a longer watch-list and will follow strict breeding and vet advice.
Where they are alike
Both are calm, with energy scores of 2, and both keep a quiet voice. Each is a CFA championship breed and each lists hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as a concern.
Side by side
| Ragdoll | Scottish Fold | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Longhair and semi-longhair | Rex, hairless, fold and dwarf |
| Origin | Riverside, California, United States | Scotland |
| Size | Large | Medium |
| Typical weight | Females 8-15 lb (3.6-6.8 kg); males 12-20 lb (5.4-9.1 kg) or more | 6-13 lb (2.7-6 kg); males are larger |
| Lifespan | Recent UK data put the median near 12 to 13 years | About 11-15 years in healthy cats; severely affected cats may do worse |
| Coat length | Long | Short |
| Coat | Soft, silky, semi-long coat made mostly of guard hairs, with little undercoat | Dense, plush coat that stands off the body; a longhair variety also exists |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Championship breed since 2000 | Championship breed since 1978 |
| How common | Very common | Common |
| Affection | 5 | 4 |
| Energy | 2 | 2 |
| Playfulness | 3 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 1 | 2 |
| Grooming needed | 3 | 2 |
| Shedding | 3 | 3 |
| Good with children | 5 | 4 |
| Good with other pets | 5 | 4 |
| Happy alone | 2 | 3 |
| Trainability | 3 | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 4 | 5 |
| Allergies | 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 family or a household with other pets that wants a large, placid, affectionate indoor cat and will comb the coat twice a week. | A person or family who values a quiet, round-faced cat and is prepared to follow strict breeding and vet advice. |
| Less suited to | Anyone who wants an active, climbing cat, a cat that copes with long hours alone, or a breed with no known heart risk. | Anyone who does not want to take on a breed with a known, painful joint disorder, or who lives where breeding is restricted. |
| 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