Ragdolls vs. Cherubims: What's the difference?

Mink, Sepia and Solid colored Ragdolls were officially reclassified by TICA (The International Cat Association) as a new breed affective May 1st, 2025. To fit their sweet looks and personality they gave this variation of the Ragdoll the name Cherubim. In this blog post we are going to discuss their newly given name and why it was given to them. We are also going to go over the similarities and differences of both of these sweet breeds!

Why the Name Change?

There are a few reasons that TICA decided to change the name of Mink, Sepia and Solid Ragdolls. One of those reasons being to honor the history and genetics of the Ragdoll breed. Mink, Sepia and Solid Ragdolls carry the original color genetics from the originating Ragdoll lines of Ann Baker (the creater of the breed). These colors were limited in TICA shows and were uneligable for championship recognition. With this new classification they are now able to compete for championships as their own breed classification. Another reason TICA decided to reclassify them was to differentiate the colors and to seperate them from the traditional blue-eyed pointed ragdoll.

Why the name "Cherubim"?

While there are many speculations as to why the name "Cherubim" was chosen by TICA. The reason that TICA formally recognized the breed difference with the name Cherubim actually stems all the way back to Ann Baker, she had given her non-pointed/non-traditional cats this name and trademarked it alongside the Ragdoll. She had also called her non-pointed/non-tradtional cats "Miracle Ragdolls" but ultimately stuck with Cherubim to describle their angelic, sweet natured personality.

Are Ragdolls and Cherubims different Breeds?

Now that Mink Ragdolls are called Cherubims it can get a little confusing for people who are looking for a Ragdoll cat. While they can be shown through TICA as their own breed, Cherubims are actually a varient of the Ragdoll cat breed. They really are one in the same, Cherubim is just the title that grants show eligability. More simply a Cherubim is a TICA registered mink, sepia or solid Ragdoll. So really they are not different breeds at all! In fact Cherubims play a huge part in the history of the Ragdoll cat.

There are some in the show and breeding community that choose to exclude Cherubim lines from their programs. While it is all personal preference, at PurrCozi Kitties we believe that raising both Ragdolls and Cherubims plays a huge part in preserving and honoring the Ragdoll breed and its founders standards. You will see many breeders say "a Ragdoll is a blue-eyed, pointed cat" while that is true, the history of the Ragdoll remains the same and Cherubims have always been a part of the breeds history. There are many who claim that mink, sepia and solid are not "real Ragdolls", at PurrCozi Kitties we choose to lead with the real facts of this amazing breeds history and its founders vision for the breed. The "traditional" Ragdoll standard was actually created by a breakaway group of breeders in the 1970s and was not the original standard for the Ragdoll. We are thankful to TICA for recognizing Cherubims as a part of the Ragdoll breed group standards and allowing them to be shown as their own classification of the breed.

Here you can checkout TICA Offical Standards of the Ragdoll, which recognizes the Cherubim as eligable for championship as of 2025.

So whats the difference between a Ragdoll and Cherubim?

While Ragdolls are born white and develop color over several weeks, Cherubims are born with their full color. This can make things super exciting when kittens are born! Both Ragdoll and Cherubim have a silky beautiful coat, Cherubims do tend to have a more plush dense coat that is comparable to a minks coat (hence the name Mink Ragdoll). While we are on the topic of coats, Cherubims have a richer/ deeper coat coloring that tends to be on their whole body whereas Ragdoll colors are lighter and tend to just be in pointed patterns. Eye color is another thing that plays a roll in dividing the two. Traditonal Ragdolls can only have blue eyes. Cherubims can have a variation of eye colors, those being blue, aqua, green and sometimes even gold.

Lets talk about variations...

Ragdolls can come in four different types. Traditonal, Mink, Sepia and Solid. Traditonal Ragdolls (cs/cs), are the lightest. Mink (cs/cb), are a shade darker with more contrast. Sepia (cb/cb), have a deeper more rich coloring. Solid (C/-), is the darkest coloring, with their whole body being one color. These colors all have distint differences, take a glance at the photo above to help get a better idea of the difference variations!

While they can come in different coat types, Ragdolls and Cherubims share the same coloring/ pattern standard. Those colors being seal, blue, flame (red), chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, and fawn. The patterns are also the same and can include, bicolor, pointed, mitted, lynx and tortie. The only difference being in solid cats, they can also come in a black and smoke coloring.

What about similarities?

Ragdolls and Cherubims also share many similarities, those include their size, build, temperment and health.

These sweethearts are typically 9-11 inches tall and are one of the bigger breeds of the cat world. Males can weigh anywhere from 10-15 pounds (some even reaching 20 pounds). Females are a bit smaller and can weigh anywhere from 8-15 pounds. They have a muscalar but elegant build with a long body. Their coats are semi long and single layered, meaning they do not have an undercoat like some other cat breeds.

Both Ragdolls and Cherubims have the typical floppy personality that the Ragdolls are known and loved for. They have been called the "dog of the cat world" and that could not be more accurate. These loves are extremely affectionate, loyal, intellegent and so gentle. They are absoluetly amazing with other pets and kids. They thrive in almost every environment and are so easy going. Truly the only difference in is the name when it comes to the personality of these sweet cats.

Choosing between a Ragdoll and Cherubim really comes down to appearance! If you prefer a the classic pointed Ragdoll with bright blue eyes then a traditional Ragdoll is for you but if you prefer richer tones and a bit more variety a Cherubim would be the perfect fit for you!

We hoped this helped explain a little more about the difference of Ragdolls and Cherubims! Make sure to check out our Ragdolls vs. Cherubims page and our Previous Kittens page to see a few examples of the different colors of these sweet loves.

Thank you so much for reading!

Lots of Love,

The PurrCozi Kitties Crew <3

If you are interested in adding a Ragdoll/Cherubim kitten to your family be sure to check out our Available Kittens page and fill out our kitten application form.