Alice White
#4 In 1971, Ann Baker founded her own registry, called the International Cat Association – Ragdoll (IRCA).
Thanks to this organization, the founder of the Ragdoll breed retained control over the standard of these cats and the registered Ragdoll brand for several decades. Baker sold franchises to breeders, which meant that breeders who were part of the IRCA had to pay license fees, mate ragdolls strictly according to instructions, and pay 10% royalties for each kitten sold. Major American and international feline organizations, in turn, did not recognize IRCA.
#5 In 1975, shareholders and breeders dissatisfied with the Association’s business strategy and Anne Baker’s questionable claims about the origins of the ragdolls
split from IRCA, and founded the Ragdoll Society (RFCI). The new organization has set itself the goal of achieving official standardization of the breed and its recognition by eminent teleological associations in the United States. The "divorce" was accompanied by a loud scandal, which was followed by many years of litigation.
It took several decades until the RFCI managed to achieve the status of participants in championships for ragdolls in all major North American cat associations, and only in 2000 ragdolls took part in the CFA (International Cat Breeding Association) championship.
#6 However, not only disputes over the ownership of the Ragdoll trademark have long been a problem for this breed.
Due to the similarity of ragdolls with Burmese cats, many judges at the championships constantly had problems with the identification of these animals: some breeders who bred Burmese presented their pets that did not meet standards as ragdolls. The ragdoll's similarity to the Balinese cat also posed problems for the breed at shows and when registering with various teleological associations. Some confusion between Burmese, Balinese, and Ragdolls is still a subject of controversy in the circles of felinologists today.
