Ann Baker

Ann Baker (c. 1930 – 1997) was an American cat breeder who developed the Ragdoll breed in the 1960s. Based in Riverside, California, Baker is credited with selectively breeding Josephine, a white longhaired cat, with other cats possessing similar traits to create the foundation stock for the Ragdoll. Her breeding practices were considered unconventional, involving a proprietary registry called the International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA) that she tightly controlled. She also made unsubstantiated claims about the breed's temperament and pain tolerance, which have since been debunked. After disputes with other breeders regarding her practices and fees, several groups broke away from the IRCA to establish independent Ragdoll breed standards and registries.