Rebekah Darmody’s not your average cat owner. An accredited cat breeder, she’s the human face of Affinity Ragdolls in Annangrove and the proud pet- mum of several show winners. Ordinarily, her cats would be taking pride of place at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, but this year due to COVID-19 they’ve all been able to stay home and spend more time with the kittens.
Rebekah’s been keeping Ragdolls for about ten years, and can’t say enough good things about this remarkable breed. Family friendly, “chillaxed” and affectionate, she says they can make the ideal indoor cat – provided you take a few precautions when it comes to finding a reputable breeder.
She sees her own role as a cat breeder as a hobby rather than a business, and has been working to educate people about the need for ethical and moral breeders like herself to ensure that the cats she loves are not being exploited by unscrupulous breeders and owners. Rebekah’s top tip if you’re curious about owning a Ragdoll yourself? Do your research into the breeder, and make sure the cats have been tested for two key congenital illnesses: HCM (a heart condition) and PKD (a kidney disorder).
If you’d like to learn more about Rebekah and her cats, you can find her on Facebook at Affinity Ragdolls, or on Instagram at AffinityBlueDuchess
Rebekah joined Show Radio for an interview, which you can listen to below.
