Ragdoll/Siamese mix

We've had a female ragdoll/siamese offered to us.  She was purchased for $100(I know the backyard breeders who mix these two breeds often sell for even more than that) for the current owner's son when his cat was euthanized.  She apparenty favors spending time with the other cats over the child and the woman(seems very nice actually) really wanted the kitten to be bonded to her son.  The kitten wasn't purchased very long ago and is around 6 weeks old(wayyy too young to be taken from her mother, of course) and hasn't had any vaccinations(I would guess no vet check either).  The current owner said she did meet the parents and they(ragdoll male, siamese female) were beautiful, good-natured cats.

We've been looking for a kitten companion for our cats and she sounds like a very cat-orientated kitten.  My questions:  is there a typical temperament that this mix generally ends up with?  Also, are genetic disorders associated with both purebred cats often avoided with a mix breed like her?  I would never support a backyard breeder and I adopt all of my cats but the current owner desperately wants to find her a good home and believes we're a good match. 

mixes are a crap shoot, you don't know what temperament, coat type etc. you'll end up with.

when combining breeds you combine genetic disorders, sometimes horrifically. So both sides should be tested for all relevant breed related tests.

Purchasing a kitten there is supporting a BYB

Thanks for the reply.  We are not purchasing the kitten; she's being offered to us for free from the woman who purchased her.  I would never support a backyard breeder and all of my cats have been adopted.

There's no good way to tell what kind of personality a 6-week-old kitten will develop, no matter what the breed mix is. You're right, 6 weeks is far to young to take a kitten away from its mother. For one thing, kittens aren't even completely weaned at that point. They also need longer with the mother and siblings to be properly socialized. You're going to have to work extra hard to feed her properly, do litter box training, and socialize her.

How many other cats do you have? How old are they? You'll need to do a slow introduction, but if your older cats will accept the kitten they can help a lot with the socialization.

I can't help you with potential health problems because I don't know enough about either breed. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like you have much time to do research. What is the woman going to do with the kitten if you don't take her?

GoldyCat said:

There's no good way to tell what kind of personality a 6-week-old kitten will develop

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No issue with my (pedigree) litters

Purchased or given, still supporting by getting a kitten there.

Cat breeds will have general characteristics, but even within purebreds you can never tell exactly what you'll get. I have found with my Maus, my own personal cats are more people friendly than are the littermates who have gone to live with my sister and my parents. They are all nice cats, but mine are more attached to me as my rearing methods differ from theirs. I need mine to trust me to keep them safe in show situations and they must also be willing to be exposed to hundreds of strangers. My parents and sister's cats are more independant and aloof as they are left more to themselves.. basically it has a ton to do with how you socialize your animals. Play with them, snuggle, provide comfort and they will bond more closely. Leave them for long periods, allow them to amuse themselves, they will still be great cats but just a bit less people-oriented.

We would do a slow introduction as we have with our other cats.  I've had four cats in my life who were rescued(2 stray, feral colony, foster kitten from the shelter I worked at) at a very young age but actually turned out to be great cats(with people and other pets).  I also have a cat whom we adopted at 2 years of age who was found at 2 weeks old.  He had quite the behavioral problems and no cat social skills for the first months that we had him but he's made amazing progress with us.  It was my hope too that working with her(as I've done with many cats) and having other cat-friendly cats around her would help with her socialization.  If we don't adopt the kitten the woman will continue to look for a good home for her.  She seems to recognize that she made a mistake in purchasing the cat and genuinely wants her to be in a good home.

Again, we would not be taking the kitten from the breeder.  This is someone who purchased her from a breeder, not having known any better. 

6 weeks is also way too young to know what kind of personality it will end up with.  I think the woman has had cold feet for some other reason.

I know it is probably too late for this response, seeing that you posted a month ago. I have a cat who is a Siamese/Ragdoll cross. He has the most marvellous personality I have ever seen in a cat. He is 3 years old now, and he is beautiful, loving, caring and very compassionate. He and my other cat get along famously, mostly because he himself is so easy going. He has the beauty of a Siamese cat, with the wonderful personality of a ragdoll. In my opinion, a good mix. He is lovely, inside and out. He loves people, is very social, and gentle. Too bad that I didnt see this post earlier. I would have told you to go for it. My little guy turned out very well.