Oh I've got a Raggie. Her name is Jade and she's my oldest cat at nearly 12 yrs. (April) She's the dearest, sweetest little cat you could ever wish for...and doesn't turn a hair if I bring another cat into the household..bless her. I actually think they should be available on the NHS.
I have occasionally heard of Raggies being temperamental and desperate to be outside all the time but they are the exception rather than the rule.
I would recommend a Ragdoll to anyone who wants a sweet, placid, gentle and undemanding cat (can be a little quiet for some). And they are fantastic around children. Did I forget to mention that they also happen to be fabulously beautiful.
Jade is a blue colourpoint but they come in all the colours now..like the Birman. They are fairly robust I think...no more sickly than any other cat and not nearly as frail as a number of the pedigree breeds.
The reason I suspect that there are a lot of them looking for homes is because in the 1980's & 1990's onwards they were a new breed in this country and became popular very quickly...hence the more kittens sold, the more adults looking for homes later on in life...sad but true
The bengal has suffered the same fate...but in their case, there are reasons why they might be thought of as difficult (I can say that because I love the breed but know how naughty and possessive they can be). I dare say that the Maine Coon, which seems to be the new kid on the block in terms of immense popularity at the moment, will also crop up in the rescue shelters before too much longer.
Best wishes,
Roz