About Aurora Ragdolls
Where Calm Companions Begin Their Journey
We're Ashley and Dylan — with our daughters Elliott and Chloe — raising Ragdolls in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with a level of love, care, and honesty most families never expect from a breeder.
Our Story
A childhood wish
We both grew up wanting to be veterinarians — until we realized what we really wanted wasn't to treat sick animals, but simply to love on them and be surrounded by them. Thirty-some years later, that childhood wish came true in a way we never saw coming.
Years of building together
Before Aurora, we spent years building businesses together — a few lawn-and-landscaping companies, an online clothing brand, and even Rocky Mountain Reptiles, where we bred ball pythons. Raising animals with care and intention has been part of who we are for a long time. But after twelve years in web design, we were ready to be done being behind screens. We wanted to feel grounded again — and what's more grounding than a cat purring in your lap?
Putting down roots
For the first time in our lives, we'd also put down roots. We'd moved every couple of years, even traveled full-time, and finally had a home we meant to stay in — with our girls at just the right age to help us build something together.
The Ragdolls who started it all
When we dreamed up what was next, Dylan first suggested dogs. But we'd already lost our hearts to a Ragdoll named Frank — the first of the breed we ever met — and to Jellybean, the first Ragdoll we brought home because of him. So Ashley said, "what about cats?" We chose to focus on the breed that started it all, and we did it the right way: nearly a year finding mentors and learning everything we could before we ever bred a single litter.
Making the world a little lighter
Underneath all of it was something bigger. The world can feel like a heavy place, and we wanted our work to make it a little lighter. There's nothing quite like coming home from a long day to an animal overjoyed to see you — something soft and loving to look forward to. Being able to offer that to families is the whole reason Aurora exists.
The Family Behind Aurora
Aurora really is all of us.
The People
Ashley
The systems, research, and coordination behind it all. She's your go-to for the details on each kitten — their stages, personalities, and what they're up to — and she may or may not be a little obsessed with testing new toys and gadgets, which is why our cats are thoroughly spoiled.
Dylan
Our veterinary lead — he handles every kitten's shots and medications, coordinates with our vets, and oversees the health of all our animals. He also keeps the logistics running behind the scenes: coordinating pickups, deliveries, and travel arrangements, and handling invoicing, so every family's journey home is smooth and simple.
Elliott
Reigning queen of room-cleaning, who resets every space each day and takes about three times as long as she should, because she can't stop petting kittens.
Chloe
Runs our socialization protocol day to day: she's the one touching tiny toes at three days old and taking kittens on their first little backyard field trips.
The Crew
The crew who help raise every kitten (and who you'll see on our Instagram):
Sunny
Our Goldendoodle and the reigning queen of the Ragdolls — every kitten's gentle first introduction to the dog world.
Milo
Our orange tabby and the first cat who ever adopted us — a gentle grandfather who gives every kitten baths and shows them the ropes.
Jellybean
Our very first Ragdoll, who joins the kittens in whatever adventure they're on.
And the cats behind every litter, each with a personality all their own.
We're an animal-loving family through and through — beyond the Ragdolls, there are a few fish tanks we adore and Atlas, Elliott's banana ball python, rounding out the household.
And at the center of it all are the two of us. After more than twenty years together, we know each other's strengths and weaknesses by heart, and we build everything as a team — the cattery, the website, all of it. Our partnership is the root the rest of it grows from: when the love between two people is the foundation, everything built on top of it comes out better.
We think you can feel that in our cats.
What Sets Us Apart
Raised in spaces designed around their development
Aurora began in our home — but as we grew, we learned that raising kittens well means age-specific spaces, the way a good daycare never mixes every age in one room. So we built intentional, developmentally-designed rooms — nursery suites, kitten suites, and playrooms — each shaped for exactly what kittens need at that stage. And the cattery is only half of it: our sunroom playroom is right inside our house, and every cat comes to know real family life as they're ready for it.
You'll never wonder how your kitten is doing
A private group text with Ashley and Dylan becomes your home base from the day you reserve — a direct line for every question, big or small, answered without you ever having to chase us down. And every Monday you'll get a fresh video of your kitten growing up, from their earliest wobbly days right through to go-home day, with photos and milestones along the way. By the time you're finally holding them, you'll already have watched them become who they are.
Health comes first, because it's for life
Our breeding cats are screened for 40+ genetic conditions, including HCM, PKD, and PRA, so inherited disease is ruled out long before a kitten is ever born. Every kitten goes home spayed or neutered, vet-checked, up to date on age-appropriate vaccinations, and TICA-registered — and every one is backed by our 2-year genetic health guarantee. We're not raising kittens for a single season; we're raising animals meant to thrive for a long, full life alongside your family.
The Heart of It
Every morning, our whole family heads out to the cattery to clean, reset the rooms, and work through our protocols — and honestly, it's hard to get anything done, because there's always a kitten who wants to be held or a purr that pulls us onto the floor. We genuinely believe we have the best jobs in the world. Not a day goes by without one of us saying out loud how lucky we are to live this life. This isn't a business we run so much as a joy we get to share — and that's the feeling we hope you sense in everything we do.
Our Promise
When you welcome an Aurora kitten, you're not completing a purchase — you're beginning a relationship that lasts the life of your cat. We'll be here for the questions, the milestones, and the everyday moments, long after go-home day. You're joining the Aurora family, and we're so glad you're here.
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