At the age of three and a half, she lost her sight, hearing, and sense of smell and taste, possibly due to scarlet fever.

[2] Teacher and author Hallvard Bergh (1850–1922), after meeting Ragnhild in 1887, wrote a passionate piece about her tragic plight in Verdens Gang.

[6] During the summer of 1889, Kåta met with Mary Swift Lamson (1822–1909) who had taught Laura Bridgman at the Perkins School for the Blind.

In 1890, ten-year-old Helen Keller was introduced to the story of Ragnhild Kåta and was inspired by her ability to learn to speak.

She received an honorable mention for a couple of pieces she sent to an exhibition in Skien in 1891, and later in life, she made enough money through her crafts to support herself.

When Kåta left school, her development was similar to a talented deaf (but seeing) person, something previously believed to be impossible.

After her mother died, Kåta moved in with one of her sisters, and the last ten years of her life she lived at Døves Vel at Hamar.