Ragdolls are large, loving, laid-back, longhaired with beautiful blue eyes. The body is light-colored, with darker Siamese-type points on the face, legs, tail and ears. In most patterns, the points are partly covered with white markings. The ideal Ragdoll is a well balanced cat, with no extreme features. Altered males may reach 20 pounds or more; females are proportionately smaller. Ragdolls are slow-maturing, reaching coat color at two years and full size and weight at four.  Ragdolls adore their humans. They run to greet you at the door, follow you from room to room, flop on you, sleep with you, and love you. They are gentle and are good with children, the elderly, and dogs. Ragdolls feel that humans prefer purrs to yowls, and keep their voices softly musical.  Ragdolls are considerate of humans busy schedules, so they bathe and groom their moderately long, silky coats themselves. They shed very little, rarely have hairballs, are well behaved, and eager to please.  There are four patterns: bi-color, van, mitted and pointed. Patterns come in eight colors: seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, fawn and cinnamon. Points may be solid, lynx or tortie.  Pointed Ragdolls have the classic, Siamese-type markings. Mitteds look like they went wading in cream. Their chins are soft, fluffy white, and so are their mittens and boots. Bi-colors have all four legs, their underbodies, chest and an upside-down "V" marking on their faces are white, and they may have a splash or two of white on their backs. On their tails, ears and the outer part of their masks show the darker markings. Vans have only the top of the mask, ears, and tail, and perhaps a few spots on the body that show darker markings.  Ragdolls were developed in the 1960s by Ann Baker, a breeder in California. She bred Josephine, a loving, gentle, longhaired white female carrying Siamese markings, to other longhaired cats carrying Siamese markings. Her original stock consisted of sturdy, free-roaming cats. By selecting individuals with the look she wanted for her breeding program, she created the type standard for the Ragdoll.  Ragdoll cats are one of the largest breeds of cats. A Ragdoll kitten is born white. In a week or two they take on their color points and any pattern they have picked up from their parents. At 10 to 12 weeks thy are ready to be picked up from the breeder and should have their second set of shots.