Balinese cats are typically slender with long tapering lines, very graceful but robust and muscular. The Balinese are distinguished by their striking color palette and silky coat, which conceals a lithe and athletic body.
Personality
Because the Balinese and Siamese are closely related, they share many characteristics. Balinese cats, like Siamese, are curious, outgoing, bright, and have good communication skills. They’re known for their chatty dispositions, and they’re always willing to share their thoughts on life, love, and what you’ve fed them for supper. They frequently maintain a running monologue; they are unsuitable for individuals who believe cats should be seen but not heard.
Balinese are typically in sync with your moods and will be right there to cheer you up if you’re down or share your delight if you’re overjoyed. They may respond to your tone of voice, and a scolding tone may irritate their sensitive sensibilities. The only effective technique to rectify unwanted conduct is to use a coaching tone and positive reinforcement.
Balinese are agile and athletic, and if allowed, will ride on the back of any willing family member. They like playing and quickly learn to fetch, bringing the ball or toy back for more throwing. They keep you delighted with their antics, but they also have a caring, devoted personality. They can be fairly demanding in their need for attention, but they also have a specific dignity that is unique to the Balinese and Siamese breeds.
History
Longhaired kittens began to occur spontaneously in otherwise shorthaired Siamese litters in the early 1900s. Some believe that after World War I, the recessive trait for long hair was introduced into the European Siamese gene pool. Because the Siamese was nearly extinct during the war, other breeds and some mixed-breed domestic cats were employed to resurrect the breed. One of the breeds thought to have been utilized was the Turkish Angora, a breed with silky semi-long hair comparable to the Balinese coat.
Others argue that the long hair recessive gene is simply a naturally occurring mutation. Both hypotheses have been contested, and both have credible supporters, but no one knows for sure. Longhair kittens were gently thrown away, regardless of how the long hair gene was obtained.
Some people thought these cats may make a nice complement to the existing cat breeds in the 1940s. These longhaired cats were popularly known as Balinese. The Balinese moniker was chosen to contrast the cat’s delicate motions and flowing lines with those of Bali’s colorful dancers. Balinese cats used to have thicker coats and heavier boning than Siamese cats.
By 1970, the Balinese had been recognised by all major North American associations. Following the recognition of the Balinese, a color variety of this breed, the Javanese, which was created by crossing the Balinese with the Colorpoint Shorthair, began to gain popularity. The Javanese wore a semi-long Balinese coat with a rainbow of colors from the Colorpoint. The Javanese breed was called after the Isle of Java, an Indonesian island west of Bali. The Javanese isn’t from Java, any more than the Balinese is from Bali, but it was thought that the name gave the new breed a beautiful romantic ring.
The Javanese officially became a color division of the Balinese on May 1, 2008, and a single standard was issued in 2010, totally uniting the two breeds. The Balinese palette now comprises twenty-two new hues in addition to sealpoint, chocolate point, blue point, and lilac point.
Physical Attributes
BODY
Size medium. Graceful, long, and slender, with beautiful bones and solid muscles. Shoulders and hips follow the same elegant contours as the tubular body. Hips are rarely wider than shoulders. Tightness in the abdomen.
HEAD
Long, tapering wedge; medium size, proportionate to body. The wedge begins at the nose and expands out in straight lines to the tips of the ears, forming a triangle with no break at the whiskers. Fine, wedge-shaped muzzle. The nose is long and straight, continuing from the forehead. Typically, no less than an eye’s breadth between the eyes.
EARS
Large, pointed, and wide at the base, continuing the wedge’s lines.
EYES
Medium size; almond form; neither projecting nor receding. Slanted toward the nose to match the wedge and ear lines. The hue of the eyes is frequently a rich, brilliant blue.
PAWS & LEGS
Leg bone structure is long and slender, with the back legs being higher than the front. In proportion to the body. Dainty, tiny, and round paws There are five toes in front and four in back.
TAIL
Long, thin bone structure tapering to a fine tip. The tail hair extends out like a plume.
COAT
Medium length, with the longest part of the tail being close to the body. They may appear shorter than they are because they are fine, silky, and lack a downy undercoat.
COLOR
Body is even and has minor shading. Sometimes deeper color is visible in elderly cats, although there is usually a clear difference between body color and points. Mask, ears, legs, feet, and tail are thick and well-defined. Tracings connect the mask to the ears and encompass the entire face, including the whisker pads.
Disclaimer
While the qualities listed below are common for this breed, cats are individuals with unique personalities and appearances. For more information about a specific pet, please contact the adoption group.
Wondering about Bengal? Check it out on our next post!
