Balinese

Named after the graceful dancers of the Indonesian island of Bali, the origins of the Balinese date back to the first Siamese cats imported from Thailand to the USA and UK in the 19th century, some of which carried the recessive longhair gene. An 1871 magazine called Penny Illustrated refers to a long-haired Siamese cat. Occasional longhair kittens appearing in early Siamese litters were sold as pets. “Long-haired Siamese” were first registered as show cats with the Cat Fanciers Association in 1928, but by the mid-1950s, breeders in the US began to seriously develop the long-haired variant as a separate breed, and the breed name was conferred on them by their initial breeder, Helen Smith of the Merry Mews cattery in New York. A breeder named Sylvia Holland (who was also an illustrator for Walt Disney Studios), of Holland’s Farm cattery in California, worked to further establish the breed standard in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally, after the Balinese was shown at the Empire Cat Show in New York in 1961, under the Any Other Variety (AOV) heading, the breed began to gain acceptance and was allowed championship status by most American cat associations. By 1970, when CFA granted the Balinese championship status, the Balinese had a firm standard and a loyal following.

The first imports of Balinese to the UK in the 1970s were Verdes Blue Warrior of Davina (Blue Point Balinese) and his daughter, Davina’s Chocolate Gem (Seal Point Balinese Variant) followed by Gaynell’s Bobby Boy of Ti-Mau , Ti-Mau’s Brite Sunshine, Bali-Vista Chia, DelRi’s Donna and Del-Ri’s Prima. Breeders concentrated on building up a group of healthy cats by outcrossing to Siamese to increase the gene pool and improve type. As the longhair gene is recessive, the offspring of Balinese/Siamese matings are shorthaired carrying the gene for longhair and are an important part of a breeding programme. The early Balinese were registered on the Longhair Register but exhibitors wanted Balinese cats to be moved to the Siamese Section to be judged by Siamese judges. Balinese were accepted in the Siamese Section in 1980, and Championship Status was granted in October 1985, with the first certificates awarded in June 1986.

The Balinese of today have developed from the heavier set, thick coated cats imported in the 1970’s. They also had much longer coats than the Balinese breed today, with full ruffs and britches. Over the years, Balinese breeders have improved the physical form of the breed by outcrossing to Siamese, and the features of the Balinese have become leaner and longer, just as the modern Siamese has. The breed standard for the Balinese is identical to the standard for the Siamese in most respects, including overall body type and colour, with the obvious differences being in the coat length, and in the full plume tail.

Lithe and graceful with a wedge-shaped head which should be neither round nor pointed, carried on an elegant neck, its body is medium sized with proportionally slim legs and small oval paws. It has large, wide-based ears which may be tufted. The eyes should be Oriental in shape and a deep, vivid blue. The lovely plume like tail should be long and tapering. The coat is the most unique feature of the breed because the Balinese has a single coat, in contrast to the double coat of other longhairs; the hair lies close to the body, flowing naturally toward the rear, not detracting from the long, slim lines of the elegant body.

The Balinese comes in a variety of points colours: Seal, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Red, Cream, Apricot and Caramel. The Tortie varieties of these colours are also allowable, as are the Tabby Point and Tortie Tabby point varieties with toning cream shades on their bodies.

Like the Siamese, Balinese are curious, outgoing, intelligent cats with excellent communication skills. They are known for their chatty personalities, although they are said to be less vocal and with a softer voice than the Siamese.  However, they are not for those who think cats should be seen and not heard!  Balinese are demonstrative, good humoured and affectionate, often in tune with your moods.

Balinese are extrovert, with high energy levels and demand lots of attention and game-playing – toys and scratching posts should be provided, and they do not like to be left alone for long periods.  They get on well with children, other pets and cat-friendly dogs and so fit in easily with family life.  They will keep you entertained with their antics, but have a loving, devoted disposition as well.  Having a home that is friendly for jumping and climbing is a practical consideration for anyone thinking of acquiring a Balinese.  They can be quite assertive in their requests for attention, but also possess a special dignity particular to the Balinese and Siamese breeds.

Balinese are said to be one of the few breeds to produce less of the Fel D1 protein than other cats, causing fewer allergic reactions in allergy sufferers, although there is no reliable genetic test for Fel D1 production as yet.

Their silky single coat means that the Balinese is probably the easiest of longhair cats to keep looking perfect, and is noted for only minimal shedding. The fur is not inclined to matt or tangle, and can be groomed by use of a wide-toothed comb to remove any loose hair. The large ears should be regularly checked to ensure they are clean. Whilst it is a dainty and elegant cat, it is well muscled, males usually weigh around 6 – 8 lbs and females 5 to 7 lbs. It has an average life span of 18 to 22 years.

Because of its close relationship to the Siamese, it may suffer from similar inherited disorders, such as Feline Asthma, however, to date Balinese seem to be free of amyloidosis which has been found in some Siamese and Oriental lines. Squints are occasionally seen in Balinese.  There is a test for Progressive Retinal Atrophy for Balinese cats.