HISTORY

The Balinese breed came about in the 1920’s when a few breeders noticed that had a few long hair kittens in their Siamese litters. These kittens became desirable so the breeders began direct line breeding to keep the long hair and originally they were known as “Long haired Siamese”. It was another breeder and lover of this cat that changed the name to Balinese because she thought their graceful appearance resembled that of the dancers from the island Bali.

APPEARANCE(S)

The Balinese are slim in body and of medium size. The head is long and triangular like that of the Siamese, and the ears are usually large for the size of the face and pointed. In fact most Siamese and Balinese kittens have very large ears, and are said to be “growing into their ears”. The eyes of the Balinese are blue and almond shaped. The very long skinny tail is also a distinguishing mark of the body for this breed.

COLOR(S)

The colors are same as the Siamese pointed colors: chocolate, seal, blue, and lilac.

COAT

A silky medium long coat is most commonly seen in this breed.

PERSONALITY

Perhaps the most notable characteristic of the Balinese, like the Siamese, is their frequent vocalization. These cats LOVE to talk to you. This is an extremely social breed; one must be prepared to spend quite a bit of time interacting with this cat. They crave attention and love a good challenge, and have been known to be a bit demanding. The Balinese are notoriously good with children.

GROOMING

These cats are good self groomers, and their coats are not known to matt easily.

HELPFUL INFORMATION/SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

The Balinese breed really need and enjoy constant stimuli. This breed has been known to be noisy, something to keep in mind if living in close quarters.

BREED RELATED HEALTH CONCERNS

The following conditions are known to be seen in this breed, please look at our A to Z listing to find out detailed information.

  • Congenital Heart Defects-This condition is seen more in Siamese and Balinese breed that any other cat breeds.
  • Crossed Eyes-This is a result of an inherited neurological defect.
  • Nystagmus-A very slight rapid movement of the eyes back and forth.


Written by: PetsMD Veterinary Editorial Staff