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The International Cat Association

Balinese

At a Glance

Named for the exotically graceful dancers on the Indonesian island of Bali, the Balinese is a longhaired variety of the Siamese breed and part of the Siamese Breed Group, which includes the Siamese, the Oriental Shorthair and the Oriental Longhair. They all share the same body type, but come with a different “paint job.” Balinese are very social and talkative and thrive within the company of other people. Find out more about this breed and if a Balinese is right for you and your family.

Attending a cat show

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All About Cats

Temperament

Playful

Height/Weight Range

Medium sized cat

Adult females

Small to medium approximately 5-8 pounds

Adult males

Medium approximately 8-12 pounds Kittens mature slowly and do not fully develop until 18-24 months.

Life Expectancy

10+ years. Balinese can live longer than other cat breeds, reaching an above average life expectancy and have been known to live 20+ years.

Colors

The main coat of the Balinese is light and wispy, complete with a plume tail and shaggy undercoat. The facial area mask and extremities are dark. This pattern is known as seal point. Other recognized colors include chocolate, blue, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, red and cream points. All of these colors come with and without white, silver/smoke, lynx point (tabby points) and tortie/tortie points.

Similar Breeds

Opposite Breeds

About The Breed

If finding a furry best friend is your goal, look no further than the Balinese cat. Known for being highly sensitive to the moods and emotions of their humans, they are certain to cheer you up with their companionship and conversation as well as dish out advice when needed.

Balinese have extremely loving temperaments and bond closely with their families and people of all ages, including children, cat-friendly dogs and other cats. Attention and affection keep them thriving, and you’ll often find them beside their humans. They like to be “helpful” and follow family members around throughout the day. Being near their humans is their preference, though not directly on top, due to their coats being longer than the Siamese.

The Balinese is a vocal cat that enjoys talking with his family. They demand a lot of attention and get into mischief, so don’t leave them alone for long periods of time.

The Breed Standard

The ideal cat of this breed group is a svelte, graceful, refined cat of medium size with long tapering lines. It is in excellent physical condition, very strong, lithe and muscular, giving the sensation of solid weight without excess bulk. While breeders consider the breed “medium” in size, balance and proportion carry greater consequence. The cat should “fit together.” If it is extreme in one part, all parts should be extreme to retain balance.

Activity Level

There’s never a dull moment with the Balinese. Highly intelligent, agile and athletic, they require stimulation or lots of toys to keep them occupied. Cat trees, teaser toys and games of fetch keep them on their toes. They excel at the feline sport Agility and are very receptive to training.They can play fetch as well as any Retriever and can easily learn to walk on a leash.

While very active, one of their favorite spots is on the lap of their owner or under the covers with their head on the pillow, human style.

The active and social Balinese is a perfect choice for families with children and cat-friendly dogs.

TICA Regions, Clubs & Rescues

Want to connect with fellow cat lovers and those who love the same breed as you?
TICA is a large resource made up of smaller regions and clubs around the world.
Click here to find a club near you and contact information for your regional director and website.

Wherever you are, you’re in TICA’s world!®

Find a Kitten: TICA Breeders

The TICA website is the only place where you can find TICA member breeders who have signed the TICA Code of Ethics.

Did You Know?

People name the Balinese cat for the exotic and graceful dancers that inhabit the Indonesian island of Bali.

While named after dancers from Bali, the breed does not originate from Bali but rather the United States.

The Balinese is known to leap onto their human’s shoulders, perching there for a ride!

Breed Information & Characteristics

In a nutshell, the graceful, majestic Balinese is a Siamese with a long coat. But they are so much more than this! The long coat of this affectionate cat flows over the long body without obscuring any of its elegant lines as it seeks its next adventure with eyes glinting with mischief. The fine-boned, slim Balinese has the grace of the dancers of Bali, and its muscular body is covered with a long, silky ermine coat. Its sapphire blue eyes sparkle with intelligence and curiosity as it surveys its kingdom, but at a moment’s notice, the Balinese discards its regal bearing to engage in a game clowning around with a toy mouse. Its princely bearing and fluid grace constantly remind one that its ancestors were considered sacred in Siam, surrounding it with an air of royalty.

No one knows the early history of the Balinese, although sporadic references to it occur from early on. Some say there is a Chinese tapestry depicting a longhair. An 1871 Penny Illustrated magazine contains a reference to a longhaired Siamese, and we find a CFF registration record for one in 1928. While the longhaired kittens were showing up sporadically, the history of the Balinese starts with the first breeding programs in the 1950s. Two Siamese breeders, Marion Dorsey (Rai-Mar) in California and Helen Smith (MerryMews) in New York, both fell in love with the beauty of some longhair kittens that appeared in their Siamese litters and decided to develop more of the lovely cats. Helen Smith coined the name Balinese to reflect their grace and elegance, which reminded her of Balinese dancers.

Naming & Recognition

Breeders originally recognized the Balinese in four colors: seal, blue, chocolate and lilac. In 1979, they also accepted red and cream along with the tabby pattern, rounding out the color palette to include red, cream, tortoiseshells of all color combinations as both solid color points and tabby points. More recently, breeders accepted these colors in combination with white, widening the color spectrum to include bicolor points. TICA recognized the Balinese for competition in 1979.

Balinese have extremely loving temperaments and bond closely with their families. They will be your best friend and want to be involved in everything you do, from helping you make the bed to working on the computer (surely you really meant to send those cryptic messages of love your Balinese typed in for you?) to joining in all kinds of games. These gregarious cats will chat with you about any and all subjects while calling your attention to something you may have missed. They demand lots of attention and get into mischief, so don’t leave them alone for long periods. They love to play and can make a toy out of anything – that little toy mouse, a leaf that blew indoors, a piece of paper, a teaser toy – that will amuse them for hours. Balinese get along well with children and other pets, fitting easily into the family.

The Balinese has a single coat that lies close to the long, slim body. The lack of undercoat reduces the likelihood of matting. The soft coat is fine and silky and is half an inch to two inches long over the body. There is no ruff at the neck, but the tail carries a magnificent plume where the hair can be up to 5 inches long. They have the same stunning deep sapphire blue eyes as the Siamese. The Balinese also has the pointed pattern, where color is restricted to the mask or face, ears, legs and tail with a contrasting creamy white body. It comes in a wide variety of pointed colors and patterns, from the commonly known seal point to the rare lilac tabby & white point.

Coat, Communication, Maintenance

Balinese are sleek, dainty cats with long tubular bodies and fine boning. In fact, the Balinese is the epitome of long – long svelte body, long tail fringed with long hair, long fine-boned legs, and a long straight profile. From the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail and down to the tip of its toes, the dancing Balinese is long and graceful. The head is a long tapering triangle that flares out from the nose to the tips of the ears. While dainty and elegant, it is all muscle, giving it the feel of silk-covered steel. It is a medium-sized cat with males weighing from 6-8 pounds and females ranging from 5-7 pounds.

The Balinese is a vocal cat that enjoys conversing with you. Its voice is a bit quieter and softer than that of the Siamese, and it is not quite as insistent as the Siamese. If you are looking for an interactive vocal cat, the graceful Balinese may well be just what you are searching for.

The silky single coat makes the Balinese an easy longhaired cat to keep in perfect condition. It rarely tangles or mats, and a quick combing easily removes any loose dead hair while keeping the spectacular plumed tail at its very best. Other than that, all you need is a quick wipe of the ears with a cotton swab to remove any wax and a quick nail trim to keep your cat perfectly manicured.

Balinese cats are generally a healthy breed. They have a tendency to be sensitive to anesthesia. It is important to make the veterinarian aware of this before any type of surgery. This includes routine surgeries such as neutering, spaying and dental cleanings. Balinese can be susceptible to Amyloidosis. Researchers are doing much work to find a test for this disease, but to date there is no test available to detect Amyloids.

The silky coat of the Balinese rarely tangles or mats, does not shed much and is easy to groom with weekly brushing.

Trim nails weekly. You can use a human nail clipper to tip the white area of the nail. Be careful not to go back too far into the red blood area inside the nail. Clean eyes and the inside of their ears weekly too, using a warm, damp washcloth or cotton square for the ears. Brush their teeth with a vet-approved pet toothpaste for good overall health and fresh breath, and schedule regular veterinary dental cleanings.

Feed adult Balinese cats at least twice a day. Feed kittens more often, at least three or four times per day, as they burn off calories more quickly. Fresh, clean water is best, so cats don’t hesitate to drink. If you worry about your cat drinking enough water each day, here’s a tip from some cat behaviorists – place the water bowl at least three feet away from any food. Cats’ noses are sensitive and an overwhelming smell of food may cause them to drink less. You can also use filtered drinking fountains in place of a water bowl.

Canned foods are often the preferred method for feedings. Not only are they more convenient, but they are higher protein and lower carbohydrates than dry food. Canned food has a higher-water content, so it increases the cat’s overall fluid intake, which keeps the kidneys and bladder healthy. Due to their easily-digested ingredients, canned foods produce less solid waste in the litterbox as well.

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Siamese/Balinese/Oriental (SH/LH) Breed Committee (6)

Name	Email
Chair: Susan Adler	[email protected]
Vicki Jo Harrison	[email protected]
Toni Jones	[email protected]
Julie Keyer	[email protected]
Jenny Hamons	[email protected]
Lorna Friemoth	[email protected]

Find a Breed

The International Cat Association

Balinese

Balinese