Balinese
A long-haired Balinese first appeared as a long-haired mutation in a litter of Siamese kittens in the United States in the 1950s. When breeders challenged the cat as not fitting the standards for the reed, it was designated the Balinese. There is no connection with Bali beyond the name and the similarity of the cat’s graceful movements to those of the dancers on the island. The breed was first recognized in the United States in 1968 and did not receive full championship status in Britain until 1986.
The new breed inherited the slender, lithe body, wedge-shaped head, and sapphire-blue eyes of the Siamese in 1968, and did not receive full championship status in Britain until 1986.
The new breed inherited the slender, lithe body, the wedge-shaped head, and the sapphire-blue eyes of the Siamese, but with a longer coat. By comparison to their longhairs, such as the Persian, the coat of the Balinese is relatively short.
Its manners are also those of the Siamese, craving attention and play, enjoying the company of humans, and being affectionate towards the family, but devoted primarily to one person. Some individual cats can also exhibit the aloofness of siamese. The Balinese is an appropriate cat for life in a flat, but it does enjoy the open spaces of a terrace or garden. Its movements are graceful, almost acrobatic.
Varieties are the same as those in the Siamese breed: Seal=Point Balinese, with a cream coat with seal-brown points; Blue-Point Balinese, with a blue-white coat with blue-grey points; Chocolate-Point Balinese, with a yellow-white coat with chocolate brown points; Lilac Point Balinese, white coat with pink-grey points. In Britain Red-Point, Cream-Point, and all the tortoiseshell and tabby variations are also recognized.
The fur is medium long without an undercoat ruff characteristic of many long-haired cats. The head is wedge-shaped, with a long nose, pointed and large ears, and medium-sized eyes that are almond-shaped and slanted. The long body shows good muscling and ends in a medium fluffy tail. Legs are long but the forelegs are shorter than the hind legs. The paws are eggs shaped and small.
The Balinese are not finicky in their diet. Its fur should be brushed and combed daily, although it is not nearly as likely to mat as that of the Persian.
Litters of three or four kittens are born to attentive parents that spend a great deal of time in play with their offspring. The Balinese reach sexual maturity much earlier than other long-haired cats.
See more: Angora (Turkish Angora)