History of the Balinese cat:Little is known about the early history of the Balinese. Some say that at least one Chinese tapestry depicts pointed longhairs. The Cat Fanciers Federation (CFF) had a longhair Siamese (which is what Balines actually are and what they were originally called) registered in 1928. However, the history starts later, in the 1950's, when true breeding programmes were established. It is believed that "fuzzy" kittens were born to Siamese litters from time to time. This longer coat being undesirable, the breeders would quietly pet these kittens out. All of this changed forever in the 1950's when two Siamese breeders, Mrs. Marion Dorsey of Rai-Mar Cattery in California & Mrs. Helen Smith of MerryMews Cattery in New York, both found longhairs in their Siamese litters and were quite taken by their beauty. Rather than petting them out as others had done, they began line breeding to produce longhair Siamese. It was Helen Smith who came to name these cats Balinese, because she felt that the name Long Hair Siamese did not flow well and that they greatly resembled the grace & elegance of the Balinese dancers. She was the first to exhibit Balinese in CFA & in the AOV (all other varieties) class at the Empire Cat Show in New York City. Helen & Marion worked together during the 1950's & 1960's to develop breeding stock and to gain recognition as a new mutation breed. Mrs. Dorsey showed in a CFF show in Glendale, California as early as 1956. It is due to these two women and their foresight that we have the Balinese to enjoy today. Standard of the Balinese:
The ideal Balinese is a svelte cat with long tapering lines, very lithe but strong & muscular. Excellent physical condition. Neither flabby or bony. Not fat. Eyes clear. Because of the longer coat, the Balinese appears to have softer lines and less extreme type than other breeds of cats with similar type. The head should be shaped in a long, tapering wedge. Medium size in good proportion to the body. The total wedge starts at the nose & flares out in straight lines to the tips of the whiskers. No less than the width of an eye between the eyes. When the whiskers and face hair are smoothed back, the underlying bone structure is apparent. The skull should be flat. In profile, a long straight line should be felt from the top of the head to the tip of the nose. No bulge over the eyes. No dip in the nose. The ears should be strikingly large, pointed, wide at the base, continuing the lines of the wedge. Almond shaped, medium size eyes. Neither protruding nor recessed. Slanted towards the nose in harmony with lines of the wedge & ears. Uncrossed, blue in varying shades, the deeper, the better. Long & straight nose. A continuation of the forehead with no break. Fine, wedge-shaped muzzle. Graceful, long, and svelte body with a long & slender neck. A distinctive combination of fine bones & firm muscles. Shoulders and hips continue same sleek lines of tubular body. Hips never wider than shoulders. Abdomen tight. The male may be somewhat larger than the female. Long and slim legs. Hind legs higher than front. In good proportion to body. Paws should be dainty, small & oval. Tail should be long & thin, tapering to a fine point. Tail hair spreads out like a plume. Medium length coat, fine, silky without downy undercoat, lying close to the body, the coat may appear shorter than it is. Hair is longest on the tail. Point colour on the body: even, with subtle shading when allowed. Allowance should be made for darker colour in older cats as Balinese generally darken with age, but there must be definite contrast between body colour & points. Points: mask, ears, legs, feet, tail dense and clearly defined. All of the same shade. Mask covers entire face including whisker pads and is connected to ears by tracings. Mask should not extend over top of head. No ticking or white hairs in points. Balinese Colours:Allowable colours vary depending on the cat club but generally the Balinese come in the same colours that Siamese come in, including Tortie & Tabby Points. Balinese Cat Purrsonality:If you are lucky enough to share your life with a Balinese, you will never be at loss for a best friend. Balinese adore their people and need to be involved with everything their person does, from working on the computer to helping you make your bed. They have extraordinarily loving temperaments & bond closely with their people. They make excellent pets & want to enjoy fun & games with the family. If you are sad, they will weep with you, if you are sick, they will comfort you, and if you are happy, they will play with you. And play, and play!!! The Balinese cat was named because the way they move was reminiscent of the grace & elegance of the Balinese dancers. Balinese have the same gregarious personalities as their Siamese cousins. They are very vocal & will chat to you on just about any subject. In fact, they are essentially a Siamese except for the coat which is medium in length, fine & silky. It lies close to the body, flowing towards the rear where it ends in a graceful plumed tail. It does not require much grooming, all that is really needed is the occasional brush or comb, routine nail clipping & oral hygiene. Show cats of course need to be bathed before every show. Balinese are highly intelligent cats & can usually train their companions to perform many tricks for their amusement. Just like Siamese, they demand lots of attention & can be very mischievous when they are bored. They love toys & will make anything into one. They love to play fetch and will carry a piece of screwed up paper back to you for hours. They also love furry mice, little balls & any catnip toy. A good diet and plenty of exercise are essential to maintain the Bali's firm, tubular body & silky coat. The ideal Balinese body feels like steel sheathed in silk. So, except for the attention which they feel is their right to obtain, Balinese are a fairly low maintenance cat. Generally Balinese show cats are extremely well mannered & easy going. Most are quite at home on the bench & know how to please the judges & audience. As pets of course, Balinese are indeed integral members of the family. I know that my life has been made richer by having my beautiful Balinese in it. If you eek a highly intelligent, interactive, verbal, loving pal, then a Balinese is the right breed for you. Suitable for:Balinese are suitable for all family situations, they are easy going & get along with children & other pets. Lifespan:10 - 14 years. Special thanks to: Jen Rogers of SmudgeWillow Cattery for the article & photos & Melanie Wood of Templeton Cats for the use of her photos.
Also see: Balinese cat breeders Balinese cat photos
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