Balinese

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Balinese

General Information:
What’s so great about a Balinese cat? Everything! Ask anyone who is owned by one of these fabulous felines what is so special about the breed, and you set off a glowing monologue that ends only when the speaker is exhausted. Under that long, silky ermine coat he wears so proudly, this beautiful cat is all Siamese, and that
includes his personality. Despite his regal bearing and aristocratic appearance, he is a clown with a heart as big as a circus tent. To gauge the level of his intelligence, you have only to gaze into those sapphire eyes which sparkle with alertness and healthy curiosity. Although he is every bit as demonstrative and affectionate as the Siamese, he is somewhat less vocal and his voice is softer.

History:
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 Balinese
          actually are and what they were originally called) registered in 1928. However, this history starts later, in
          the 1950s, when true breeding programs 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 1950s when two Siamese breeders, Mrs. Marion Dorsey of Rai-Mar Cattery in California and 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 and elegance of the Balinese dancers. She was the first to exhibit Balinese in CFA in the AOV class at the Empire Cat Show in New York City. Helen and Marion worked together during the '50s and '60s 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.

Description:
The breed standard of The Cat Fanciers’ Association describes the Balinese as a svelte, dainty cat with long tapering lines, very lithe but muscular. Like its ancestor breed, the Siamese, nearly everything about the Balinese is l-o-n-g, including body, head, legs, and tail. It goes one step further than the Siamese in that its coat is also long. The most distinctive feature of the Balinese is its luxurious tail plume.

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. Thus, it does not detract from the long, slim, lines of the basic body structure.

HEAD: long, tapering wedge. Medium size in good proportion to body. The total wedge starts at the nose and flares out in straight lines to the tips of the ears forming a triangle, with no break at 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. Allowance must be made for jowls in the stud cat.

EARS: strikingly large, pointed, wide at base, continuing the lines of the wedge.

EYES: almond shaped. Medium size. Neither protruding nor recessed. Slanted towards the nose in harmony with lines of wedge and ears.

LEGS: bone structure long and slim. Hind legs higher than front. In good proportion to body.

PAWS: dainty, small, and oval. Toes: five in front and four behind.

TAIL: bone structure long, thin, tapering to a fine point. Tail hair spreads out like a plume.

COAT: medium length, fine, silky without downy undercoat lying close to the body, the coat may appear shorter than it is. Hair is longest on the tail.

          COLOR: Body: even, with subtle shading when allowed. Allowance should be made for darker color in older cats as Balinese generally darken with age, but there must be definite contrast between body color
          and 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. The colors of the Balinese are: seal point, chocolate point, blue point, and lilac point.

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