The Balinese cat, or Balinese, is a slender, petite animal. The breeder Helen Smith gave the breed its name, believing that the gait of these cats is graceful and elegant, like that of dancers from the island of Bali.
The Balinese cat's affection for its owners is comparable to that of a dog. Balinese cats are very "talkative", affectionate and get along well with all members of the family.
History of the breed
The homeland of the Balinese cat is the USA. In the first half of the 1930s in the litters of Siamese cats began to appear kittens with elongated hair. Initially, this was considered a marriage, but later the mutation interested breeders - they tried to cross animals that were previously regarded as unsuitable for breeding
In 1963 the breed was named the long-haired Siamese, and in 1965 it was registered as an independent breed.
Care
The fine silky coat is unpretentious in grooming. Like all semi-long-haired animals, the Balinese should be combed once or twice a week and washed as needed. This breed, like the Siamese, has a hereditary predisposition to certain diseases, including liver amyloidosis, dilated cardiomyopathy, and strabismus.
Breeding
Only four coat shades are generally recognised: chocolate, purple, dark brown and blue. A long-haired cat of oriental type but solid colour is called a Javanese. Initially, in order to improve the quality of the coat and retain the gene of longhairness, Balinese were crossed with Siams. Crossbreeding with Orientals and Javanese was allowed until 2013.
Balinese kittens are born snow-white and acquire the characteristic Siamese colour only over time.
