Balinese



These cats are a long-haired version of the Siamese Cat. Some color forms are called Javanese Cats. The breed appeared in the USA in 1940s.
The elongated, angular body of the breed, its colorpointed coat pattern and its vivid blue eyes are identical to those of the Siamese, the only difference being that the Balinese has a soft, silky, medium-long coat with a plumed tail.
Human say  Balinese are extrovert and lively throughout life, intelligent, eager, enthusiastic, active, athletic, acrobatic, expressive, regal, graceful, loyal, friendly, warm, curious and affectionate. Very noisy.
      Balinese are very delicate animals and don't take easily to new humans. They are very shy and ask for attention very quietly. Their main feature is the bright sky blue eyes. Their hair is silky and soft, they don't have a warm undercoat. The Balinese are much rarer than the Siamese and were considered a genetical mistake (as is the human way) until 1963.
Color forms: In the USA seal, chocolate, blue and lilac point are the only colors permitted. Other colors, such as red, tortie and lynx (tabby) point are referred to as Javanese. In the UK this separation is not made, all the colors being included in the breed.
GCCF: seal point, blue point, chocolate point, lilac point, red point, seal tortie point, cream point, blue tortie point, chocolate tortie point, lilac tortie point, seal tabby point, blue tabby point, chocolate tabby point, lilac tabby point, red tabby point, red tabby point, seal tortie tabby point, cream tabby point, blue tortie tabby point, chocolate tortie tabby point, lilac tortie tabby point.
CFA: seal point, chocolate point, blue point, lilac point.
Further reading for Balinese lovers:
Balinese Cats (Cats Set Ii) by Stuart A. Kallen (ages 4-8). Though the book is addressed to small readers, it is full of beautiful photos and easy explanations. All Balinese lovers will like it!
 
 

Gentle or Mental?

      Balinese love their owners (and they are the only cats to use this term) and I once saw one almost jump from a window in its despair. The poor cat would have leapt, had I not grabbed it by the scruff of its neck (I was on the sixth floor hunting pigeons, not that I caught any but that's not the point). Now I'm quite a large cat as "domestic" cats go so he was slowed down. Using brute force (I had to in the circumstances) I pushed the cat into an open window, but it was the wrong one. We walked in on the lunchtime of a very surprised  human family. Suddenly I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye: a large bulldog. The Balinese I had rescued saw it too and promptly fainted. I myself was unnerved and I quickly left the premises. Back outside, I walked a little bit along the wall then let go of my cargo and took a breather. I waited for the cat to awaken. After a few minutes he came to.
      "Get up." I told him (in cat language of course).
      "It's terrible!!" He wailed as an answer. "He's gone!!"
      "Who?" I asked.
      "My owner!!" Came the reply.
       "Probably stepped out for a drink." I said.
      "You really think so?" He calmed down a bit.
      "He wouldn't leave you if he was going away for long."
      "He wouldn't?"
      "Yes." I calmly drove my point home. "Where do you live?"
      "Come." He told me and I followed him to an open window with quite pleasant green curtains. He entered first, his bright blue eyes staring up at me as he beckoned to me with his long plumed tail. I hopped down. The room was a cat's paradise. A small plastic dish stood in corner, in it were pieces of fish and chicken; homemade food. I went over and tasted politely (this is a rule of cat etiquette). There was a scratching post and one of those large constructions that people set up so cats could climb. A litter box stood in another corner.
      "A nice place you've got here, your owner cares a lot for you. He wouldn't just leave you." I said. Suddenly I heard the clicking of a key, a man entered. I looked up at him and rushed out through the window.
     "Bye." I cried briefly.
 


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