Contact Aussie Balinese Breeders

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 Merry Mews 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.

Standard of Balinese
The ideal Balinese is a svelte cat with long tapering lines, very  lithe but strong and muscular. Excellent physical condition.   Neither flabby nor 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 body. The total wedge starts at the nose and   flares out in straight lines to the tips of the ears forming an   equilateral 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.

 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 nose.

 The ears should be strikingly large, pointed, wide at 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 wedge and ears. 
Uncrossed. Blue in varying shades, the deeper the better.

 Long and straight nose. A continuation of the forehead with no break. Fine, wedge-shaped muzzle.

Graceful, long, and svelte body with a long and slender neck. A   distinctive combination of fine bones and 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, and oval.

Tail should be long and 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 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.

 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 and bond closely with their   people. They make excellent pets and want to enjoy fun and 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 and play!!!!

The Balinese cat was named because the way they move was   reminiscent of the grace and elegance of the Balinese dancers.

Balinese have the same gregarious personalities as their Siamese   cousins. They are very vocal and 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 and 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   need is the occasional brush or comb, routine nail clipping and   oral hygiene. Show cats, of course, need to be bathed before every   show.

 Balinese are highly intelligent cats and can usually train their   companions to perform many tricks for their amusement. Just like   Siamese they demand lots of attention and can be very mischievous   when they are bored. They love toys and will make anything into   one. They love to fetch and will carry a piece of screwed up paper   back to you for hours. They also love furry mice, little balls and   any catnip toy.

 A good diet and plenty of exercise are essential to maintain the   Bali’s firm, tubular body and 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 and easy going. Most  are quite at home on the bench and know how to please the judges   and the 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 seek a highly intelligent, interactive, verbal, loving pal,   then a Balinese cat is the right breed for you.