Balinese cats are essentially longhaired Siamese cats. Like Siamese, they are playful, extroverted, and affectionate. Good as family pets, Balinese usually get along well with children, although the children should be taught not to pull on the cats’ fine hair. This breed tends to get along very well with other cats, and they are generally also good with non-feline pets. In general, most human companions would say that Balinese cats are less vocal and quieter than most Siamese cats.
Balinese cats originated from Siamese cats that carried a mutant long hair gene. The Balinese cat has been around since the early 1900’s, but was not intentionally bred until around the 1940’s. The breed was originally known as Longhaired Siamese, but many cat fanciers were afraid this would cause confusion. The name was therefore changed to avoid confusion with “true” Siamese.
Balinese cats are often described as being elongated. Their legs, tails, heads and bodies all tend to be very long. Their eyes are usually bright blue and their large ears may have tufts of hair on them. Their tails end with a full plume. Unlike many other longhaired cats, Balinese have a single coat. Their coats feature the same point coloration as Siamese cats. Recognized colors are the same for Balinese as for Siamese: seal point, lilac point, chocolate point, and blue point.
Like most longhaired cats, Balinese cats require regular grooming. They should be brushed and combed several times a week. Since their coats are single and finer in texture than many other longhaired breeds, they do not require quite as much upkeep as some others.
Balinese cats are normally very healthy and are not particularly susceptible to any diseases or ailments. The average litter size for Balinese cats is five kittens. The average life expectancy of the Balinese cat is around 12 years; many live fifteen years or more.