Balinese cats are elegant, long-haired felines who thrive on attention and love a good chat. Natural explorers, they’ll climb to the highest perch before seeking out your lap.
Personality and temperament
If you love a beautiful, slightly demanding, ‘chatty’ housemate, a Balinese might be for you. Often described as a ‘long-haired Siamese’, these elegant felines love following you from room to room chatting loudly, before curling up under the covers with you at night. Their high-energy levels and dog-like love of play mean they thrive in lively households where they can greet guests at the door and be part of the action. Be warned, if your home has trinkets and ornaments on windowsills, Balinese will view them as an open invitation to see how many they can smash.
Size and appearance
Graceful and slender, Balinese are medium build cats with semi-long soft fur without an undercoat. Not only does this mean they shed less than other long-haired breeds, but they tend to mat less too. Males tend to weight up to 6.5kg, while females weigh around 5kg. In the looks department they resemble Siamese cats with triangle-shaped heads, piercing blue eyes and pointed colourings (darker patches on the face, ears, paws and tail). However, unlike their Siamese relatives, Balinese sport a rather fancy flowing tail that they swish beautifully.
History
Intimately related to Siamese cats, Balinese originated as a mutation. In the 1900s when breeders saw the resistive ‘long-haired gene’ in their litter they tended to give them away as house pets. Then in the 1940s and 50s two Californian breeders decided they liked the look, so they started breeding Balinese cats for their long hair and milder vocals. It took a decade for the breed to be officially recognised, and another decade to reach Australia and New Zealand during the mid-1970s. While revered, Balinese aren’t that common here and can be more challenging to obtain. Their exotic name comes from the graceful moves of a Balinese dancer, and a loving nod to their elegant swishy tail.
Health conditions that can affect this breed
Balinese cats are generally healthy, however they can be prone to the following health conditions:
- Dental disease
- Amyloidosis, a liver condition seen occasionally in Balinese cats
- Heart disease, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
- Respiratory issues (mainly asthma and bronchial infections)
- Inherited eye diseases, including progressive vision loss
- Inherited eye traits, including crossed eyes or nystagmus
Regular vet check-ups and care can help manage these conditions and keep your Balinese healthy.
Food and exercise
Like all cat breeds, Balinese need quality, nutrient dense food. However, they are known to be picky eaters and may prefer a wet diet to dry kibble. If that’s the case, include dental chews to help clean their teeth.
Being highly sociable, Balis crave human interaction. Short play sessions throughout the day will make them happy, as will lots of vertical climbing space where they can stretch their muscles. Natural acrobats, these beauties will find a way to get on top of your fridge, bookcase and wardrobe and once there they’ll tell you all about it in their distinctly ‘chatty’ way.
Grooming and maintenance
Balinese cats are quite low-maintenance for a long-haired breed, however twice weekly brushing helps prevent tangles.
How to groom your Balinese
- Coat type: Long, silky coat with no undercoat
- Fur: Brush twice a week to remove loose hair
- Nails: trim every 3-4 weeks
- Ears: check weekly for dirt or wax build-up
- Eyes: gently wipe any tear staining
Training and space requirements
Using positive reinforcement and short training sessions, it’s easy to train Balinese basic commands, including fetch and lead-walking. They are intelligent and engaged felines and they love spending time with their favourite human. Puzzle toys and clicker training sessions work well with these curious cats.
Highly adaptable to smaller spaces, Balinese cats need constant company otherwise they can get overly vocal and lonely. This company can come in the form of their humans, other cats and even friendly dogs. They also need lots of vertical climbing space, cat tunnels, interactive toys and scratching posts to keep them entertained.
Best suited for…
Balinese cats can be noisy housemates who crave attention, but they are also affectionate souls who love climbing to the highest perch. They suit households, especially families with older kids, who have the time and energy to spend keeping their Balinese happy and satisfied.
