This is a page on the Balinese cat written for kids and people who like plain English.
The Balinese cat is the same as a Siamese cat but with longer hair. The long hair can be seen best on the cat’s tail. It makes the tail look very special. It is called a “plumed tail”. Like the better known Siamese cat, this is a thin cat with a long face. There are more normal looking Balinese cats too with rounder heads. These are called “traditional Balinese cats”.
The long hair on the body can hardly be noticed. It looks like the hair on a Siamese cat. This is because it lies very close to the body. It does not stick up away from the body.
The Balinese cat is a breed of cat, which means it has a special look and history. It also means that a group of people who are part of large cat clubs have agreed that it should be a breed of cat.
You probably know that Siamese cats have a coat that has darker fur on the ears, face, ends of the legs and tail. The Balinese has the same sort of coat pattern. They are called “pointed cats”. This is because at the “points” of the cat (the bits at the ends and edges of the cat) are darker. The fur there is darker because the skin is cooler. The way the color in the fur is made depends on the temperature of the skin. Where it is cooler more color is made. The cat is born all white but the coat changes gradually.
There are lots of different colors of the dark fur parts of the coat from dark brown (seal) to lilac and chocolate and so on. You will also see tabby points where the fur is like a tabby cat.
This cat is named after Balinese temple dancers. Balinese ladies and girls dancing in temples move in a flowing, cool way that reminds us of the fine movements and flowing fur of the Balinese cat.
The Balinese cat likes being around people. He or she likes to find out what is going on in places around the home. They have strong voices and like to talk.
The first Balinese cats were shown at cat shows in around 1955. As the only difference between the Balinese and Siamese in the length of the fur, they could be called long haired Siamese cats but the Siamese cat breeders did not like that so they made up a new name.
I am pleased the article helped a bit. Lacey sounds like a fine cat. If you have a photo you can upload it to a comment.
This article cleared something up for me. I always thought our “Lacey” was a mix of long haired siamese. She has absolutely every trait and look of the Balinese. She’s very vocal and demanding. She carries her (beautiful) tail up over her body, like it’s on display. She’s rather possessive – we have another cat (Velvet), and she doesn’t like her getting any attention. It took a long time for Lacey to realize she was safe – wouldn’t come out from under the bed if visitors were in the house. Now she thinks everyone has come to see her. She has never been outside.
It is seeing them in the flesh that brings it home. Pictures don’t really tell the whole story. They look very fragile and strange to me in their cages at shows.
Yes- they have that very bred mouse face look – they look a bit like mice in their faces I mean. Beautiful tails. I like your analogy 🙂
Yes, the one outstanding aspect of these cats is the tail. A true plumed tail. Of course the modern Balinese is too skinny in following the modern Siamese cat which is monstrous. When you see these cats in real life it is a bit of a shock. It is like looking at a celebrity who has had too much plastic surgery.
They really look as if they would have flowing movements like dancers. Very whispy fur on their tails.