balinese

The history of the Balinese cat is a long one, beginning in the mid-1800s, when the first Siamese cats were imported to the U.S. and the UK from Thailand. Breeders soon noticed that purebred Siamese cat litters sometimes contained longhaired kittens.

At first, these kitties were sold as pets only. In 1928, the American Cat Fanciers’ Federation allowed registration as “Long-haired Siamese” and by the 1950s, breeders were selecting for the long-haired genetic trait.

We have one of the first Balinese cat breeders to thank for giving the breed its name: Helen Smith felt that the term “long-haired Siamese” was too cumbersome. She named the breed after Balinese dancers, known for their beauty and grace.

The Balinese cat breed was further refined through the 1960s and 1970s. Another breeder named Sylvia Holland selected strictly for cats that showed traditional Siamese points in chocolate, seal, lilac, and blue.

At the same time, CFA had begun to allow red, cream, lynx, and tortie point Siamese cats under the moniker “Colorpoint Shorthair.” Further development of the Balinese cat led to the name “Javanese” for those showing colors consistent with colorpoint shorthairs.

The history of the Balinese cat – and the Javanese, too – came full circle during when CFA merged the two breeds.

In 2008, the Javanese cat was officially considered a Balinese color division. CFA went on to adopt a single standard for Balinese and Javanese cats in 2010, recognizing over 20 colors but judging them by Balinese and Javanese divisions.

Most registries have joined in, considering the Javanese to be a type of Balinese rather than a breed of its own, but some breeders and clubs continue to recognize the distinction between the two.