Balinese Cat: Info, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts

Breed Overview

The Balinese Cat is a long-haired Siamese. As such, they are playful and loving cats that will get along with all family members. They are loyal and endearing felines that enjoy playing and are just as friendly with strangers as they are with family members. Despite being very close to their humans, the Balinese can tolerate being left alone and is quite easy to train, making them a suitable choice for first-time owners looking for a manageable cat. It's worth noting that the Balinese is a vocal cat, so you should be prepared to have a conversation with yours regularly.

Also noteworthy is the Balinese coat, which is the biggest physical difference between this and the Siamese breed. The coat is long and luscious, although that does not necessarily mean that it will mat or become knotted. Good at jumping, this athletic cat enjoys vertical space, so you should consider the implementation of scratch posts and trees to keep your agile feline happy.

Balinese Cat Characteristics

Balinese Kittens

The Balinese is a purebred cat, which means that they do attract a high price tag. When buying a Balinese, you must do your homework first. Check with registries to ensure that you use a reputable breeder. Join breed groups and search online for breeders with a good reputation. When speaking to breeders, check to see whether the parent cats have been screened. Ask questions about whether the mother or father have been shown at exhibitions and ask to meet at least the mother cat.

The rarity and cost of this breed mean that it is unlikely that you will find a Balinese at a shelter, but it is possible. Adopting a cat will cost a low adoption fee, and you should ask as many questions as possible to the shelter. Try to determine why the previous owners gave the cat up. Balinese are prone to some health conditions so your potential adoptee may be quite poor in health.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Balinese Cat

The Balinese Cat is very similar to the Siamese, although there are some minor differences. Plenty is known about the breed, which means that you can determine whether one will be the right choice of pet for your home and family.

Are These Cats Good for Families? 👪

Considered a very friendly and affable cat, the Balinese will get along with all family members. They enjoy chatting with their humans and are lively cats that can be relied upon to play and run around. They are not usually aggressive and, as well as family members, will get along with visitors and even strangers.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?

As well as two-legged family members, the Balinese breed is known to get along with other four-legged members of the family. This means that they will become close to other cats, and they will befriend the family dog, although this does obviously depend on how well behaved and how sociable the dog is. It is always best to introduce cats and dogs when they are both young because this will improve the chances of them getting along and not fighting.

Things to Know When Owning a Balinese Cat

The Balinese cat is considered a good family pet that will get along with humans of all ages and will get along with other family pets. However, the coat does take some care and the breed tends to be quite vocal. While the Balinese can make an excellent family pet, it might not be the best choice for all families. Read on to see whether it is the right breed for your home.

Food & Diet Requirements

Balinese cats are known for being somewhat picky eaters. Weigh your cat to determine their current size. Combine this with the age and activity level of the cat to work out how much you should be feeding daily and try to feed as good quality food as you can afford. This is one breed that usually prefers wet food over dry kibble, but they can thrive on either type of diet.

Exercise 🐈

The breed is playful and energetic. Provide scratching and climbing posts for indoor cats, especially because this breed enjoys spending time climbing and playing vertically. Buy plenty of cat toys and be prepared to put in some time every day to encourage active play from your cats.

Training 🧶

You can use this active playtime to help train your Balinese, too. As well as litter training a young cat, you can teach habits and ensure good behavior. Training a cat means positive reinforcement and keeping training sessions short and fun. Be prepared to use cat toys and some treats to really help with the training and to ensure the best chance of success.

Grooming ✂️

The Balinese breed does have a long coat, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they're difficult to look after. The coat is a single layer and does not have an undercoat, which means that it rarely becomes matted or knotted. This also means that the Balinese is a low-shedding cat, but it is still worth brushing your feline a couple of times a week. They will appreciate the effort, and it will help remove any dead hairs that could otherwise cause problems.

Health and Conditions 🏥

The breed is considered generally healthy and hardy but is susceptible to a few health conditions, typically the same as faced by the Siamese.

Male vs. Female

The male Balinese grows a little taller and weighs a little bit more than the female.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Balinese Cat

1. Balinese Are Long-Haired Siamese

Balinese cats are long-haired Siamese cats and have only been recognized as a separate breed since the mid-20th Century. Prior to that, they were thought of as being an undesirable physical trait of the standard Siamese. This does mean that we know plenty about what to expect of the Balinese breed. It will be a lively and energetic cat: one that gets along with other cats, and dogs, with humans and strangers. They will be quite vocal, although the Balinese tend to adopt a softer vocalization pattern than the Siamese, so while they will follow you around the house chatting away, the Balinese is not as loud as its Siamese counterpart.

2. They Are Intelligent Cats

The Siamese and Balinese breeds are considered very intelligent cats. In fact, many owners will attest to the fact that the Balinese can, with some patience and experience, be trained to perform some basic tasks. As well as making litter training easier, this means that you can train your Balinese to play games with you and you can teach them some simple tasks and commands.

As with intelligent dogs, if you do not train or entertain an intelligent cat breed like the Balinese, the cat can become bored and may act out with antisocial and bad behavior. Find games to play and don’t ignore the cat for too long or they could scratch furniture or find other ways to entertain themself.

3. They Are Very Friendly Cats

Balinese cats are considered very friendly cats. They will get along with other cats in their home. They will usually become friends with family dogs, and they will get along with strangers. They will also enjoy spending time in the same room as you. They do not necessarily have to spend all day sitting on your lap, but the Balinese breed is prone to following their owners around and partaking in long conversations.

Final Thoughts

The Balinese cat is a long-haired Siamese, which means that you can expect a loving, loyal, playful, intelligent cat but with longer hair. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the Balinese are any more challenging to look after because that long coat has no undercoat, so it is not prone to matting or knotting. The breed will get along with all family members and visitors, as well as with other cats and dogs, and it makes a great choice of a family pet, especially for those that have time to dedicate to playing and paying attention to their cat.

• See Also: Siamese Cat Colors (With Color Chart)

Featured Image Credit: Pasiaflora, Shutterstock