Javanese and Balinese

The head is wedge-shaped, with large, alert ears which follow and complement the shape of the wedge. The eyes are distinctly Oriental, slanted slightly to fit in with the overall head shape, and sapphire blue, the deeper the colour the better. The nose is straight, with no break or rise between the eyes.

Balinese and Javanese both have longer hair than a Siamese, but don't have dramatically long fur like a Persian or Maine Coon. The body hair should be silky and close-lying, not "fluffy". The fur on the tail is longer -- about two or three inches -- and when brushed out forms a full, graceful plume. Most people seeing a Balinese or Javanese for the first time may mistake it for a Siamese, until they see the gorgeous, full tail.

Colour is the difference between the Balinese and the Javanese breeds. Like Siamese, Balinese and Javanese are "pointed" cats, which means that the face, legs, and tail are a darker colour than the body colour. The darker colours are referred to as the points.

Some cat associations, such as TICA, make no distinction between Balinese and Javanese, and in these associations both Balinese and Javanese are categorized as Balinese.

In those associations that do make a distinction, such as CFA, Balinese are accepted in the four "traditional" Siamese solid colours of seal (black), blue, chocolate, and lilac. Javanese are accepted in the "nontraditional" colours of lynx (tabby) points (seal lynx, blue lynx, chocolate lynx, lilac lynx), tortoiseshell points, flame (red) points, and cream points.
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Take a svelte, graceful Siamese cat, add a medium-long silky coat, and you have a Balinese. Every bit as lively as its shorthaired relative, the Balinese is equally affectionate without being as noisy. Its single coat makes it easier to groom than other longhairs, and does not take away from the exquisite lines of its body.

Balinese is believed to have originated from a spontaneous genetic mutation of the Siamese, as opposed to selective breeding.

The Traditional Balinese (aka Applehead Balinese) cat combines the unique personality and intelligence, robust body type, pointed coloring, and the minimal shedding of the Traditional Siamese, with a softer voice and a silky coat.

They are extremely intelligent, curious and loving. Their behavior and loyalty often resembles what most people expect of a dog more than a cat, as they follow their owners about, sleeping outside of the door of any room you occupy, that they cannot enter, and amusing themselves with a toy until they can once again be on your lap. Agile, swift, muscular and extremely intelligent, they love to play fetch or to make up other games. They get along easily with other cats and with dogs and yet are independent enough to adjust to periods of being alone.

While they still 'talk' like their Siamese cousins, their voices are far softer and they speak only when they have something they feel is important to say. As such, they grow up to make delightful 'watch-cats' often alerting their family when strangers approach or when something seems 'wrong'. They are very alert to their owners and surroundings, but not a hyperactive cat. Rather, they maintain an easy balance of playing and napping depending on the circumstances.

The Javanese is everything that is Balinese, and then some...the intelligence, grace and refinement of the Siamese, the luxurious silk of the Balinese coat, combined with the designer colors of the Colorpoint Shorthair. Named for the next island over from Bali, Javanese have been around for about as long as the Balinese. Some appeared in litters of Colorpoint Shorthairs, most likely a result of the longhair gene being introduced via the domestic shorthair when the red, lynx and tortie point colors and patterns were first introduced to the Siamese breed. Most are the result of Balinese breeders using the Colorpoint Shorthair to introduce these colors and patterns into the Balinese breed.

JAVANESE

History

The Javanese is one breed in a line of designer Siamese-style cats that includes the Balinese, Colorpoint Shorthair, Oriental Shorthair, and Oriental Longhair. These breeds were inspired by breeders who wanted to take the qualities of the Siamese and alter the coat and colors to their liking. All of these breeds share similar conformations and personality types. The differences between these breeds lie in the coat length, colors, patterns, and the cat association to which you happen to subscribe.

The Siamese comes in four pointed colors: seal, blue, chocolate, and lilac. The Balinese is a longhaired version of the Siamese in the same color schemes. The Colorpoint Shorthair comes in pointed colors outside the four traditional Siamese colors; they come in red, cream, tortie, and lynx points. The Javanese is a longhaired version of the Colorpoint Shorthair.

The CFA is the only registry that separates the breeds into the classifications Colorpoint Shorthair and Javanese. The other registries merely extended the color parameters of the Siamese and the Balinese to include the wider range of colors.

The CFA's reasoning behind the separate designations is that Colorpoint Shorthairs and Javanese are hybrids, which they are, since these colors were created by crossing the Siamese with other breeds. However, some breeders feel that separating the Balinese and the Javanese is like splitting cat hairs; both breeds share a body type, personality, and coat, and the hybridization happened so long ago that it no longer matters. Other breeders zealously want the breeds kept separate to maintain the purity of the Siamese and Balinese lines.

The Javanese shares much of its history with the Balinese breed. The Javanese isn't from the Isle of Java any more than the Balinese is from Bali; the name was bestowed because of the nice, romantic ring. One of the foundation cats of the Javanese breed was created by crossing a Balinese to a Colorpoint Shorthair. The result was a cat with all the characteristics of a Siamese but with a longer coat length and a color outside the basic four. These colorful longhairs were recognized by the CFA in 1987.

Although it is probable that occasional longhaired kittens had been turning up in pedigreed Siamese litters long before they attracted the interest of a few imaginative breeders, no serious effort was made to promote the longhairs as a new breed until the 1940's.

Red and cream points must get their color from Cupid's arrow -- this has to be the most laid back and easy going of all colors. They seem to exist only to love you. While they love to play and do the same things that "normal" cats do, they take frequent breaks to reassure you of their devotion. They need to feel a part of your life and love to "help," offering suggestions from a short distance before moving in to assist you with the project in question.

Lynx points seem to be the most popular pattern. There is nothing quite so dramatic as silvery stripes on a seal point background. Lynx points also come in blue, chocolate, lilac, red and cream point colors along with all possible tortie point colors. Lynx point personalities seem to vary between the very regal and dignified to those that seem to be part monkey or squirrel - creative and always entertaining with tricks and toys.

Javanese also come in seal, blue, chocolate and lilac point colors similar to the Siamese and Balinese. However, these colors are not eligible for championship competion in CFA. As with the Balinese, the foremost Javanese breeders use Siamese and Colorpoints in their breeding programs producing "variants" that might look like Siamese or Colorpoints. The coats have a richer feel than that of a true shorthair. Because of the number of genetic variables, the kittens that are marked like Siamese are almost always sold as pets while those that are marked like Colorpoints are used within our breeding programs.

Personality

Javanese cats, like their Balinese relatives, are playful, devoted, and always eager to tell you their views on life, love, and what you've served them for dinner. Javanese (and their Siamese relatives) have a fascination with food, and, while some will burn off the extra calories in playful antics, care must be taken that the less active don't turn into butterballs.

Known for their curiosity, intelligence, and excellent communication skills, the Javanese breed is perfect if you want a responsive, interactive cat, one that will blow in your ear and follow you everywhere. Their meows seem definite attempts to communicate, and they look you directly in the eye and seem to answer when spoken to. Fanciers say that the Javanese are easy to train, and are not quite as demanding of your time and energy as are Siamese.

Despite his regal bearing and aristocratic appearance, he is a clown with a heart as big as a circus tent. To gauge the level of his intelligence, you have only to gaze into those sapphire eyes which sparkle with alertness and healthy curiosity. Although he is every bit as demonstrative and affectionate as the Siamese, he is somewhat less vocal and his voice is softer. Grooming is simple, for the coat does not mat like the double coat of most longhaired breeds.

The Javanese is a breed for folks who want a little spice in their lives. A study of contradictions - elegant refinement, sometimes fragile in appearance...in reality hard and muscular with surprising strength. The slender lines and flowing coat hide a rock hard body capable of amazing feats of acrobatic proportions. Highly intelligent, they become familiar with their human's routine. They will "talk," gently reminding when you are late with meals or play time, joyously greeting you whenever you have been away. As a rule, the Javanese voice is softer and gentler than the Siamese. They use their paws like little hands to open cabinets and drawers in search of a favorite toy they saw you hide. Many "fetch," but never delude yourself that you taught them this game. In reality, they have cleverly taught you how to throw. Easy to care for, their coats never mat and tend to shed less than the Siamese or Colorpoints, truly a "lazy man's longhair" - an occasional combing and bath to refresh the sensuous silky texture of their coat is all that is necessary outside of regular nail clipping.

Conformation

The Javanese's standard is almost identical to the Siamese's and to the standards of the related breeds: Balinese, Color-point Shorthair, Oriental Shorthair, and Oriental Longhair. The main differences lie in the color schemes and hair lengths. While having the same conformation as the Siamese, the Javanese appears to have softer lines and less extreme body type because of the longer hair. Since the fur is only semi-long and lacks the downy undercoat, the coat doesn't tangle and even show cats require little grooming.

The Javanese is generally a healthy breed but can suffer from the same defects as the Siamese. Protrusion of the cranial sternum is a common defect seen in some Siamese and related breeds. Endocardial fibroelastosis is a more serious anomaly that can be found in some Siamese lines.

It is generally accepted that the breed originated as a spontaneous longhaired mutation of the Siamese cat. Apparently, Mother Nature decided that the already glorious Siamese could be made even more glorious by adding the long flowing coat to the svelte body lines of this graceful oriental beauty. Coat length is the only difference between the Siamese and the Balinese.

A Siamese with long hair was registered with CFF in 1928, but no one began a serious effort to establish the breed until the 1940s. At that time, several breeders began working with the longhaired cats born in purebred Siamese litters.

These longhaired individualists were named Balinese by one of the breed's pioneers, Helen Smith, who likened the cat's graceful movements and sleek lines to those of the dancers from the Isle of Bali. Despite resistance from Siamese breeders, many of whom didn't believe that the Balinese's longer hair was a natural mutation, dedicated breeders like Helen Smith and Sylvia Holland worked to develop the breed.

In the early days, the Balinese often had heavier boning and heavier coats than the standard called for, and frequently fell short of meeting the standard in head type and ear set as well. Hampered by the Siamese breeders who wouldn't sell top-quality breeding stock to them, the Balinese breeders struggled to refine the body type by crossbreeding back to the Siamese. After years of frustrating work, the Balinese improved in type. By 1970, when the CFA granted Championship, all the major United States associations recognized the Balinese.

The early history of the Traditional Balinese is the same as the history of the Traditional Siamese. The Siamese is considered by many to be a 'natural' breed - that is to say, one that developed without the intervention of man.
The first Siamese cats appeared in the West in the mid-to-late 1800s. Photographs from the late 1880s of some of the first cats to be imported from Siam show the thick, round heads and solid, muscular bodies that distinguish the Traditional Siamese from today's modern Siamese that dominate the modern show-ring.

Many say that Balinese kittens have always appeared now and again in purebred Siamese litters. Some attribute a pure Siamese appearing with a longer coat to be a simple mutation and say there are examples of early drawings that depict pointed cats with what seems longer fur. Another opinion is that it was an outgrowth of the domestication of the Palas cat (Felis Manul) who originated in western China and has a very dense coat which comes in a wide variety of colors. Others say that the longer coat is a result of the early British breeders crossing them with the then popular Angora or Turkish Angora, a cat with a tremendous history as a companion cat. The Turkish Angora was first introduced to Europe in the 14th century when the crusaders brought Turkish Angoras back home in their saddle bags.

The truth may be a bit of both. The long-haired trait persisted however, and a long-hair Siamese was registered with C.F.F. in 1928. They were not bred in earnest however until 1955 when a woman named Marion Dorsey of California began breeding and showing the longer-haired variety.

It turned out the Balinese bred 'true' meaning that when a Balinese was bred to another Balinese the resulting litter were all always Balinese, thus qualifying it to be a 'pure breed'. At this time they were still referred to as Long-Haired Siamese but soon were christened 'Balinese' not, as many think, because it came from Bali, but because the fanciers of the time thought so graceful and athletic a cat resembled the graceful Balinese dancers.

In 1961 the Balinese was recognized and accepted for registration in the same colors as Siamese seal point, chocolate point, blue point and lilac point. Other colors such as red tabby, blue tortie, red cream, cinnamon, fawn, smoke, silver and all others were registered as Javanese, just as other colors of Siamese which emerged due to out-crossing, were registered as Oriental Shorthairs.

In the 1950s virtually all the Siamese and Balinese cats were what we think of today as the Traditional Siamese and Balinese, a heavier boned, rounder headed cat . But just as the ever changing whims of the show ring judges have dictated what body type is fashionable at any given time, the Traditional Balinese, like the Traditional Siamese, fell out of favor in the late fifties and early sixties and were gradually replaced with the modern version of the breed. The modern version is a smaller longer and thinner more angular cat with large ears and, in the case of the Balinese, a short coat on its body with the only long hair occurring on its plumy tail. This look became popular with the show-oriented Balinese breeders, while other breeders, who preferred the Traditional look, continued to breed the larger, rounder-headed Traditional Balinese. These Traditional breeders found that their cats were no longer competitive in the show ring and stopped showing though they continued breeding with their existing purebred Balinese stock.

Currently, the Traditional Balinese is quite rare, though they are beginning to make a comeback as many pet buyers and breeders alike rediscover the Traditional Balinese many endearing qualities as top-notch companion cats.

It should also be pointed out, that Traditional Balinese are purebred cats, descended from the original cats imported from Siam. A pointed cat that you find in a shelter, though it may look Balinese, is probably not a Traditional Balinese. Enough purebred Siamese, Himalayan or other pointed and long-haired cats have interbred with domestic cats over the years that the gene which creates the pointing pattern and longer hair, is found in a large number of cats. So while some may look Balinese, they may have very little Balinese blood in them.

Personality

Balinese cats are smart, sweet, and fun to be around. Like the Siamese, they are known for their ability to communicate vocally, sometimes nonstop, and therefore this breed is not for everyone. Highly social, Balinese are sensitive to your moods and feelings and are more than willing to cheer you up with some happy chatter if you're feeling gloomy.

They are agile leapers and will often ride on their owners' shoulders. They love to play and easily learn to fetch, bringing the ball or toy back for repeated throwing. They will keep you entertained with their antics, but possess a loving disposition as well. They can be quite assertive in their requests for attention, but also possess a special dignity particular to the Balinese and Siamese breeds.

Conformation

The Balinese should not to be confused with the Himalayan, which bears the pointed pattern of its Siamese ancestors but has the body style and personality of the Persian. Today's show Balinese resembles the extreme Siamese that is popular in today's show hall, rather than the stockier traditional Siamese that is making its comeback among fanciers. The traditional Balinese, a longhaired variety of the traditional Siamese, is recognized by the Traditional Cat Association and, while not popular in the show halls, has a growing following of fanciers.

The Balinese comes in only the four traditional Siamese point-restricted colors: seal, blue, chocolate, and lilac-if the CFA is your association of choice. Other associations recognize the Balinese in colors of red, cream, tortoiseshell (a mixture of black and red or their dilute colors, also called tortie), and lynx (tabby) points. In the CFA, however, cats in these colors are called Javanese.

Although it is probable that occasional longhaired kittens had been turning up in pedigreed Siamese litters long before they attracted the interest of a few imaginative breeders, no serious effort was made to promote the longhairs as a new breed until the 1940's.

The breed standard of The Cat Fanciers' Association describes the Balinese as a svelte, dainty cat with long tapering lines, very lithe but muscular. Like its ancestor breed, the Siamese, nearly everything about the Balinese is l-o-n-g, including body, head, legs, and tail. It goes one step further than the Siamese in that its coat is also long. The most distinctive feature of the Balinese is its luxurious tail plume.

Because the Balinese has a single coat, in contrast to the double coat of other longhairs, the hair lies close to the body, flowing naturally toward the rear. Thus, it does not detract from the long, slim, lines of the basic body structure.

The only point colors recognized are the same colors recognized in the pedigreed Siamese: seal point, blue point, chocolate point and lilac point.

Balinese and Javanese also love high places; if you don't provide somewhere high for them to perch, they will find a spot of their own. Many love to ride on the shoulders of their favourite humans.

Both Balinese and Javanese need toys, but fancy ones aren't necessary. Many love something simple, such as a ping-pong ball slit enough to drop in a few grains of rice for noise, or a peacock feather. A bored Balinese or Javanese may find something else to make into a toy, such as pens, papers, boxes of envelopes, or other things you may wish not to become toys!

Balinese and Javanese are insatiably curious and quite fearless. There is little they will not investigate: a noise, an open cupboard, water dripping from a faucet, a toilet flushing, the inside of a shopping bag, a running vacuum cleaner, a blow dryer. Because of this curiosity, their lithe build, and a penchant for getting toys under things, they are also accomplished contortionists who can scoot under low couches, beds, and cabinets with astonishing ease. Beware of this ability in strange houses and hotel rooms; you may find your Balinese or Javanese taking a tour of the air conditioning ducts! The only hole too small for a Balinese or Javanese is one the cat cannot squeeze the head through.

Like their cousins, the Siamese, Balinese and Javanese are "talkative" cats, with loud voices they seem to use at any opportunity. Many just seem to "chat" for no apparent reason. The quality (and quantity) of the voice varies from cat to cat. Some can be very quiet -- others rival Joan Rivers for talkativeness.

The main concern when showing a Balinese or Javanese is keeping the weight ideal. These are lithe cats with fast metabolisms, but some cats may not be able to free-feed without getting fat. Some Balinese and Javanese cats can free-feed without trouble, but others, particularly alters, may eat more heavily. Exercise and play can help burn off extra fat and calories. An excellent, show-ready Balinese or Javanese should not be skinny, but maintain lithe and elegant lines. A Balinese or Javanese run to fat may appear "slab-sided", or flat on the sides.

Balinese and Javanese need little daily grooming if they are pets, as their silky coats do not mat. They enjoy being combed and fussed over, but their coat will not suffer unduly because of it. A Balinese or Javanese being shown may need more care than that, including regular baths to keep the coat, particularly the tail, in top condition.