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• Balinese cats originated from a spontaneous genetic mutation which caused longer haired cats to occasionally appear in litters of Siamese cats. Traditionally, these long haired kittens were considered an oddity and not further bred. In the 1950s, an American breeder began specifically breeding long haired Siamese and named the breed "Balinese" because the cats' grace and elegance reminded her of Balinese dancers.

• Fast Facts

  1. White or cream with darker "points" on the ears, legs, nose and tail
  2. Long, plume-like tail
  3. Wedge-shaped head with large ears
  4. Almond-shaped blue eyes
  5. Lithe, slender body
  6. Literally a long-haired Siamese cat
  7. Less vocal than Siamese cats

• Distinctive Fur

  The only thing that differentiates a Balinese from a Siamese is coat length. The Balinese coat is single-layered, unlike that of most other long haired cats which are double layered. Double layered coats are rougher, prone to matting and tend to produce a "ruff" around the neck. The single layered coat of a Balinese is silkier, lies flat along the body and requires less grooming than other long haired cats.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Cats | Cat Food | Cat Allergy | Pet Toys | Abyssinian (Cat) | American Shorthair | Siamese (Cat) | Cat Food | Cat Allergy | Oriental Longhair | How to Clean Cat Urine

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