Balinese cat
The Balinese is a long-haired domestic cat breed closely related to the Siamese, with a color-point coat and blue eyes.
Siamese cat: A short-haired domestic cat breed known for a color-point coat, blue eyes, and a slender build. The Balinese shares its color-point pattern, blue eyes, and much of its ancestry with this breed.
Siamese breeding: The selective breeding of Siamese cats for particular appearance, lineage, and temperament. Long-haired kittens appeared within Siamese breeding lines and became the foundation of the Balinese.
Oriental Longhair: A long-haired cat breed with a broad range of coat colors and patterns, developed from Oriental Shorthairs. Unlike the Balinese, it is not restricted to the Siamese color-point pattern.
Cat breed standard: A formal description of the physical traits and sometimes temperament expected of a recognized cat breed. Standards specify the Balinese’s body shape, coat, color points, and eye color.
Color-point cat: A cat whose darker extremities contrast with a paler body because pigment production varies with temperature. This inherited pattern gives the Balinese its characteristic contrast of pale body and darker points.
Helen Smith: An American cat breeder credited with naming and promoting the Balinese breed in the 1950s. Smith helped establish the breed as distinct and gave it its name.
Javanese cat: A long-haired, color-pointed cat breed whose classification varies among cat registries. Some registries treat Javanese as a separate breed, while others include it within Balinese classifications.
Cat grooming: Routine care of a cat’s coat, skin, claws, ears, and teeth. The Balinese’s silky coat generally needs less maintenance than many long-haired breeds.
Tyrosinase: An enzyme involved in melanin production, with temperature-sensitive variants affecting pigmentation in some cats. A temperature-sensitive form helps produce the Balinese color-point pattern.
Marion Dorsey: An American breeder who helped develop and promote the Balinese cat in the mid-twentieth century. Dorsey was among the breeders who organized the Balinese as a distinct breed.