Balinese Temperament: *Energetic Exhibitionist Warm *Intelligent *Extremely Vocal "The fashion model of the cat world." The beautiful Balinese is rarely content to just sit back and look pretty, Extroverted, lively, acrobatic and athletic, this cat is no shrinking violet, but an active participant in its owners life. Head: Long, wedge shaped, tapering to a long nose Eyes: Almond shaped, set on a slant; steel-blue Ears: Large, pointed, wide at the base Body: Intermediate; muscular; sleek; long legs  Coat: Long, fine, silky; may wave where longest; lies close to the body with no downy undercoat Tail: Long, thin, gracefully plumed Patterns: Seal point, blue point, chocolate point, lilac point; also tortie point, red point, lynx point and cream point Breed History: The first Balinese appeared in a litter of Siamese- a longhaired kitten among its shorthaired siblings. Initially, the long hair was considered an unfortunate mutation. Yet more and more longhaired Siamese kittens were born- and more and more breeders set them aside as oddities. One breeder, however, Marion Dorset, was so impressed with them that she developed a breeding program of her own. Others followed suit, and by the 1960's Long Haired Siamese were appearing in shows. What to call these distinctive felines? Breeder Helen Smith of the Merry Mews Cattery came up with the purrfect solution. Bali is close to Thailand (originally called Siam)- and the elegance of the cat's movements reminded her of the graceful Balinese dancers. Thus, the breed was given the evocative name that it now enjoys. Interestingly, today's Balinese has much shorter hair than did the original members of the breed. But the plumed tail and the silky longer coat on the underbelly clearly mark the Balinese from its Siamese cousins. The beautiful Balinese is lively, extroverted, acrobatic and athletic, and is an active participant in its family's life. Additional Notes: