Balinese Breed Standard

GENERAL: the ideal Balinese is a svelte cat with long tapering lines, very lithe but strong and muscular. The Balinese is unique with its distinct range of colors and silky coat that hides a supple and athletic body. A study of contradictions – elegant refinement, in reality firm and muscular. Excellent physical condition. Neither flabby nor bony. Not fat. Eyes clear. Balance is critical, all parts should come together in a harmonious whole, with neither too much nor too little consideration given to any one feature. Because of the longer coat the Balinese appears to have softer lines and less extreme type than their shorthaired parent breeds of similar body type.

HEAD: long, tapering wedge. Medium size in good proportion to body. The total wedge starts at the nose and flares out in straight lines to the tips of the ears forming a triangle, with no break at the whiskers. No less than the width of an eye between the eyes. When the whiskers and face hair are smoothed back, the underlying bone structure is apparent. Allowance must be made for jowls in the stud cat.

SKULL: flat. In profile, a long straight line should be felt from the top of the head to the tip of the nose. No bulge over the eyes. No dip in nose.

EARS: strikingly large, pointed, wide at base, continuing the lines of the wedge.

EYES: almond shaped. Medium size. Neither protruding nor recessed. Slanted towards the nose in harmony with lines of wedge and ears. Uncrossed.

NOSE: long and straight. A continuation of the forehead with no break.

MUZZLE: fine, wedge-shaped.

CHIN and JAW: medium size. Tip of chin lines up with tip of nose in the same vertical plane. Neither receding nor excessively massive.

BODY: medium size. Graceful, long, and svelte. A distinctive combination of fine bones and firm muscles. Shoulders and hips continue same sleek lines of tubular body. Hips never wider than shoulders. Abdomen tight. The male may be somewhat larger than the female.

NECK: long and slender.

LEGS: bone structure long and slim. Hind legs higher than front. In good proportion to body.

PAWS: dainty, small, and oval. Toes: five in front and four behind.

TAIL: bone structure long, thin, tapering to a fine point. Tail hair spreads out like a plume.

COAT: medium length, longest on the tail. Fine, silky without downy undercoat lying close to the body, the coat may appear shorter than it is.

COLOR: Body: even, with subtle shading when allowed. Allowance should be made for darker color in older cats as Balinese generally darken with age, but there must be definite contrast between body color and points. Points: mask, ears, legs, feet, tail dense and clearly defined. All of the same shade. Mask covers entire face including whisker pads and is connected to ears by tracings. Mask should not extend over top of head. No ticking or white hairs in points. Eye color: deep vivid blue.

PENALIZE: lack of pigment in the nose leather and/or paw pads in part, or in total, except as allowed in the color definitions for lynx and tortie points. Crossed eyes. Visible protrusion of the cartilage at the end of the sternum under normal handling. Soft or mushy body.

DISQUALIFY: any evidence of illness or poor health. Weak hind legs. Mouth breathing due to nasal obstruction or poor occlusion. Malocclusion resulting in either undershot or overshot chin. Emaciation. Visible kink in tail. Eyes other than blue. White toes and/or feet. Incorrect number of toes. Definite double coat (i.e., downy undercoat).

COLORS

Balinese Division

SEAL POINT: body even pale fawn to cream, warm in tone, shading gradually into lighter color on the stomach and chest. Points deep seal brown. Nose leather and Paw pads: same color as points.

CHOCOLATE POINT: body ivory with no shading. Points milk-chocolate color, warm in tone. Nose leather and Paw pads: cinnamon-pink.

BLUE POINT: body bluish white, cold in tone, shading gradually to white on stomach and chest. Points deep blue. Nose leather and Paw pads: slate-colored.

LILAC POINT: body glacial white with no shading. Points frosty grey with pinkish tone. Nose leather and Paw pads: lavender-pink.

Javanese Division

Solid Color Point Colors

RED POINT (including smoke): body clear white with any shading in the same tone as points. Points: bright apricot to deep red, deeper shades preferred, with lack of barring desirable. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh or coral pink.

CREAM POINT (including smoke): body clear white with any shading in the same tone as points. Points: pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, lack of barring desirable. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh to coral pink.

CINNAMON POINT (including smoke): body ivory with no shading. Points: light reddish brown, distinctly warmer and lighter than chocolate – the color of a cinnamon stick. Nose leather and paw pads: tan to pinkish beige.

FAWN POINT (including smoke): body glacial white with no shading. Points: light lavender with pale cocoa overtones. Nose leather and paw pads: pink and/or a light shade of dusty rose (no blue or lavender tones).

OTHER SMOKE POINT COLORS: Balinese Division base colors of seal, chocolate, blue or lilac. Nose leather and paw pads: appropriate base color.

SMOKE POINT: white undercoat, deeply tipped with color consistent with the corresponding base color of red, cream, cinnamon, fawn, seal, chocolate. blue or lilac, or any of the appropriate base colors in parti-color. Points and mask appear solidly colored, with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin, which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: appropriate base color.

Lynx Point Colors

SEAL LYNX POINT (including silver): body cream or pale fawn, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: seal brown bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears seal brown with paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: seal brown permitted, pink edged in seal brown preferred. Paw pads: seal brown.

CHOCOLATE LYNX POINT (including silver): body ivory. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: warm milkchocolate bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears warm milk-chocolate with paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: cinnamon permitted, pink edged in cinnamon preferred. Paw pads: cinnamon.

BLUE LYNX POINT (including silver): body bluish white to platinum grey, cold in tone, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: deep blue-grey bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears deep blue-grey with paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: slate- colored permitted, pink edged in slate preferred. Paw pads: slate-colored.

LILAC LYNX POINT (including silver): body glacial white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears frosty grey with pinkish tone, paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: lavender-pink permitted, pink edged in lavender-pink preferred. Paw pads: lavender-pink.

RED LYNX POINT (including silver): body white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: deep red bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears deep red, paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh or coral pink.

CREAM LYNX POINT (including silver): body clear white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: bars of pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh to coral pink.

CINNAMON LYNX POINT (including silver): body ivory. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: light reddish brown bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears cinnamon with paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: tan to pinkish beige permitted, pink edged in tan preferred. Paw pads: tan to pinkish beige.

FAWN LYNX POINT (including silver): body glacial white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: light lavender bars with pale cocoa overtones, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears fawn, paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: dusty rose permitted, pink edged in dusty rose preferred. Paw pads: dusty rose.

SEAL-TORTIE LYNX POINT (including silver): body cream or pale fawn, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body shading may take form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. Points: seal brown bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears seal brown with paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of red and/or cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: seal brown permitted, pink edged in seal brown preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: seal brown, or seal brown mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

CHOCOLATE-TORTIE LYNX POINT (including silver): body ivory. Body shading may take form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. Points: warm milk-chocolate bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears warm milk-chocolate with paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of red and/or cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: cinnamon permitted, pink edged in cinnamon preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: cinnamon, or cinnamon mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

BLUE-CREAM LYNX POINT (including silver): body bluish white to platinum grey, cold in tone, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body shading may take form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. Points: deep blue-grey bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears deep blue-grey with paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: slate-colored permitted, pink edged in slate preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: slate-colored, or slate mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

LILAC-CREAM LYNX POINT (including silver): body glacial white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears frosty grey with pinkish tone, paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: lavender-pink permitted, pink edged in lavender-pink preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: lavender-pink, or lavender-pink mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

CINNAMON-TORTIE LYNX POINT (including silver): body ivory. Body shading may take form of ghost striping and/or mottling. Points: light reddish brown bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears cinnamon with paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of red and/or cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: tan to pinkish beige permitted, pink edged in tan preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: tan to pinkish beige, may be mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

FAWN-CREAM LYNX POINT (including silver): body glacial white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping and/or mottling. Points: light lavender bars with pale cocoa overtones, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears fawn, paler thumbprint in center. Random mottling of cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: dusty rose permitted, pink edged in dusty rose preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: dusty rose, may be mottled with flesh or coral pink. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points. 

SILVER LYNX POINT: add white undercoat. Nose leather: base color permitted or edged with base color preferred. Paw pads: appropriate base color.

Parti-Color Point Colors

SEAL-TORTIE POINT (including smoke): body pale fawn to cream, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body color may be mottled with cream in older cats. Points: seal brown, randomly mottled with red and/or cream. Nose leather and paw pads: seal brown; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.

CHOCOLATE-TORTIE POINT (including smoke): body ivory, may be mottled in older cats. Points: warm milk-chocolate randomly mottled with red and/or cream. Nose leather and paw pads: cinnamon; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.

BLUE-CREAM POINT (including smoke): body bluish white to platinum grey, cold in tone, shading to lighter color on stomach and chest. Body color may be mottled in older cats. Points: deep blue-grey randomly mottled with cream. Nose leather and paw pads: slate-colored; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.

LILAC-CREAM POINT (including smoke): body glacial white; mottling, if any, in the shade of the points. Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone, randomly mottled with pale cream. Nose leather and paw pads: lavender-pink; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.

CINNAMON-TORTIE POINT (including smoke): body ivory, may be mottled in older cats Points: light reddish brown, randomly mottled with red and/or cream. Nose leather and paw pads: tan to pinkish beige; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.

FAWN-CREAM POINT (including smoke): body glacial white; mottling, if any, in the shade of the points. Points: light lavender with pale cocoa overtones, randomly mottled with pale cream. Nose leather and paw pads: dusty rose; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable.

PARTI-COLOR SMOKE POINT: see Smoke Point above.