Breed History
As one might think, the Balinese come straight from the United States and not from Southeast Asia. Its appearance is made in the litters of Siamese, in the heart of the 1920s among American breeders. The Siamese have short hair, and therefore the vision of a cat with long or semi-long hair is challenging.
These first Balinese were sold to avoid any defects in the reproduction of the Siamese. However, beginning in 1950, an American named Marion Dorsey decided to start breeding what she considered a potential new breed. Helen Smith was at his side to help him in his task. The name Balinese was given as a reference to the dancers of Bali. The breed was recognized in 1961 by the Cat Fancier’s Federation.
