HISTORY OF JAVANESE CATS

The Javanese are the tabby or lynx-point relatives of the Balinese in the registry known as CFA (Cat Fanciers of America). Therefore, like the Balinese, they derive from pure Siamese ancestry. They are in fact a long hair mutation of Siamese cats which occurred naturally both in England and America. When these long hair Siamese were found among Siamese offspring, they were often quietly sold as pets since the Siamese are known for their short hair.

The first long hair Siamese was registered with CFF (Cat Fanciers Federation) in 1928. The name "Balinese" was given because of the breed's graceful appearance and its luxurious coat with a flowing tail plume as well as the intelligence and refinement of the Siamese. It wasn't until the 1940's that the long hair Siamese breed called Balinese was promoted. Finally they were given Championship status in CFF in 1961 and in CFA in 1970.

The Javanese are even more recent than the Balinese. Some appeared in litters of Siamese bred to Domestic Shorthairs, when the red, lynx and torti-point colors were introduced into either the Siamese or the Balinese breeds. The Balinese traditionally (in CFA), like the CFA Siamese,  come in the four original colors of lilac point, chocolate point, blue point and seal point. The Javanese were first registered in 1979. The name "Javanese" derives from the next island over from Bali. They  achieved Championship competition status in May 1986. The Balinese and Javanese are known for their long hair lying close to the body, flowing along the cat's body lines, and longest on the tail which presents as a proud plume.The coat is silky, and non-matting. These cats shed less than their Siamese relatives, and are easy to groom and maintain .

Besides being low-maintenance cats, they have a people-oriented personality and enjoy, even seek out, human companionship. Some retrieve paper wads and balls. They act like dogs more than cats in other aspects of their nature. They come when called by name and,  compared with the Siamese, their voice is softer and more mellow sounding to the human ear. The Javanese have the advantage over the Balinese in that they come in many colors and feature tabby or lynx markings on the mask, legs, and tail where the colors present. The body itself for both breeds is white to cream colored.

History of Javanese & Balinese Cats | Pictures of Javanese & Balinese Cats