Strange AnimalsThe Javanese cat breed is a semi-long-haired Siamese-type cat, treated by the Cat Fanciers' Association as a division of the Balinese, with a silky single coat and non-traditional point colors. In practical terms, a Javanese is a long-haired Siamese-type cat that comes in point colors beyond the traditional four (seal, blue, chocolate and lilac), including red, cream, tortie and lynx/tabby points.
It is closely related to the Siamese, Balinese, Colorpoint Shorthair and Oriental breeds.
The breed's recognition history is somewhat complicated. The Cat Fanciers' Association recognized the Javanese as a separate breed for decades, primarily to accommodate the non-traditional point colors not included in the traditional Balinese standard.
In 2008, CFA restructured its breed classifications and merged the Javanese into the Balinese category, treating the additional colors as Balinese color variants rather than a separate breed. Some other registries continue to treat the Javanese as a separate breed.
The name "Javanese" follows the geographic naming pattern established by "Balinese" both names evoke Southeast Asian islands without any actual connection to those islands. There are no native cats of this type in Java.
Origin and Development
The Javanese arose from the same long-haired Siamese genetics as the Balinese, but with the addition of coat colors beyond the traditional four Siamese colorpoints. As breeders working with Siamese-type genetics crossed Balinese with Siamese and Colorpoint Shorthair cats, they produced long-haired cats with colorpoint patterns in red, cream, tortoiseshell and tabby (lynx) point patterns. These combinations are not recognized in the traditional Balinese standard.
The name Javanese was used by breeder Helen Smith around 1950 for a different variety. The cats now called Javanese were developed by Balinese breeders in Canada and the United States, who sought CFA acceptance of their new colors from around 1978. CFA accepted them for registration in 1979, gave them provisional status in 1984 and full championship status in 1986.
The 2008 CFA merger of Javanese into Balinese reflects a recognition that the genetic distinction between the two breeds is essentially zero, the only difference is color. Whether the cat is called a Javanese (non-traditional colorpoint, semi-long coat) or a Balinese (traditional colorpoint, semi-long coat) depends entirely on color combination, not on any meaningful biological distinction.
Physical Characteristics
The Javanese is identical in body type to the Siamese, Balinese and Oriental Shorthair. The wedge-shaped head, very large ears, long tubular body and fine bone structure are shared across all four breeds.
| Characteristic | Details |
|---|---|
| Build | Long, lean, tubular, Siamese type |
| Head | Long wedge |
| Ears | Very large, wide-set |
| Eyes | Vivid blue; almond-shaped |
| Coat | Semi-long, silky, no dense undercoat |
| Points | Red, cream, tortie, lynx (tabby) points; plus traditional colors |
| Registry recognition | CFA merged it into Balinese in 2008; other registries vary |
The coat is the same silky, non-matting semi-long coat as the Balinese, a coat that flows rather than mats, requires weekly rather than daily grooming, and is significantly less maintenance-intensive than the Persian despite its length. The full tail plume is present and is one of the breed's most decorative features.
Eye color is vivid blue throughout the colorpoint range, the colorpoint gene that creates the darker points on the extremities also interacts with the iris to produce the characteristic blue coloration.
The Extended Color Range
The Javanese's primary distinction from the Balinese is its extended color range. Traditional Balinese point colors are seal, blue, chocolate and lilac. Javanese colors add:
| Point Color | Description |
|---|---|
| Red point | Deep warm orange-red points |
| Cream point | Very pale orange-cream points |
| Tortie point | Mixed red and seal or other base color points |
| Lynx (tabby) point | Striped points, visible tabby markings in the darker areas |
| Red lynx | Tabby markings in red point coloring |
| Seal lynx | Tabby markings in seal point coloring |
The lynx points, sometimes called tabby points, are particularly visually distinctive, because the tabby striping becomes visible in the colorpoint areas (face, legs, tail), while the body remains pale. The striped facial markings around the eyes and the rings on the tail give lynx-pointed cats a wilder appearance than solid-pointed colorpoints.
Temperament: Fully Siamese
The Javanese personality is Siamese in every respect. This means all the qualities that define the Siamese-type temperament: high vocalization, intense social bonding, demanding of attention, highly intelligent, playful throughout life.
The Javanese will fill any available silence with commentary. It will follow its owner from room to room, demand to be included in activities, vocalize loudly when left alone and communicate its preferences with specificity. These characteristics are not reducible and are not trainable away, they are shared with the Siamese ancestor.
For the Siamese family overview see Siamese Cat. For the short-haired extended-color version see Oriental Shorthair. For the traditional colorpoint semi-long version see Balinese Cat. For lifespan data see How Long Do Cats Live. For Javanese care see Javanese Cat Care Guide.
Health Profile
The Javanese shares the Balinese and Siamese health profile precisely. Every health concern documented in the Siamese applies equally.
| Health Concern | Details | Management |
|---|---|---|
| Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) | Heart muscle thickening | Echocardiogram screening |
| Progressive retinal atrophy | Vision loss | DNA testing where available |
| Convergent strabismus | Cross-eye; colorpoint gene effect | Veterinary assessment |
| Amyloidosis | Organ protein deposits | Monitoring |
| Dental disease | Progressive | Regular dental care |
Grooming
Weekly combing with a fine-toothed comb or slicker brush removes loose hairs and prevents the minor tangles that occasionally develop in the tail plume and around the neck ruff. The coat does not require daily attention, making the Javanese one of the more practical longhaired breeds for owners who want a beautiful coat without intensive maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
Both are semi-long-coated Siamese-type cats. The distinction is color: in CFA, Balinese covers the four traditional Siamese colorpoint colors (seal, blue, chocolate, lilac), while Javanese covers non-traditional colorpoint colors such as red, cream, tortoiseshell and lynx (tabby) points.
CFA merged Javanese into Balinese in 2008 as the Javanese Division. Some other registries treat the Javanese as a separate breed.
Lynx points, also called tabby points, are colorpoint patterns where the points (face, legs, tail) show visible tabby striping rather than solid color. The striped markings appear in the darker colorpoint areas while the body remains pale. Lynx point Javanese cats show distinctive facial markings with ‘mascara’ lines around the eyes, striped legs and ringed tails.
The pattern can combine with any base point color, seal lynx, blue lynx, red lynx and other combinations are recognized.
CFA merged the Javanese back into the Balinese as the Javanese Division in 2008 to be more consistent with the coat-color rules of other registries. The non-traditional colors are now treated as a division of the Balinese rather than a separate breed.
Yes. Javanese cats are intelligent and tend to vocalize, often for no apparent reason, which is also a trait of the Siamese ancestor. They are fond of play and human contact and can become depressed if not regularly entertained.
Javanese share the health profile of the Balinese and Siamese. Common problems include dental issues, amyloidosis, inflammatory bowel disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and eye issues.
References
- Bradshaw, J. Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet. Basic Books, 2013. ISBN 978-0465031016.
- Ferasin, L. "Feline myocardial disease 2: Diagnosis, management, and prognosis." Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2012. View source
- Turner, D.C. and Bateson, P. (eds.) The Domestic Cat: The Biology of Its Behaviour, 3rd edition. Cambridge University Press, 2013. ISBN 978-1107015968.
- Cat Fanciers' Association. "Balinese/Javanese Breed Standard." CFA.org, 2023. View source
- The International Cat Association. "Javanese Breed Standard." TICA.org, 2022. View source