Description: Javanese
The Javanese is a graceful, elegant cat breed known for its long, silky coat and striking appearance. Despite its name, the breed was developed in North America in the 1970s and is closely related to the Balinese and Siamese cats. The Javanese boasts a slender, muscular frame with a wedge-shaped head, large ears, and expressive almond-shaped eyes. Their fine, silky fur is medium-length, but lacks the dense undercoat commonly found in other long-haired breeds, resulting in minimal shedding and easy maintenance. Javanese cats are highly intelligent, playful, and affectionate, thriving on human interaction and bonding closely with their families. This breed is vocal and curious, making them wonderful companions for those who enjoy an interactive and lively pet. Javanese cats adapt well to various living environments and get along with children and other pets, making them an ideal choice for households seeking a charming and active feline friend.
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Properties
The Javanese is a striking and elegant breed of domestic cat known for its long, sleek body and luxurious, silky coat. Despite its name, the Javanese does not originate from Java, but instead was developed in North America by breeders who wanted to create a longhaired version of the Colorpoint Shorthair. The breed is essentially a longhaired Siamese with various point colors not accepted in the original Siamese breed. Boasting stunning blue almond-shaped eyes, the Javanese also features large, often flared ears and a plumed tail that complements its graceful silhouette.
The coat of the Javanese is one of its most distinctive features. It is medium in length, soft, and does not possess an undercoat, which means shedding is minimal compared to other longhaired breeds. The fine, silky hair lies close to the body and flows elegantly when the cat moves. The Javanese is recognized for its colorpoints – meaning that the ears, face mask, tail, and feet display a contrasting color to the pale body. Accepted color points include red, cream, lynx, and tortoiseshell, expanding upon the traditional Siamese palette.
In terms of personality, the Javanese is highly intelligent, social, and vocal, closely resembling the Siamese in temperament. They are curious by nature, often forming strong bonds with their human companions, and tend to follow their owners from room to room. They are excellent communicators, using a variety of vocalizations and body language to express their needs. Highly playful, active, and athletic, Javanese cats appreciate interactive toys and climbing trees, requiring both mental and physical stimulation.
Javanese are generally healthy and long-lived cats, although they can be predisposed to some of the same hereditary issues as other breeds in the Oriental family, such as respiratory or dental concerns. However, regular veterinary care and a balanced diet can ensure they remain healthy and active. Their grooming needs are minimal despite the longer coat; brushing once a week is usually sufficient to remove loose hair and prevent tangles.
In summary, the Javanese is an affectionate, intelligent, and beautiful breed with a luxurious appearance and lively personality, making it an ideal pet for those who can provide plenty of companionship and engagement.
Appearance
The Javanese cat is a striking and elegant feline, closely related to the Balinese and Siamese breeds, and renowned for its graceful, oriental appearance. Its body is medium-sized but distinctly refined, with a long, svelte frame that is both muscular and lithe, making it a fine example of feline athleticism. The legs of the Javanese are slender and proportionate, with the hind legs slightly longer than the front, giving the breed a poised and agile stance, perfect for climbing and leaping.
The head of the Javanese is triangular, forming a perfect wedge shape from the tip of the nose to the tips of the ears. The muzzle is fine and tapering, and when viewed in profile, there is a gentle continuation from the forehead to the nose without a pronounced stop. The ears are one of the most distinctive features of the breed: they are large, wide at the base, and continue the triangular lines of the head, lending the cat a uniquely alert and intelligent expression.
The eyes of the Javanese are almond-shaped, medium-sized, and slant gracefully toward the nose. The eye color is a vivid blue, which is especially prominent and striking against the paler hues of their coat. The blue eyes are one of the classic characteristics inherited from their Siamese ancestry and contribute greatly to their expressive appearance.
The coat is medium-length, fine, and lies close to the body, lacking the dense undercoat found in other long-haired breeds. This gives the Javanese a silkier texture and a flowing appearance along the body. Their plumed tail is particularly eye-catching, with long, feathery fur that fans elegantly, adding to their refined silhouette. The breed is known for its variety of solid and pointed colors, including chocolate, seal, lilac, blue, red, cream, and more–often in patterns such as tortie point or lynx (tabby) point.
Despite its delicate look, the Javanese is robust and healthy and moves with agile precision. The combination of its fine-boned structure, dazzling blue eyes, plush plumed tail, and harmonious body lines makes the Javanese truly stand out in the world of pedigree cats.
History
The Javanese cat is an elegant and sophisticated breed that is closely related to the Balinese and Siamese lines. Despite its name, the Javanese cat does not originate from the Indonesian island of Java but was named following a tradition in cat fancier circles of assigning Southeast Asian geographical names to breeds related to the Siamese. The Javanese breed was developed in North America during the mid-20th century and is a testament to the efforts of breeders aiming to diversify the range of coat colors and patterns in long-haired Siamese-type cats.
During the 1950s and 1960s, breeders in the United States and Canada began crossing Balinese cats—long-haired Siamese—with Colorpoint Shorthairs and Oriental Shorthairs. The goal was to introduce a new set of colors and patterns, particularly those not traditionally recognized in the classic Siamese or Balinese standards. While the original Balinese breed focused only on four traditional pointed colors (seal, chocolate, blue, and lilac), the Javanese incorporated additional color points such as red, cream, lynx (tabby), and tortie (tortoiseshell).
The breed's name was officially coined by Helen Smith, a cat breeder and fancier, in the 1960s. The name 'Javanese' followed the precedent set by the name 'Balinese,' aligning both breed names with island locations in Indonesia to emphasize their shared origins and relatedness, despite neither being native to those locales.
The Javanese was recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) in 1979 as a separate breed primarily based on its extended color palette and long, silky coat. However, in 2008, the CFA merged Javanese into the Balinese breed, viewing the Javanese as simply a division of Balinese rather than a distinct breed. Other organizations, like The International Cat Association (TICA), often group the Javanese within the Oriental Longhair breed.
Throughout its history, the Javanese has been appreciated for its graceful appearance, striking coat, and lively intelligence. It combines the Siamese temperament—affectionate, vocal, and active—with the exotic beauty of a long-haired, elegantly plumed tail. Today, the breed continues to be cherished for its unique blend of beauty and playful, people-oriented nature.