Your guide to finding and caring for a Balinese in Des Moines
A Balinese suits a Des Moines apartment well, especially one with tall windows. Picture a converted Victorian in Sherman Hill, where a window perch over the street keeps a curious, chatty cat busy for hours. Balinese want company more than square footage, so they do best with someone home often or a feline friend. Winters here are long, which makes wand toys and puzzle feeders part of the daily routine from November on. The silky coat needs only occasional brushing.
Fall for a Balinese
While we don't have enough cats near Des Moines, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
M, 3-7 y., 175 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
F, 3-7 y., 176 miles
Siamese
M, 0-6 mo., 176 miles
Siamese, Tabby
F, 5 mo., 177 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
M, 2 mo., 177 miles
Siamese
M, 1 y., 184 miles
Siamese
F, 1 y., 184 miles
Siamese
M, 10 y., 189 miles
Siamese
F, 0-6 mo., 192 miles
Siamese
F, 3-7 y., 192 miles
Siamese
Despite the name, the Balinese has no link to Indonesia. It's essentially a longhaired Siamese, developed in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s from longhair kittens born in Siamese litters, and named for the graceful movement of Balinese dancers. It has the Siamese colorpoint pattern and vivid blue eyes, a slender body, and a silky single coat that ends in a plumed tail. A modern wedge-headed type and a sturdier traditional type both exist.
Many Balinese are bright, social and playful, and they want a hand in whatever their people are doing. They're usually a bit quieter than Siamese but still chatty. With no dense undercoat, grooming is easy, though these cats typically want daily interaction and don't enjoy long stretches alone.
Having a Balinese in Des Moines
Balinese are social, clever cats with a silky coat that's easy to keep up. In Des Moines, the main things to plan for are daily play, company during the day, and an indoor routine that holds up through long winters.
Many Balinese bond closely with their people, follow them from room to room and chat in a softer voice than most Siamese. They're curious, clever and often clownish. In a Des Moines apartment that attention can be a joy, though some get clingy or bored when alone all day. Personalities vary, especially in adult cats.
Balinese usually like climbing, chasing wand toys and even learning fetch. With winters keeping cats indoors for months, plan several short play sessions a day, plus puzzle feeders and rotating toys. A tall cat tree beside a window gives a Balinese a place to climb and watch the snow fall.
Siamese-related lines can be prone to progressive retinal atrophy, liver amyloidosis, dental disease and crossed eyes, which is usually harmless. Not every cat develops these problems. Schedule a full veterinary exam soon after adopting, keep up dental care, and see a vet promptly about vision changes or weight loss.
A Balinese can do well in a downtown loft, a one-bedroom near Drake or a bungalow in Beaverdale. What matters is vertical space, such as cat trees, shelves and window perches, plus company much of the day. A dull, empty home tends to matter more than square footage.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $465 to $1,165 per year | $465 to $1,165 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,215 to $2,715 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, the $15 Des Moines license for a spayed or neutered cat, flea prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and cat trees, and occasional brushing for the single coat.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Des Moines.
Des Moines has a long-established network of shelters and rescues that help cats find new homes. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Des Moines area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Balinese is coming in.
Yes, Balinese can handle winter in Des Moines as indoor cats. Their silky single coat has no undercoat, so they feel the cold. Expect about 128 freezing nights a year and January lows in the low teens. Keep the home warm, offer a padded bed away from drafts, and keep the cat inside, especially during arctic cold snaps.
Yes, a Balinese can live happily in a Des Moines apartment. Vertical space matters more than square footage, so add a tall cat tree, wall shelves and a window perch. Plan daily play, puzzle feeders and company, since a bored Balinese can turn clingy. Before signing a lease, get the landlord's pet terms in writing.
A Balinese fits Des Moines well if you're home a fair amount or can offer a second cat for company. Long winters mean plenty of indoor time, which suits a playful, people-focused cat. It's a weaker match if you're away most days. Plan wand-toy sessions morning and evening, and budget for dental care and a vet exam.
No, pets other than service animals aren't allowed on DART buses, and the rules list no exception for carriers. Des Moines has bus service rather than a subway, so a Balinese can't ride along. Plan vet trips by car or with a friend, and use a sturdy carrier with a secure latch.
Not often. A Balinese has a single, silky coat with no dense undercoat, so brushing a few times a month usually prevents tangles, with a little extra during heavier shedding. Grooming adds very little to yearly costs. Regular nail trims and dental care matter more for keeping a Balinese comfortable and healthy.
No, Balinese cats are not hypoallergenic. Claims that they produce less of the main cat allergen, Fel d 1, are widely repeated but not supported by solid research. Their single coat sheds less than many longhaired breeds, which some allergic people find easier. Reactions vary between people and cats, so spend time with the individual cat before adopting.
Balinese is usually pronounced BAH-lih-neez, with the stress on the first syllable, the same way people say the word for something from Bali. Some people say BAL-ih-neez instead, and both are understood. The name was chosen to evoke the grace of Balinese dancers, not because the cats come from Bali.
Balinese cats shed, but usually less than you might expect from a longhaired cat. Their fine, silky coat has no dense undercoat, so it sheds lightly year-round with modest seasonal increases. The coat rarely mats. Brushing or combing once or twice a week removes loose hair and helps reduce hairballs.
A Balinese is a longhaired version of the Siamese cat, with the same colorpoint pattern, blue eyes and slender build. It was developed in the United States from longhaired kittens born in Siamese litters. Balinese have a silky, single coat and a plumed tail. Many are intelligent, social and talkative, and they bond closely with their families.
Expect roughly $1,200 to $2,700 a year for a Balinese in Des Moines. That covers food at $25 to $50 a month, insurance at $25 to $50 a month, routine vet care at $150 to $350 a year, and other costs such as litter, dental care, flea prevention, supplies and the city license at $465 to $1,165 a year.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Des Moines.
