Your guide to finding and caring for a Balinese in Omaha
A Balinese suits an Omaha apartment or an older Midtown house, as long as someone's home to talk with it. These clever, chatty cats love a window to watch, and a converted Hanscom Park flat or a Blackstone apartment along Farnam Street gives them plenty of street life to follow. Expect a cat that trails you from room to room and answers back. They're quieter than Siamese but still opinionated. Add a tall cat tree by the glass and a few puzzle toys, and a Balinese settles in fast.
Fall for a Balinese
M, 0-6 mo., 455 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
F, 0-6 mo., 455 miles
Siamese
F, 3 mo., 459 miles
Siamese
F, 2 y., 459 miles
Siamese, Snowshoe
F, 7 mo., 459 miles
Snowshoe, Siamese
F, 14 y., 459 miles
Snowshoe
F, 1 y., 460 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
M, 2 y., 460 miles
Siamese
F, 6 mo., 460 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
M, 3 mo., 460 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
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 and named for the graceful movement of Balinese dancers. Look for vivid blue eyes, a slender body, a colorpoint pattern 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 social, playful and curious, with a softer voice than a Siamese. The coat has no dense undercoat, so grooming is easy, but these cats usually want daily interaction. In Omaha, a cat that spends long workdays alone may get bored and noisy, so company and play matter more than square footage. Personalities vary, especially in adult cats.
Having a Balinese in Omaha
Balinese are social, quick-witted cats with a silky, low-maintenance coat. Their needs center on company, daily play, vertical space and regular veterinary attention to eyes, liver and teeth, which suits an indoor life in Omaha's apartments and houses.
Many Balinese bond closely with their people, follow them from room to room and comment in a softer voice than most Siamese. They're clever and playful, and they often get along with considerate children and pets. Some get clingy or bored alone, which matters in Omaha households that empty out on weekdays. Adult cats vary, so notice how each cat behaves.
Several short play sessions a day usually suit a Balinese better than one long one. Wand toys, fetch, puzzle feeders and a tall cat tree by a window all work. Omaha's long, freezing winters keep cats indoors for months, so rotate toys and add climbing space to burn off energy.
Siamese-related lines can be prone to progressive retinal atrophy, liver amyloidosis, dental disease and crossed eyes, which is usually harmless. Not every Balinese develops these problems. Schedule a full veterinary exam soon after adopting, keep up dental care, and see a vet promptly for vision changes, weight loss or poor appetite. Nebraska law requires rabies vaccination.
Balinese do well in Omaha apartments, condos and older houses alike, provided they have cat trees, window perches or shelves. Staying indoors also keeps them away from the coyotes reported in neighborhoods such as Dundee and Waterford. An empty, dull home matters 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* | $472 to $1,210 per year | $472 to $1,210 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,222 to $2,760 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, flea prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and cat trees, minimal grooming for a single coat, and the yearly Omaha cat license.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Omaha.
Omaha's rescue community includes an open-admission shelter and foster-based groups that help cats and kittens find adoptive homes. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Omaha area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Balinese is coming in.
Yes, a Balinese suits Omaha well if you're home often and keep it indoors. Long winters mean plenty of couch-and-window time, which these social cats enjoy, and a cat tree by a sunny window goes a long way. Plan for spring storm season with a carrier ready, and expect a chatty cat that wants company after work.
Yes, a Balinese can live comfortably in an Omaha apartment, from Midtown Crossing condos to older Hanscom Park buildings. It needs vertical space more than floor space, so add a cat tree, a window perch and wall shelves. Balinese are chatty, so expect some talking in the evenings, which matters in buildings with thin walls.
Yes, if they live indoors. A silky single coat gives little insulation, but a heated home, blankets and a sunny perch keep a Balinese comfortable. Omaha can stay below zero for days, as it did for 63 hours in February 2021 when rolling blackouts hit Nebraska, so keep spare blankets, a covered bed and a warm interior room ready in case power fails.
Yes, but only in a carrier. Metro buses and ORBT require pets to ride in a carrier, which can sit on your lap or the floor but not on a seat, and it can't block the aisle or exits. A Balinese typically weighs 5 to 10 pounds, so a sturdy, ventilated carrier works well. Omaha has no subway.
Not often. A Balinese has a silky single coat with no dense undercoat, so brushing about once a week is usually enough, with a few extra sessions in spring and fall. Dry indoor air in Omaha winters can cause static, so a light comb helps. Professional grooming is rarely needed, so it adds little to the Other costs.
Yes, you can own a Balinese in Omaha. The City's breed-specific rules apply to certain dogs, and no known breed restrictions apply to cats. You'll need to license your cat by 4 months of age, or within 30 days of moving to Omaha, keep rabies vaccination current, and stay within the five-cat household limit.
Probably not. Omaha's patio allowance covers leashed dogs at venues with Douglas County Health Department approval, and indoor dining rooms are off-limits to pets. A Balinese is also happier at home, napping on a favorite perch, than in a noisy, crowded restaurant. Plan on carrier trips for the vet instead of dining out.
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.
Plan on roughly $1,200 to $2,800 a year for a Balinese in Omaha. Food runs $25 to $50 a month and insurance $25 to $50. Routine vet care is $150 to $350 a year, and other costs such as litter, flea prevention, dental care, supplies and the city license add $472 to $1,210.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Omaha.
