Your guide to finding and caring for a Balinese in Sioux Falls
A Balinese suits Sioux Falls best as an indoor cat with a good window. In the Cathedral Historic District, where early-1900s houses have been split into small apartments, a perch over the street gives a chatty, curious Balinese plenty to watch. They want to be part of whatever you're doing, so they fit people who are home a fair amount. With about 66 days a year that never get above freezing, a cat that chases a wand toy across the living room makes those days pass faster.
Fall for a Balinese
While we don't have enough cats near Sioux Falls, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
M, 6 mo., 1032 miles
Siamese
F, 4 y., 1032 miles
Siamese
F, 1 y., 1032 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
M, 1 y., 1032 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
M, 3 mo., 1032 miles
Siamese
F, 7 mo., 1032 miles
Siamese
F, 1 y., 1032 miles
Siamese
M, 2 y., 1032 miles
Siamese
M, 3 y., 1032 miles
Siamese
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Siamese
The Balinese is a longhaired cousin of the Siamese, and its name has nothing to do with Indonesia; it honors the graceful way Balinese dancers move. Developed in the United States in the mid-1900s, it has pointed coloring, vivid blue eyes, a slim body and a silky, plumed tail. Some are sleek and wedge-headed, others sturdier and rounder.
The coat is a single layer without a dense undercoat, so it rarely mats and sheds modestly. Personality is the bigger commitment. Many Balinese are talkative, clever and attached to their people, and they often take to fetch or puzzle feeders quickly. In Sioux Falls, where winter keeps cats inside for months, that appetite for games and company is worth planning around.
Having a Balinese in Sioux Falls
Sociable, smart and vocal, the Balinese needs daily attention more than it needs space. Expect a cat that wants perches, puzzle toys and company, a silky coat that is easy to care for, and a few inherited eye and liver conditions worth knowing about.
Many Balinese bond closely, follow their people from room to room and comment on the day in a softer voice than a Siamese. They're clever and a little clownish, and often get along with considerate children and other pets. Some get bored or clingy when alone, and adult cats vary, so a long workday may call for a feline companion.
Plan on several short play sessions a day: wand toys, fetch, puzzle feeders and a tall cat tree for climbing. Sioux Falls winters keep cats indoors for months, so rotating toys and a window perch matter. A harness-trained cat can try quiet leashed outings in milder months, though many are happiest at home.
Siamese-type cats can be prone to progressive retinal atrophy, liver amyloidosis, dental disease and crossed eyes, which is usually harmless. Not every Balinese develops these. Book a full veterinary exam soon after adopting, keep up dental care, and watch for vision changes, weight loss or appetite shifts. Sioux Falls requires rabies vaccination for cats from six months.
A Balinese does well in a small Sioux Falls apartment or a larger house, provided it has vertical space: cat trees, shelves and window perches. Company matters more than square footage. Keep it indoors, where it's safer from cold, traffic and the coyotes that live inside the city.
| 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* | $455 to $1,155 per year | $455 to $1,155 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,205 to $2,705 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, the $5 Sioux Falls license for a spayed or neutered cat, flea prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and cat trees, and minimal grooming for a 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 Sioux Falls.
These shelters and rescues care for cats of every age and personality, from playful kittens to settled adults. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Sioux Falls area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Balinese is coming in.
Yes. South Dakota law prohibits local breed-specific rules, and Sioux Falls has no breed restrictions, so a Balinese is treated like any other cat. You'll need a city license and rabies vaccination once the cat is six months old, and a household can keep four pets over six months. Landlords may still set their own limits.
Yes, as indoor cats. The Balinese's silky single coat has no dense undercoat, so it isn't built for Sioux Falls winters outdoors, where about 66 days a year stay below freezing. Indoors, offer a warm bed away from drafts, a sunny perch and plenty of play to burn off winter energy.
Yes, a Balinese can do well in a Sioux Falls apartment if it has company and climbing space. Cat trees and window perches matter more than square footage. They're talkative, so expect some noise. Many buildings charge monthly pet rent, so confirm the total monthly cost before you sign a lease.
A Balinese fits well if you're home often and want an interactive, chatty cat. Sioux Falls' long winters keep cats indoors for months, which suits a Balinese that loves games and perches. It's a weaker match if you want a quiet, low-attention pet, since these cats usually ask for daily interaction.
Very little. The Balinese has a single silky coat with no dense undercoat, so brushing a few times a month usually keeps it tidy. In Sioux Falls, dry heated air in winter can add static, so brush gently then. Grooming costs stay small and fall under the Other line in the cost table.
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 Sioux Falls. Food runs $25 to $50 a month and insurance $25 to $50 a month. Routine vet care is $150 to $350 a year, and other costs such as litter, dental care and the city license add $455 to $1,155 a year. Grooming adds little.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Sioux Falls.
