Your guide to finding and caring for a Balinese in Charleston
Balinese cats fit well in Charleston's East End, where brick two-family homes and mid-rise apartment buildings give a curious cat plenty of windows to watch from. They're chatty, playful and happy to follow you from room to room, so they suit people who are home a good part of the day. A Balinese wants a cat tree by the window, a few short play sessions daily, and someone to talk to when you get home.
Fall for a Balinese
While we don't have enough cats near Charleston, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
M, 4 mo., 983 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
M, 4 mo., 983 miles
Siamese
M, 4 mo., 983 miles
Snowshoe, Siamese
F, 1 y., 983 miles
Siamese
M, 3 mo., 983 miles
Siamese
F, 3-7 y., 998 miles
Siamese
F, 3-7 y., 998 miles
Siamese
F, 3-7 y., 998 miles
Siamese
F, 0-6 mo., 1017 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
F, 0-6 mo., 1017 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 the colorpoint pattern, vivid blue eyes, a slender body and a plumed tail. Both a modern, wedge-headed type and a sturdier traditional type exist.
The silky coat is a single layer with no dense undercoat, so brushing a few times a month usually keeps it tidy, which suits a small apartment. Temperament is the bigger commitment: many Balinese are bright, social and talkative, and they enjoy puzzle toys, fetch and high perches. Adult cats vary, so spend time with a cat before deciding.
Having a Balinese in Charleston
Balinese pair Siamese brains with an easy-care silky coat. In a Charleston home, the traits that matter most are the need for company, active play, inherited eye and liver concerns, and a love of high perches.
Many Balinese bond closely, follow their people from room to room and chat in a softer voice than most Siamese. They're clever and clownish, and they usually get along with considerate children and pets. Some get clingy or bored when alone, which matters if your workdays run long. Personalities vary, especially among adult cats.
Balinese are typically active, so plan several short play sessions a day with wand toys, fetch and climbing. Puzzle feeders and rotating toys keep a clever mind busy. On snowy or icy Charleston days, indoor play carries the whole load, so a tall cat tree and a few shelves help.
Siamese-line cats can be prone to progressive retinal atrophy, liver amyloidosis, dental disease and crossed eyes, which is usually harmless. Not every Balinese develops these. Schedule a full veterinary exam after adopting, keep up dental care, and mention vision changes or weight loss to the vet promptly.
A Balinese does well in a Charleston apartment or a house as long as it has stimulation. Cat trees, window perches and shelves give it the vertical space it craves. An empty, dull home matters more than square footage, so it's best indoors with people around much of the day or a compatible feline companion.
| 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* | $450 to $1,150 per year | $450 to $1,150 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,200 to $2,700 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, 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 Charleston.
The Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association has served Charleston since 1935, and its adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccines and a microchip. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Charleston area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Balinese is coming in.
Yes, a Balinese can do well in a Charleston apartment, since these cats care more about stimulation than square footage. Give it a tall cat tree, window perches and daily play, and expect some chatter. Landlords set their own pet policies, so get any pet fee or deposit terms in writing before you sign a lease.
It can be, if you're home a fair amount and enjoy a chatty, playful cat. Charleston's ice storms and power outages call for a warm indoor backup plan, and July 4 fireworks can unsettle noise-shy cats. Balinese dislike long stretches alone, so a demanding schedule may suit a second, compatible cat.
Yes, no known Charleston rule singles out Balinese or limits how many cats a household keeps. The city's two-dog household limit applies only to dogs. Balinese are uncommon, so watch the listings on this page and save a search to hear when one is listed.
Yes, as indoor cats they handle Charleston winters well. Lows around 28°F and roughly 31.5 inches of snow a year are easy to ride out inside, though the single coat gives little insulation, so offer warm beds. Ice storms can knock out power, so keep blankets, water and a carrier ready.
Very little. Brushing a few times a month keeps the silky single coat tidy, and it rarely mats. Charleston's humidity and changing seasons don't change that. Grooming is a minor line within the yearly Other costs, alongside litter, flea prevention and dental care, so most owners won't need regular professional grooming.
No, KRT buses don't allow pets, and Charleston has no subway or light rail. Service animals are covered by federal law. For vet visits, plan on a car ride with a secure carrier, ideally one with a cover so a chatty, curious Balinese feels calmer.
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.
Plan on roughly $1,200 to $2,700 a year for a Balinese in Charleston: $25 to $50 a month for food, $25 to $50 a month for insurance, $150 to $350 for routine vet care, and $450 to $1,150 for other costs such as litter and dental care. Grooming is minimal for the single coat.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Charleston.
