If you visit Bali you will see curious cats or kucing (Indonesian for “cats”) jumping around and sneaking to steal some food from the offerings. You may be surprised by how many cats you’ll see!
They look curious but cautious of humans, a necessary mix between domestic cats and wild felines. But they do have a peculiar trait – kinked tails.
What happened to the tails that they became short and what is the current situation with stray kittens and adult cats in Bali? We are here to shed some light on it.
How Do Bali Cats Look?
Indonesian cats have a distinctive look.
Female cats in Bali appear smaller, even adults, and remind us of large kittens, while males can grow rather tall. Their bodies are skinny and agile, and they usually have long back legs and shorter front legs.
Some of them have short or kinky tails which, by the way, never affect their balance.
They do have that characteristic judgemental look too, if you know what we mean!
They roam and mate freely which results in so many colour variations: from pitch black to tiger-coat stripes, and, unfortunately in-breeding.
Completely white cats are a rare sight in Bali and come highly appreciated by locals as a sign of sacred, good spirit.
Most of the cats in Bali are not kept indoors and they are often semi-feral and not afraid of dogs.
At the same time, cats are allowed to enter the local house, unlike dogs.
If you see a stray cat in Bali there is only a 50% chance it is friendly. In most cases, they prefer to hide away.
Cats in Bali are very clever and learn early how to hunt, jump over fences and excel at hiding. They are also very low-maintenance and eat everything they find from mice to rice.
Do Cats In Bali Have Diseases?
Domestic cats in Bali are quite healthy.
Strays often suffer from skin conditions, wounds from fighting, and lethal panleukopenia. In very rare cases cats can carry rabies too.
There are dozens of amazing vet clinics on the island where you can fully vaccinate your cat.
Why Do Bali Cats Have Short Tails? 6 Tales Of Tails
Many Indonesian cats in Bali either don’t have tails, have crooked or bent tails, or cut-off tails. What happened?
Sometimes it is simply a result of a bad accident, but there are also a few curious theories you may want to know.
Genetics
Regular Bali’s cats are most likely descendants of the true Siamese cats.
But malnutrition and recessive genetic traits cumulated over the years of inbreeding are probably the most common and plausible reasons for short tails.
Illness
Some scientists had a theory that this could be a case of Feline skeletal tuberculosis but again, it is not confirmed.
Mother Cat Lifestyle
As many of the kittens are already born with kinky tails, some locals believe that this happens because mama cats jump and hunt, and the kittens in the womb get tossed around and eventually bend their little tails.
Hunting Performance
Indonesians believed that a cat with a short tail catches mice and rats better than one with a straight tail.
So they were only keeping and feeding cats with shorter or bent tails.
Over time, evolution and genetic selection worked and the majority of cats don’t have long straight tails now.
To Tell The Difference
Some say families cut the tail short or cut it off completely to mark it as a domestic cat and to make it prettier (some people don’t like the look of a long tail).
Balinese and Indonesians believed that a cat without a tail would always come back to the house, while long-tailed cats don’t belong to anyone.
However, it is currently considered a myth rather than a true fact.
Legend
There is even a legend about an ancient princess that would put her rings on the kitten’s tails every time she took a bath, and the tail got damaged.
The story says all the island cats descended from this royal kitty. But it is only a beautiful story that is unlikely true 🙂
While this may be disturbing to some Western cultures, many Asian cultures and religions see animals, including cats, as reincarnated people paying off their karma debts and any interaction (feeding, playing, etc) with them is not really encouraged as well as attachment to them as pets.
Are Balinese Cats From Bali?
Balinese cat breed didn’t come from Bali or Indonesia, they are an American breed, but they do have a very remote Southeast Asian ancestor.
You will not see city cats of the Balinese breed walking down the street in Bali.
Javanese cats are also not from Java and are now part of the Balinese cat breed according to their world classification.
They resulted from the breeding of the Siamese cats by the breeders in the West. True Siamese, Balinese and Javanese cat breeds are known for their beautiful long-haired silky coat and playful and loving personalities.
Does Bali Have Wild Cats?
A long time ago, many beautiful wild Sunda leopard cats aka ‘root tiger’ or belacan and tigers lived in Bali’s tropical forests.
Many people believe that domesticated cats on the island may be the descendants of all small feline predators once roaming the jungles.
Currently, the wildlife in Bali is not as abundant as in some more remote islands of Indonesia like Borneo and tigers have been completely extinct in Bali since 1937.
Helping Cats In Bali
Cat lovers are welcome to help local cats with food and health issues.
Not all local families are able to properly care for their pets and with so many unneutered animals, the stray population keeps growing and that large number is not closely monitored.
Local rescue centres are always full with some hosting more than 500 animals at a time.
You can take it into your own hands and foster or adopt a kitten if you live in Bali long-term or you can donate to any organisation helping animals.
Cats Foundations To Visit And Donate:
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The Odd Cat Bali Center (boarding, cafe and cats rescue centre).
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Villa Kitty – the largest and oldest initiative in Bali.
Can You Take Bali Cats IN Or OUT of Indonesia?
Unfortunately, Bali is considered a rabies zone and no pet animals can leave the island. Even though dog bites cause the absolute majority of the cases, cats are still not allowed to be taken away.
It doesn’t matter if it is a rescued cat or a kitten from a reputable breeder with all the paperwork.
This is why we strongly encourage you to only adopt a kitten or an adult cat if you plan to stay in Bali permanently or will be able to place your furry friend in a pet hotel if you go on a short vacation.
The same rule makes Bali not pet-friendly if you want to bring your cat with you from your home country. It is not legal and if the smuggled animal is found, it will be put to sleep. We don’t recommend risking your beloved pet’s life.
Final Thoughts
Bali is a paradise not only for people but for feline hunters. Cats in Bali are enjoying the good weather, freedom and abundance of small prey.
And their short tails are of no inconvenience for them!
If you love cats, make sure to visit some of the rescue centres and help with what you can. And have a pouch with some snacks to feed some strays you see on your walks.
At the same time, be mindful of their feral nature and risks of rabies (even though extremely low) and avoid close contact if possible.
Also read:
Animals In Bali: Your Guide To All The Animals And Their Natural Environments On The Island
Bali Dogs: Everything You Need To Know About Stray Dogs & Kintamani Dogs In Bali
Monkeys In Bali: Where To Meet Them, How To Treat Them, & More
