Where did the Javanese breed name come from?
The Javanese cat does not originate from Java! When early breeders were trying to get breed recognition for their Javanese kittens, they were asked by the CFA to come up with a name that was different to Balinese and that could be specific to this kind of cat. Javanese was decided on because the Javanese cat developed out of the Balinese breed, so this new breed was named after Java, the island next door to Bali. The ‘other’ Javanese cat – The Oriental Longhair Confusion arises because in Europe (but not in the UK) the Javanese name is sometimes applied to Oriental Longhair cats. Orientals have the same body-type as Siamese cats, long and slender. The Longhair variety has the same long, silky coat as other Siamese-derived long-haired cats. Classic Red Tabby Oriental Longhair photo: Kame | Creative Commons However, these cats are one-colored (known in breed-speak as ‘self-colored’), meaning that their bodies and their points are the same color no distinction between the two. Oriental co
