Javanese
Other names: Oriental Longhair, Mandarin
Their lustrous, silky fur and slender bodies give these beautiful cats a refined look. You won’t be able to stop yourself from falling under their sweet, pure and intense charm. Their appearance is delicate, yet they are both muscular and flexible. Only their “brothers”, Orientals, are even close to being considered their equals. However, their meowing can be infuriating... and they are generally described as difficult and loud cats.
Key facts about the Javanese
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Origins and history
This superb breed appeared in England in the fifties. After the Second World War, creative breeders crossed Siamese with existing breeds such as the British Shorthair and even domestic cats. The kittens born from this cross breeding were subsequently crossed with other Siamese. A few years later, only colour differentiated Siamese from Orientals, the latter did not have the Siamese’s "pointed" features. The wide variety of colours produced led breeders attributing breeds to all different colours of these cat, such as the brown variety being known as Havana Browns. However, far too many colours were produced to give each one a separate breed name! Thus, short-haired cats were simply named Oriental Shorthairs, and long-haired cats are known as Oriental Longhairs or Javanese/Mandarins. In 1970, both breeds started to appear in the United States.
Physical characteristics of the Javanese
Adult size
Female : Approximately 12 in
Male : Approximately 12 in
Javanese reach adult size between 9 and 12 months of age.
Weight
Female : Between 4 and 11 lb
Male : Between 7 and 13 lb
Coat colour
Black / seal, blue / grey-slate, chocolate, lilac / lilac, cinnamon / cinnamon, fawn / fawn, red/ cream, white, silver / golden / smokey / shaded / chinchilla
Caramel and Apricot coats are not recognised by all associations, but are recognised by some.
Type of coat
Mid-length
Eye colour
Intense green, blue, odd / varied for white Orientals
Description
Like all Oriental cats, Javanese are long and slender. They may look delicate, but they are in fact powerful and agile cats.
Good to know
Javanese are very similar to mid-length Orientals. In Europe, they are also known as Mandarins.
Temperament
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66%
Affectionate
These cats do love their owners’ love and attention!
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100%
Playful
Just like their short haired brothers, Javanese love to play, and will regularly ask you to play with them!
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33%
Calm
These cats are definitely not known for relaxing...they recover quickly from their play sessions and are always looking for new activities.
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100%
Intelligent
There is no doubt that these cats are very intelligent. They’ll regularly impress you with their cunning and ingenuity.
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66%
Fearful / wary of strangers
It is essential to introduce Javanese to as many people as possible while they’re young to give them the chance to get used to strangers and thus not fear them.
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33%
Independent
Independent is definitely not a word used to describe this breed...They are renowned for constantly seeking their owners’ attention. If you want a clingy cat, this breed is for you!
Behaviour of the Javanese
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Chatty
If you don’t like meowing, it might be worth investing in some earplugs with these talkative cats! They always have something to say and won’t hesitate to tell you all about it when you get back in from work.
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100%
Need for exercise / Sporty
Exercise must be an integral part of their daily lives, and they absolutely love to have their owner as a playmate!
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66%
Tendency to run away
Taking preventative measures is highly recommended! Like with all active breeds, there is a risk of them running away, as their adventurous side can sometimes get the better of them!
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66%
Greedy / Gluttony
Due to their high energy levels, you must take care to provide them with quality food and adequate portions based on their activity and weight to prevent them from overeating.
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Is the Javanese right for you?
take the testCompatibility
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66%
Javanese and cats
Javanese can easily cohabit with other Javanese or cats of a different breed as long as presentations have been made in the right way and they all have their own space, with plenty of high hiding places!
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100%
Javanese and dogs
As long as the cat is gradually introduced to his canine companion (to let them get used to each other), these two can get on like a house on fire!
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100%
Javanese and children
This relationship is often beautiful because they both can benefit. Your cat will find that they’ve met their match with a respectful child who will play with them and share in their moments of joy.
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33%
Javanese and the elderly
The quiet lifestyle of an elderly person is the antithesis of the needs of these cats. Their dissonant meowings can also be extremely irritating. Therefore this combination is not recommended.
Price
We do not have enough data to set an average price for a Javanese cat as it is a very rare cat breed. However, depending on their lineage, upbringing, age and sex, the price will vary. It will also cost around £25 a month to keep them in good health, provide them with good quality food and meet their needs.
Grooming
Maintenance of a Javanese is fairly simple, given their lack of an undercoat. Weekly brushing using a fine comb, to prevent knots from forming is usually sufficient.
Shedding
Despite their mid-length coat, they only shed a very small amount of fur. However, during their moulting periods, they can lose significant amounts of fur and require more frequent brushing.
Nutrition of the Javanese
Your vet is the most qualified person to provide you with information regarding the best food to give your Javanese to keep them healthy.
Health of the Javanese
Life expectancy
Javanese live between 10 and 20 years, with an average life expectancy of 15 years.
Strong / robust
Due to their lack of an undercoat, these cats don’t deal well with cold temperatures.
Tendency to put on weight
These cats usually expend so much energy that they have no predisposition to obesity as they burn so many calories.
Common illnesses
Progressive retinal atrophy: this disease is hereditary. It causes blindness in the affected cat over a short period of time. The disease can manifest itself at any point in the cat’s life. When it appears later in their life, it develops gradually, so that the cat has a reasonable amount of time to adapt to its blindness. However, if the cat is affected at a young age, their blindness is more severe and the cat has very little time to adapt.
Kidney amyloidosis: is also a hereditary disease, and is fortunately quite unusual. Unfortunately, the outcome is fatal. In addition, the disease is becoming more and more widespread and clinical signs commonly appear between the ages of 1 and 5 years. Renal amyloidosis can easily be confused with classic renal failure because the symptoms are very similar, but kidney amyloidosis is more devastating. There is currently no screening test for this disease, but science is constantly evolving, so it will not be long before one is found.
Javanese can also suffer from the same diseases as other domestic cats, such as oral diseases.
Reproduction
Crossbreeding with Siamese, Balinese and Orientals are permitted.