Burmese Cat
Burmese are slim active cats with short silky coats and golden eyes. The Burmese cat is thought to have originated in south-east Asia during the Middle Ages. The history of the modern breed began around 1930 when a retired US Navy psychiatrist (Joseph Thompson) brought his pet, a brown female cat called Wong Mau, home to the US from his station in Burma (Myanmar). Dr. Thompson claimed that Wong Mau was representative of a new breed and started a breeding program involving a seal point Siamese. Other breeders and geneticists came to his help and as a result of their efforts the Burmese became the first purebred breed to be developed entirely in the US. The majority of Wong Mau’s descendants retained her overall dark brown coloring but some had Siamese coloring (lighter color with darker points) and some had a darker coloring with even darker points. This last group was later independently developed into the Tonkinese breed. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) recognized the Burmese in 1936 but later withdrew recognition in 1947 because of the number of out-crosses to Siamese that were made to maintain the breed. The Burmese was re-instated by the CFA in 1958 when they recognized the sable (dark brown) variety while the British recognized them in 1952.
Burmese Cat Pictures
| Cat size | Medium |
| Exercise | Quite active requiring some exercise |
| Grooming | Minimal grooming - combing once per week |
| Temperament | Affectionate, playful and inquisitive |
Characteristics
Burmese are medium-sized slim and active cats with a muscular frame that feel heavier than they look. Male Burmese can weigh up to 12 pounds and female up to 8 pounds. Burmese have a rounded head that tapers to a blunt wedge with medium-sized ears spaced well apart. Their eyes are large and round and set far apart. The color is yellow-gold except for the blue color variety for which the eyes can have a slight hint of green in the gold color. The soft, silky short coat comes in four shades: sable, champagne, blue and platinum.
Color Varieties
There are many color varieties of Burmese and most are recognized around the world. However, the CFA recognizes only the following four color varieties.
- Sable is a warm rich deep brown shading to a lighter hue on the underparts.
- Champagne is a warm milk chocolate or honey beige shading to a golden tan underneath.
- Blue is a silver gray shading to a slightly lighter hue underneath.
- Platinum is a pearl gray or pale dove gray with a slightly pinkish shading (Lilac in Britain) with almost imperceptible shading to a slightly lighter hue on the underparts.
Temperament
The Burmese are exceptionally sweet tempered cats that adore their humans and want to be involved in everything they are doing. They will follow their people around to give and receive attention. These are intelligent and charming cats that get along well with children and dogs, if introduced at an early age. Some have a tendency to jealousy if other later introduced pets and children are getting too much attention. Burmese are affectionate, active, playful and inquisitive. They love to be stroked and cuddled and will usually end up in your bed. These are indoor cats and have few mechanisms for coping outdoors. This breed is not as loud or demanding as the Siamese but nonetheless will run your household and demand their fair share of attention. Burmese can be quite talkative and can be taught to retrieve objects. Burmese can even be taught to enjoy traveling in a car. If you have to leave your Burmese alone for periods of time, then plan on getting two cats and they will enjoy playing together until you get home.
Cat Care
Burmese are very healthy and known for their longevity. They should live for 15 to 20 years if given sufficient exercise and a healthy diet. The short soft and silky coat requires minimal grooming beyond a weekly comb and frequent stroking.
