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Burmese

cat Breed Profile

The Burmese is a medium-sized cat but when you pick her up, she feels considerably heavier than she appears. She is a stocky cat and somewhat compact but is very muscular with heavy boning.

In this article

Attributes

Size

Weight

large: >12 lbs.

medium: 8-12 lbs.

Coat

Length

Short

Color

Sable, Champagne, Blue, Platinum, Lilac, Fawn, Red, Cream, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Tortoiseshell

Less Allergenic

No

Care

Longevity

9-13 yrs.

Needs

High, Moderate

Traits

Grooming Needs

Low

Social Needs

High, Moderate

Eye Color

Gold, Yellow

Club recognition

Associations

CFA, ACFA , FIFe, TICA

Prevalence

Common

The Burmese Cat Breed

The Burmese loves to look at the world around her and her favorite place may turn out to be a window with a sweeping view.

About the Burmese

The Burmese is a medium-sized cat but when you pick her up, she feels considerably heavier than she appears. She is a stocky cat and somewhat compact but is very muscular with heavy boning.

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Burmese personality

Younger Burmese are active, curious cats, and adapt easily to changes. However as they get older, some Burmese can become a bit too placid, preferring to watch rather to get involved in activities.

At any age, they love to look at the world around them and their favorite place may often turn out to be a window where they can observe the world outside. Burmese cats are very comfortable with other Burmese, but they may not get along as well with other breeds.

What to expect

Burmese are good climbers and jumpers and should have cat trees and perches. The Burmese is a sturdy, stocky cat and her nutrition should be watched to prevent obesity, particularly if the cat does not get enough exercise.

While adult Burmese are placid cats, they also tend to be very kittenish and love their daily playtime. They love being adored by their parent, and love having their stomach rubbed and being petted. A daily petting session is a must for any Burmese.

History of the Burmese

In 1930, a cat named Wong Mau made its way from Burma to the United States with Dr. Joseph C. Thompson. This cat was deep brown in color and many fanciers thought she might be just a very dark Siamese. Dr. Thompson did not have this view, and he and other like-minded breeders decided to breed Wong Mau to determine just what breed she was. Wong Mau was the beginning of the Burmese breed.

Wong Mau's kittens appeared to prove Dr. Thompson's theory. When she was bred to a Siamese, the resulting kittens appeared to be Burmese/Siamese hybrids and pure Siamese. When the ones that looked like Burmese/Siamese hybrids were bred to each other, they produced the deep, dark Burmese kittens. The darker colored Burmese cats then bred true, showing that Wong Mau was, in fact, a hybrid of the Siamese and a dark-colored unknown cat.

Unfortunately, because this breed became so popular, hybrids began appearing in the show hall in 1947 instead of pure Burmese. Showing of hybrids was a violation of the show rules of the Cat Fanciers' Association and, for that violation, recognition of the Burmese was withdrawn. This recognition was not restored until 1953 when the Burmese Cat Society of America assured the registries that it would not happen again.

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