Burmese Cats - A Breed Profile

History: The ancestors of today's Burmese cats were bred by Dr. Joseph Thompson in San Francisco. He bred a dark brown female cat from Burma with a Siamese male in an attempt to duplicate the female's characteristics. The first cats that were recognized as the breed Burmese were dark colored sables. As lighter colors were produced with select breeding to Siamese cats, status was granted to the lighter colored kittens as Burmese also. Today there are four colors of Burmese accepted by the Cat Fanciers' Association: sable, champagne, blue and platinum. More colors are accepted in Europe.

Appearance: Burmese cats are heavy for their size. They have compact bodies, round heads, and short, silky smooth fur. Colors can vary with the sable being a rich walnut brown, the champagne a tan with darker points, the blue a rich gray, and the platinum almost white with gray points. The eyes of purebred Burmese cats are always yellow or gold, and are large and very expressive. The ears are pointy, large, and wider apart than with many other breeds.

Personality: Burmese cats love people and being in charge! Your pet Burmese will want to follow you around and be with you most all the time. They love giving and receiving affection. Some people say that their Burmese rules the household! Burmese cats are quite vocal and have a pleasant voice. They will enjoy talking with you. Their curious nature will have them into everything so make sure that your house is cat proof. Exploring cupboards and climbing bookshelves are stimulating activities for your playful Burmese kitten. Burmese cats usually enjoy children and other cats. It is important that these social, intelligent cats have plenty of attention and intellectual stimulation. Although these are common characteristics of this breed, it is important to remember that each cat is an individual and will have its own personality. As your cat grows and gets to know you better, pay attention to find out what it likes and dislikes, and how it interacts with you and its environment. This will help you to bond with your pet and to meet his or her unique needs as he or she grows.

Care: Burmese cats are easy to care for. Their short, velvet-like fur requires no special care and bathing is in general unnecessary. Like all cats, the Burmese needs a steady supply of clean water and a high quality cat food. It is important that you provide a clean litter box. If you have more than one cat, make sure that you have enough litter boxes to meet their needs and that they are cleaned regularly. Some cats refuse to share a litter box, and dirty litter boxes can lead to sick cats. Take your cat to the vet regularly and keep his or her immunizations up to day. It is best to keep your Burmese cat indoors because they are not well equipped to deal with the dangers outside. Provide safe places for your pet to climb and run as well as quiet places for sleep and rest.