Burmese Cats

If you love the large expressive eyes of a Persian, but you don't relish the coat care involved in keeping one, Burmese cats are a lovely alternative to consider.

Burmese cats have a beauty all their own, epitomized by their very large, rich golden eyes, which peer at you from an attractively rounded head covered in deep sable fur. One look at a Burmese, and it's hard to look away. They are simply hypnotizing.

Roundness is indeed a hallmark of the breed, as show specimens are also quite compact and full figured. In fact, lifting a Burmese is rather like lifting the proverbial "ton of bricks" as these cats are solidly packed.

As mentioned, the sable brown coat is the desired color of the breed, however, sometimes lighter colors are thrown due to the Burmese's origins . This is because all Burmese lines today stem from a single female, Wong Mau, a lighter sable brown cat that was bred to a Siamese stud in an attempt to breed a line of cats resembling herself.

Selective breeding of the offspring, and removal of more dilute colors from the program resulted in establishing the true Burmese type, however dilutes still popped up in litters from time to time. Once barred as undesirable, these dilutes are now accepted in the breed, and some breeders actually specialize in producing these colors.

Dilute colors include:

• Blue
• Champaign
• Platinum

As lovely as Burmese cats are to look at, most owners will tell you it's the Burmese personality that keeps its admirers enthralled.

If you're looking for a cat that will be completely devoted to you without sacrificing its own free will, then look no further. Burmese are known for being extremely affectionate and seem to feel it's their duty to keep their human companions entertained. It's not unheard of for some of these amazing felines to learn to play fetch, and if you're not in the mood to join in that's perfectly fine. These cats can amuse themselves, and are glad to let you sit back and observe the fun.

Be forewarned though, this breed can also be quite stubborn once they've set their minds on something, and you will be hard put to persuade them otherwise.

It could be considered a plus or a minus, depending on how you look at it, but Burmese are also very dependent on their owners to look after them. These cats stand a lesser than average chance of survival if they accidentally escape and become lost, and are definitely not the type of cat you turn outdoors for a romp around the neighborhood on their own.

Generally speaking Burmese are quite healthy, although the breed does have a higher than average rate for diabetes. Like its Siamese ancestors, Burmese kittens can be prone to respiratory infections, and cardiomyopathy.

Beautiful, intelligent, willful and entertaining are all words used to describe this wonderful breed of cat. If you're looking for a cat that really wants your attentions, then a Burmese may fit into your life quite nicely. However, if you prefer the average feline personality that is more or less self-sufficient, preferring to bestow affection on their own terms, then Burmese cats probably aren't the breed for you.

• The Cat Fancier's Association breed profile and standard for Burmese.
• National Alliance of Burmese Breeders Rescue Program

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