Short history:

In the early 1930’s, Dr. Joseph Thompson of San Francisco acquired an attractive walnut-brown female from Burma which he named Wong Mau. Through selective breeding to Siamese, it was established that the Burmese is a distinct breed. Wong Mau turned out to be quite literally the mother of a new breed. And the result was definitely worth it.

Appearance:

Burmese cats are often described as ‘bricks wrapped in silk’, because of their dense muscular built. They often appear lighter than they are. They have a stunning short, soft, low-maintenance coats which can have a variety of colors. Depending on the register however, some colors are not allowed. Sable, champagne, blue and platinum are the most commonly accepted colors. However, others include lilac, red, cream and chocolate, plain or tabby marked. Their incredible big eyes are generally yellow or gold, but because of their Siamese background they can be green or blue, although this is often not accepted in a show cat. They often have round faces, and the big eyes make their face very expressive and attractive. Their soft coats don’t need more than a daily petting to stay in good condition.

Temperament:

Burmese cats are very playful and people-oriented. They love ‘helping out’ around the house and they are more than happy to keep you company while you work from home. They love lying on your lap while you watch TV. They will gladly join you in a game or two, or make up their own game while you sit out this round. Since they are very intelligent, it is easy to teach them tricks such as the game ‘fetch’. They are very gentle in nature and vocal if encouraged. They will gladly have an in dept discussion with you about whatever is on your mind. Their voices are softer though, than Siamese cats, and they are less pushy in their needs. They will easily adapt to a busy household with kids and even a family dog.

They do need attention, however, much like a Siamese. These are very social creatures and although they are more than capable of being on their own for a couple of hours, they do prefer you being there. So if you are away a lot, get two cats, so they can keep each other company and prepare to be cuddled when you get home.

Because of their gentle nature, they are incredibly suited for the life indoors. It is said that the hunting drive and survival skills of the common cat have been bred out of them, though other sources state that a Burmese is fierce enough to defend itself from other cats. I would suggest though to keep this breed indoors. They are beautiful, which makes them vulnerable to thieves; gentle, which makes them vulnerable to other animals being territorial and starvation if not tended to; and naïve which makes them vulnerable to cars. Besides, they enjoy the life indoors just fine, so there is no need to introduce them to the dangers of the outdoors. Their only weapon left, really, are those big eyes which kitty aims at your to get its food in time. This will hardly stop a car, though.

In short: if you are looking for a very playful but gentle, low-maintenance, people-loving indoor cat, than the Burmese Cat might just be right for you.