Burmese Cat Breed

The Burmese is a shorthair cat with a sweet dsiposition, very active, intelligent, affectionate and loyal. They are capable of performing tricks and get on well both with other cats and with dogs.

As with the Siamese, however, nobody knows the true origin of the Burmese. The Burmese breed was established in 1930 in the United States by a Dr J. Thompson who took a brown cat, a female, from Rangoon in Burma to San Francisco. The cat was mated with a Siamese tom. Because people in the United States had never seen a cat this color, it was originally thought that it was a dark Siamese.

The American Burmese is less Oriental-looking than the European descendants. Both are graceful cats, possessing much of the Siamese beaty but less of the Siamese tendency to nervousness.

Burmese have characteristics, slightly elongated wedge-shaped heads, but not as exaggerated as the Siamese. The head is rounder in American Burmese, and less so in the European but with slightly more rounded top. The body is short and heavy for such an elegant animal. Both types have fine, sleek, glossy coats—a feature of the breed and a good indicator of general health. The first Burmese cats were rich brown fur color known as sable.

Fur Colors and Patterns

Young Burmese kittens of all varieties tend to be quite pale in color and may also display slight tabby markings.

Alhthough the first Burmese were brown (known as sable in the US), Chocolate, Blue, and Lilac kittens soon appeared. The Red, Cream and Tortie varieties are more recent additions. They were created in the UK by crossbreeding with Red Point Siamese and red domestic cats. The latest additions to the color range are Cinnamon and Fawn.

The CFA recognizes the following colors: SABLE, CHAMPAGNE, BLUE and PLATINUM. The The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (UK) recognizes BROWN, BLUE, CHOCOLATE, LILAC, RED and BROWN TORTIE colors.

The Lilacs (known in the USA as Platinum), which are pure-bred, have pinkish dove-gray coats with a frosted sheen appearance, and the Chocolates (known in the USA as Champagne) have fur that is pale milk chocolate. The coloration is even with no markings. The mask and ears may be slightly darker than the other points. In the case of adult Cream Burmese, some tabby traces may still be apparent on the face. Other slight markings are permitted, provided they are not on the sides of the body or the underparts. A white patch is considered a serious flaw.

Although lack of handling in the first few weeks of life can produce a shy cat, most Burmese are lively, more affectionate than nervy and respond surprisingly well to training. They will play with you for hours, almost like a dog. Previously Burmese cats with colors other than sable were known as Mandalays to distinguish them from the original Burmese. In all colors the underparts are lighter than the back; the ears and face are often darker too. Their large, well-rounded eyes can be any shade of yellow from chartreuse to amber, but most are deep gold.

TIFFANIE: A Longhaired Burmese
Another variation on the Burmese is a longhair variety called a Tiffanie. The cross is sometimes made with a Chinchilla and sometimes with a self-colored longhair. Tiffanies share the personality traits of the Burmese, and their lare bright eyes are the same golden yellow. The coat, however, is long and finely textured, almost silky, and requires more dedicated grooming and combing than the Burmese. This is a fairly new breed that is still developing.

Burmese females may begin calling at about 7 months, which is slightly earlier than normal. They tend to be vocal in season but should not make as much racket as Siamese in this condition.

Burmese are prone to eat any cloth you may leave around the house, from socks to towels. The condition is thought to be stress-related, but if your cat is basically happy—if he has enough company, enough toys, and access to the outdoors&mdash the problem may have another cause. You can try leaving small bowls of dry food around the house for him to nibble on. This may not eliminate the behavior but should help to minimize it/

Burmese Breeders

If you would like to be listed here as an Burmese Breeder or a member of an Burmese rescue organization, please send us and email