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. : Burmese: .
BURMESE HISTORY:
Burmese cats lived for centuries in Burma, Thailand and Malaya.
In the late 1800's they were known in England as Chocolate Siamese, but because they were not favoured they gradually
died out in England and Europe.
The ancestry of Burmese cats can be traced back to one cat named Wong Mau, who was a brown female from Burma
and arrived to San Francisco in the early 1930's to Dr. Joseph Thompson.
Through selective breeding to Siamese, the Burmese was established as a distinct breed.
Lighter coloured kittens were occasionally produced and eventually the American breeders requested recognition
from CFA for these "dilute" colours; first, as another breed named Malayan, then later as a dilute division of Burmese.
The Burmese Appearance
The Burmese is a strong, athletic and elegant short haired cat that carry surprising weight for its size and has often
been described as "brick wrapped in silk."
It has a fine, close, even, and glossy coat . Their coats are very short, satin-like in texture, and generally require
little grooming other than daily petting.
At maturity males are large, the females are more delicate and graceful, and the difference in weight between them
may be two or three pounds.
The Burmese is a compactly built cat with a small round head and wide-set eyes which are yellow or golden.
Burmese Colours
The Burmese cat has ten main recognised colours in NZ, Australia, UK and Europe:
Brown - the original Burmese color, a rich warm seal brown.
Blue - a soft blue-gray with a silver sheen.
Chocolate - a warm milk chocolate.
Lilac - a pale delicate dove gray with a pinkish cast.
Red - tangerine.
Cream - cream with a distinct bloom on the head and back, giving a powdered effect.
Brown tortie - brown with shades of red.
Blue tortie - Blue with shades of cream.
Chocolate tortie - Chocolate with shades of red.
Lilac tortie - lilac with shades of cream.
Burmese Cat Personality
The Burmese is very friendly inquisitive cat with an outgoing, loving nature - this is why Burmese are one of the most
popular breeds in NZ and Australia.
They will greet you at the door when you come home and comfort you when you are ill or unhappy -
they give unconditional love.
The Burmese is an upfront cat, not left out of where it is all happening.
It's a participator - alert, curious, intelligent, interfering and gregarious: you cannot ignore it!
When you sit down, the Burmese thinks you are offering him a warm bed.
When you kneel to weed the garden, the Burmese will use your back as a vantage point from which to
observe the environment.
When you do your daily chores in the house, the Burmese will assume that your shoulder is the best place from
where tasks can be assisted.
And finally, when you go to bed, the Burmese likes to snuggle in next to you and will often stay and cuddle you for the whole night!
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