Burmese Cat - Characteristics, behavior, and origins
It is common to think that Burmese cats may be a variant of Siamese cats, however, this is far from reality, Burmese cats are an ancient breed whose fame spread all over the world.
If you like Burmese cats I invite you to continue reading this post where you will learn about their history, characteristics, care, and much more.
Origin
The actual origin of this breed is unknown.
However, legends from the 15th century tell that the Burmese were one of the cats that lived in the ancient Burmese monasteries.
Dr. Joseph C. Thompson took a specimen to the United States in 1930, specifically to San Francisco, where he began to cross it until he obtained exceptional traits of this breed of cats, already rare.
It was crossed with Siamese cats, as it was thought to be a dark-colored variety of this breed.
The first crossbreeding was done with a Siamese cat, and although the kittens that were born had characteristics of both breeds, it was not exactly what the doctor was looking for.
So, he made crosses between that cat and other cats, including cats from his own litter, and managed to obtain the Burmese cat as we know it.
The CFA was the only one that withdrew the recognition of the breed in 1947 and returned the recognition in 1953 once the breeders developed fixed and unique characteristics of the breed.
As one of the conditions for re-acceptance of the breed, it was stated that the Burmese cat should have only solid colors in its coat and no markings of any kind.
From this moment on, the Burmese spread all over the world as companion animals because of their beauty and also because of their temperament characteristics.
Physical characteristics
Size: 25 - 30 cm
Weight: males weigh 5 to 7 kg and females 3 to 5 kg.
Eyes: Golden or yellow.
Coat: its coat is smooth, short, and soft to the touch, brown, blue, chocolate, silver, cream color, and orange. With darker shades on the extremities.
Life expectancy: 9 to 15 years.
It stands out physically for being an animal of medium size, compact and stocky, with a well-developed musculature that leads it to weigh more than cats of other breeds.
His head is rounded in proportion to his body, his ears are medium-sized and have a slight forward slant, his eyes are large and large, his muzzle is long and slender, and his head is somewhat narrower.
There are two different types: the American, quite compact, stocky and round-headed, and the English, more slender and with a slightly triangular head.
The Burmese cat's meow is unique. It comes to be perceived as hoarse as if it had spent its last effort in vociferating. Although, if they are in heat, their meow becomes higher pitched.
The character of the Burmese cat
Burmese cats are active, intelligent, curious, and temperamental. They love to observe the world around them, and that's why their favorite places can be a window, a balcony, or a garden.
They feel a great bond with their owner and love to talk, in fact, they don't like to be alone so they are not suitable for single households without another cat.
They are usually very agile, have a lot of physical and mental energy, and love to have all the attention. However, as they get older, they sometimes become too placid, preferring to observe rather than engage in activities.
They get along well with children, like to play with them, and have no problems living with other animals, as they are not territorial.
Burmese cat care
They are easy to care for and require no additional care than any other cat.
- As they are short-haired cats, they need to be brushed at least once a week to remove dead hair.
- The eyes and nose should be checked and cleaned regularly. To do this you can use a gauze moistened with physiological saline solution.
- General bathing can be once every 30 days or as needed.
- Brush his teeth frequently, using pet toothpaste.
- Provide a high scratching post for them to maintain and develop their natural instinct to scratch, climb, hunt, and mark territory.
Feeding
Burmese cats usually suffer from being overweight, so a balanced diet in adequate proportions. Specialists suggest providing 60 kilocalories a day for each kilo the cat weighs.
High-quality cat food with a high meat content is recommended.
Instead of three heavy meals a day, it is better to distribute his food over several smaller portions a day (between 5 and 10), to keep his organism accelerated and guarantee his slender and defined musculature.
If he is growing, you can add to his diet some vitamin supplements and always keep clean and fresh water at his disposal to keep him hydrated.
Burmese cat health
During an interesting study in 2008 it was discovered that the American breeding of Burmese cats has the lowest genetic variability of modern cat breeds. This means that all American Burmese cats are related.
As a consequence, Burmese often suffer from the congenital vestibular syndrome, a hereditary disease of the inner ear leading to malformation of the vestibular system, resulting in balance disorders and deafness.
They may also be prone to a deficiency of potassium in the blood, known as hypokalemia, another hereditary disease that also affects pups and depending on the case can be harmless or fatal.
They are also prone to endocardial fibroelastosis. This rather unknown disease in cats is characterized by a thickening of the ventricular endocardium and appears only in young cats.
In British Burmese cats, diabetes is more common, and although it is not curable, with proper treatment it is no longer fatal.
However, the most prevalent hereditary and congenital pathologies in their beginnings have been remedied nowadays thanks to selective breeding. In the United States, for example, crossbreeding with Bombay and Tonkinese cats is allowed.
For this reason, lovers of purebred cats should be well informed beforehand about potential breeders and not trust dubious dealers who offer purebred cats at low prices.
Now you know more about Burmese cats!
These cats are fascinating. If you are looking for a fun and playful cat with a different appearance, you will love the Burmese cat.
