The history of the origin of the breed, the standard of appearance, the nature of the seals, possible health problems, the maintenance and care of the Burmilla: hygiene of the coat, ears of the eyes, nutrition and more, the price of a kitten. In principle, a variety of colors of the long-haired Burmilla is allowed, but there are four that are the most valuable and common:
- shaded is an excellent blend of lilac and brownish hues;
- smoky shade version consists of black and dark brown colors;
- solid - this color allows the greatest variety of colors, it can be beige, British black, tortoiseshell and Bombay;
- brindle includes blue-speckled and black-speckled.
Burmilla personality traits
In the structure of the inner world of Burmillas, there is absolutely no aggression, a tendency to resentment and whims, as well as the peculiar arrogance and narcissism characteristic of many felines. These pussies have got a very calm and balanced character by nature. To the highest degree they have the art of loving their master, treating with respect to all residents of the house, even if there are other animals among them. Burmilla cats find a common language with them, but they have one flaw - they are a little jealous. For this reason, it is better not to give the attention of a pet in front of this animal, otherwise you cannot do without battles. The cat will in every possible way protect you from its potential competitor.
Burmilla also get along well with children, in which case, they simply leave or not leave, but they will humbly endure all children's experiments (of course, in reasonable measures), they will never bite or scratch.
Bermilla long-haired is very active, at an early age it may seem that she could have more than enough energy for a whole cat family and for a dog, but everything changes with age. An adult cat can more and more often restrain from fast movements and long walks, but he does not become lazy, he is always not averse to playing Burmillas.
They love to walk in the fresh air and the more often the better. In a private house they will feel more than good, but if you live in a city apartment, you will have to get a harness and get used to walking your pet.
Cat health Burmilla longhair
With proper care, these cats can live and be healthy for more than 16-18 years, but unfortunately, they are not protected from hereditary problems. Genetic diseases, although rare, should always be remembered.
Kidneys are very vulnerable in Burmilla longhaired. They are prone to polycystic disease, which subsequently leads to the rapid development of acute renal failure, and later to the complete refusal of the organ from performing its functions.
The Achilles heel of cats of this breed is the eyes. These cute purrs often suffer from progressive retinal atrophy, which is manifested, as a rule, by the total blindness of the animal, which develops in literally a few weeks. It is not uncommon for these kittens to suffer from ulcers and corneal erosion, which promises necrotic changes in the optic organ. This pathology requires urgent medical intervention, folk remedies are not helpers here.
The oral cavity is also sensitive in Burmillas, they often have inflammatory processes of the gums, as well as the formation of tartar, so dental hygiene is above all.
You also need to make sure that your pet does not freeze and does not get into drafts or rain, as such sores as viral pneumonitis, rhinotracheitis and cat flu are not alien to these cats. But, perhaps, the most dangerous for the life of a long-haired Burmilla is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This heart disease does not manifest itself in any way in the early stages, the symptoms become noticeable when nothing special can be done. Most often, the disease manifests itself in cats between the ages of 8 and 12 years.
Maintenance and care of long-haired Burmilla
- Hair care. Considering the photos of these amazing animals, many potential owners of these cats are intimidated by the long thick fur, which, it would seem, requires a specific, requiring effort and expense, care. But do not be afraid, these are completely false conclusions. The hair of the Burmilla is very long and thick, but the hairs are kind of “well attached to the body and obedient”, they do not stray into lumps. With the exception of the molting period, there are not so many dead hairs in these pets, so you should not comb them twice a day. The most optimal frequency of this procedure is once every three days, so there will be no excess wool on Burmilla or in your apartment. To do this, it is good to use a brush with a medium tooth frequency. Usually cats love to comb, this is also a pleasant procedure for them in the form of a massage, and your attention cannot but please them. During the molting period, it is necessary to scratch the cat at least every day, and preferably twice a day. Long-haired Burmilla do not belong to big fans of water, and since these cats do an excellent job of keeping their fur clean and tidy on their own, taking a bath once a season will be, maybe too much for them, but for their "fur coat" it is quite enough. The exceptions are pets, which often go for walks in the yard, they also need to be bathed as needed. In addition, every time your cat goes out for such a walk, especially if it walks on its own, it is necessary to examine the coat. Since from the street inquisitive Burmillas can bring some unwanted guests, in the form of ticks or fleas, which have the ability to safely hide in the thick fur of the animal.
- Eyes - caring for them is very important. At home, you can limit yourself to regularly wiping the eye with a decoction of herbs, tea leaves or a weak solution of boric acid. But it is better to give preference to disinfectants that are sold in the pharmacy, at least furacilin or chlorhexidine. As a precaution, it is better to show the veterinarian every six months, even the healthiest cat.
- Ear care long-haired Burmilla consists in cleaning the ear canal from earwax and dead particles of the epidermis. To do this, you can use baby cotton swabs with a stopper, so as not to injure the eardrum of the cat and a special ear cleaner sold in any veterinary pharmacy in the process.
- Dental care. Brushing your teeth is the key to a comfortable and healthy life for your pet, therefore, it must be taught to this, albeit unpleasant for a cat, but necessary procedure from early childhood. If some breeds of cats can easily be content with special food for brushing their teeth or boiled chicken necks (which will also be good for Burmilla, as an additional tool), then the owner of this type of cat needs to get a toothbrush - a child's toothbrush, soft in structure and tooth powder. In the event that your cat is catastrophically intolerant of brushing his teeth, you can alternate this procedure with cleaning the oral cavity with the help of your finger, on which there is a wound bandage, previously soaked with chamomile decoction.
- Claw care does not imply anything complicated, it is simply necessary from an early age, and it is better from the first day of living in your house, to acquaint a long-haired Burmilla with such a necessary attribute as a scratching post. If she uses it, but at the same time does not crush the upholstery of furniture and wallpaper, then you can decide on more effective measures - trimming the claws. This must be done carefully, using special, very sharp tweezers. If the instrument is blunt, you risk breaking the cat's claw in the midline, which is fraught with severe pain for the animal, since many nerve endings and blood vessels pass there. You can only cut off the transparent tip of the claw.
- Nutrition. Due to the fact that the body of the long-haired Burmilla is very fragile and prone to many different pathological conditions, the question of proper nutrition, rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals, is very, very important. If you decide that ready-made food will be the food for your pet, then for representatives of this breed it is better to give preference to high-quality premium and super-premium food. These include such brands as Purina Pro Plan, Acana, Royal Canin, Bosch, Hill`s and Orijen.
Whichever food you choose, you need to know what should be in its composition - these are proteins of beef, turkey, chicken or fish, the essential amino acid taurine, as well as various fatty acids, vitamins, enzymes and minerals. In the same way, you need to know what should not be in the stern. If you see the following terms on the package: bone meal, offal, high feed rate, propyl gallate, BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, and also if the content of fillers such as corn and wheat is 50% or more of the basic composition, then this food, must be left in its place, this is absolutely not the product that is necessary for the good health and longevity of your pet.
With natural products in the diet Burmilla should be low-fat meats, boiled eggs, dairy products, milk, "on holidays" sea fish meat, cereals, vegetables and offal.
Purchase and price of a Burmilla Longhair kitten
Although these cats are not recognized by eminent felinologists as purebred, their value does not decrease from this. The price for such a fluffy creature starts at $ 500 and this is far from the limit, it all depends on the kitten itself and the rank of its parents. A potential star of cat shows will cost you from $ 1000.
