The origin of the breed, the standard of appearance of the Burmese cat, the nature and description of health. Advice on caring for animals, especially selection and kittens, price. Burmese or Burmese cat is an exotic oriental beauty of the feline world with a hot temperament and an extraordinary, almost mystical appearance. Strong, bold and elegant, with gorgeous, almost sable or mink fur. This beautiful Peri of Southeast Asia cannot leave anyone indifferent.
The origin of the Burmese breed
Our oriental beauty comes from the ancient and surprisingly mysterious country of Burma (now on geographical maps it is called Myanmar), located in Southeast Asia on the Indochina peninsula. The first mentions of this cat were found by scientists in one of the Thai poems of the XII century, as well as in a poetry collection of the Ayutthaya dynasty of the Kingdom of Siam (XIV century), where the illustrator depicted the Burmese cat in all its brown and chocolate glory.
Burmese cats were extremely prized in Indochina. They served as temple and monastery animals, lived in the houses of Thai aristocrats and the royal chambers of the rulers of ancient Siam and Burma, and were revered by the local population in every possible way. It was believed that a person conscientiously and lovingly caring for this animal, thereby bringing himself closer to God, and when leaving for another world, it was this cat that accompanied his soul in the afterlife. It was also believed that the Burmese cat brings happiness and prosperity to the house, protects from evil spirits.
The first appearance of Burmese cats in Europe dates back to the end of the 19th century, when several specimens of "black Siamese", as they were called then, were brought to Great Britain. The breed did not receive proper development at that time and was rediscovered for Europeans by French travelers, who, having made a difficult and long journey from Indochina to France, nevertheless managed to deliver one of the two cats presented to them by the monks. It is believed that all European cats of this breed are descended from this particular animal.
The American discovery of the Burmese breed is associated with the activities of the American doctor Joseph Thompson, who brought the dark-colored Burmese cat Wong Meow to the United States in 1930.
It was Thompson who initiated the breeding of Burmese cats in the USA, crossing the imported Burmese with Siamese cats and selecting the darkest kittens for further selection. This process continued until the breeder obtained a gene for coat color that was steadily inherited by the descendants. The very famous one is “bitter chocolate”.
The breed was immediately and unconditionally adopted by the CFA (Cat Fanciers Association of America) in 1936. And in 1938, Thompson officially introduced the purr to the world of handsome men, a gorgeous dark chocolate almond color. After the end of the Second World War, when the countries of Europe recovered somewhat from the military upheavals, in 1948 the breed was presented there as well. European felinologists appreciated the prospect of the Burmese breed and contributed to further breeding. They were the ones who managed to breed Burmese cats with unusual colors for them. Were obtained red, reddish, cream and tortoiseshell shades of fur colors.
The Americans reacted negatively to these innovations of the breed. Thus, the Burmese breed received two branches of development, and, accordingly, two breed standards - American and European. In 1953, Burmese acquired official status in the British Council of Cat Fanciers (GCCF).
External standard of Burmese cats
The Burmese is a beautifully built medium-sized animal with a strong skeleton, well-developed muscles and rounded shapes. The maximum body weight of an adult Burmese cat is 9 kg, and that of an adult female is 6 kg. Moreover, by eye, by the size of the body, the weight of the animal is quite difficult to determine. This cat belongs to the category of "weighty", and always weighs more than it seems. A kind of "stone wrapped in silk."
- Head Burmese has a neat round shape with a round muzzle and a somewhat snub-nosed nose with a noticeable depression at the base of the nose. The cheekbones are wide, the chin is strong. The cheeks are well defined. The neck is strong, muscular, of medium length.
- Ears medium in size, broad at the base and set wide apart, with rounded tips.
- Eyes Burmese are very beautiful. All our love for these creatures begins precisely with their beautiful shining eyes. The eyes are large, rounded, with a wide set. According to the color standards, eyes of yellow, golden-yellow, amber-yellow and honey-yellow are allowed for individuals with sable and chocolate coat color. For lilac and blue, the eye color can be golden green.
- Body type Burmese cats are strong, distinctly muscular with heavy bones. The body is dense, slightly elongated, with a powerful chest and a straight back line.
- Limbs of medium length, slender but strong with oval legs. The tail is short, medium in thickness, with a rounded tip. Fully covered with fur.
- Wool the Burmese has no undercoat and fits snugly to the body. Very smooth and silky to the touch, reminiscent of mink or sable.
At this time, the breed has two branches of its development - American and European. Each of them has its own assessment standards:
- American type - preference is given to animals with more rounded shapes of the head, muzzle and body and with a benevolent gaze of the eyes.
- European type - a sharper, wedge-shaped type of head and a pointed muzzle, larger, long and close-set ears, somewhat hard, cunning, rogue eyes, elongated limbs are allowed.
The coat color of the American Burmese cat has the following standards:
- sable - the most classic color of this breed, which has a lot of shades and tones of brown;
- chocolate - similar to sable color, but has a more chocolate shade with many variations - from dark chocolate and "dark chocolate" to milk chocolate;
- blue - refers to the rare colors of Burmese and is similar to the color of British blue cats with a tendency to lighter tones of blue and gray-blue;
- lilac is the rarest and most unique color among Burmese and the lightest possible, not so much lilac in color as pale cream.
The color of the European Burmese type, in addition to the same four colors in all possible variations of shades, is supplemented by three more options:
- red - the wool is colored warm orange or reddish, reminiscent of the color of light tangerine with different shades of color;
- cream - wool has a pastel cream color with a pinkish tint;
- tortie - a color consisting of a combination of several colors, the main color is complemented by spots of a different color, harmoniously distributed throughout the animal's body, there can be a wide variety of options (brown tortie, chocolate tortie, blue tortie, purple tortie, etc.).
Burmese cat personality
Burmese has an active, cheerful and independent character. For people who dream of a calm, shy quiet, obediently sleeping on the couch, it is better to think about purchasing a kitten of some other, calmer breed. Burmese cat will not give you rest.
No, this is a wonderful animal, but with a very active temperament, living energetically and very independently. Of course, she is devoted to a person and loves to be taken care of, but prefers her mode of existence. Any "wuxi-pusi" there at inopportune time or against her will, this Indo-Chinese girl with a brightly individual character, nips in the bud. In all matters, she must be the mistress, whose opinion must be reckoned with. And you have to!
Burmese is a very playful creature with an inquisitive and dynamic character. She never ceases to amaze her owners with funny antics and various "oddities". A sea of benevolent energy and positiveness emanates from this funny animal with an attentive mystical gaze. The Burmese cat loves the attention of others and tries in every possible way to attract him to his person. If her antics and games go unnoticed, she loses all interest in them, coming up with something new. Sometimes it seems that there will be no end to her inventions, this cat is so energetic and active.
Possessing an independent and independent (sometimes even excessively) disposition, however, this oriental beast does not tolerate long loneliness and always tries to solve this problem in its own way. Burmese will not fall into depression or scream heart-rendingly, urging her to let her out or let her in. She will simply try to get out (and be sure she will) from the enclosed space outside and join the rest of the household or find company among the yard animals. Therefore, this must always be remembered, leaving the decisive and independent Burmese alone at home (especially to owners living in high-rise buildings).
At the same time, the Burmese breed is completely non-conflicting, unforgiving and easily finds a common language with other inhabitants of the house, it does not matter if it is a dog or a cat. But you have to be careful with mice, the beauty from Indochina has a short conversation with them. This cat is an excellent hunter with well-developed instincts.
He gets along well with children, although he still prefers the society of adults, especially his main and beloved - the owner, who feeds deliciously and lovingly looks after.
Burmese love to talk. But not as intrusive and loud as their fellow countrywomen - Siamese cats - do. The Indo-Chinese language is softer and more euphonic and contains many more shades of all kinds of pleasant "murs" than demanding "meow".
The Burmese cat, having not the simplest, but friendly, balanced and flexible character, as well as the bright personality of the conqueror of hearts, can truly become the main decoration of your home and its affectionate oriental mystery.
Burmese health
Burmese are considered a breed that does not have any particular health problems. The immune systems of these animals are strong and able to withstand the standard set of feline diseases.
Of the diseases of a hereditary nature, the most problematic is congenital deformity of the skull. Breeders of the breed are now working on this problem thoroughly and will probably find a solution.
Also, Burmese cats have a predisposition to gingivitis - inflammation of the gums. Therefore, cats of this breed need regular examinations of the oral cavity, timely removal of tartar and treatment (removal) of teeth affected by caries. Also, the feeding diet should exclude components that contribute to the appearance of tartar and the development of gingivitis.
The Burmese breed may show breathing problems and increased tearing due to the anatomical shortening of the animal's nose.
Burmese Cat Care Tips
The firm-fitting, smooth coat of Burmese does not need any particularly sophisticated care. It is quite enough to do with the standard brushing (at least once a week) of their fur with the most ordinary or special rubber brush. It is recommended to complete the combing procedure by wiping the cat's fur with a special piece of suede or silk fabric (to heighten the shine of the coat).
During periods of seasonal molting or preparation for an exhibition, the Burmese coat should be combed more often. Bathing your pet will not be superfluous.
It is imperative to conduct (at least once a week) an examination of the condition of your pet's teeth and gums, if necessary, brushing his teeth with a gentle animal toothpaste. Trying to independently remove tartar from Burmese teeth is undesirable as it is easy to get an infection. Better to see your veterinarian.
But you can trim the claws, once every two weeks, on your own. It is better to do this with a special nail clipper, the design of which does not allow injury to your cat.
And about nutrition. The most optimal and most convenient food option for the owner is, of course, a high-quality premium food from a good manufacturer, balanced in the composition of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and microelements.
At the same time, additional feeding of the Burmese cat with lean veal or beef is not excluded. It is especially good to do this during a few days on the eve of the exhibition championship, to give the cat's fur a special "full" shine.
In general, the diet of Burmese is no different from the diet of other breeds of short-haired cats. Is that it is necessary to exclude particularly harsh types of food that can injure the gums of the animal, as well as those of them that contain components that can contribute to the formation of tartar.
Burmese kittens
Sexual maturity of these Indo-Chinese animals occurs surprisingly early - at 8 months, but this does not mean that they must be bred at this age. It is optimal to have a Burmese that has reached the age of two. It is then that the cat will be a full-fledged mother, able not only to give birth and feed kittens, but also to teach them everything necessary for life.
Pregnancy of the Burmese cat lasts 62-72 days, usually without any problems. As a result, from 3 to 5 kittens are born (unfortunately, sometimes with pathology - deformation of the skull).
The Burmese has a superbly developed maternal instinct, which allows, without much intervention of the owner, to independently feed newborns and raise grown kittens, having taught them by the age of three months everything necessary for the further cat's life.
Price when buying a Burmese kitten
The Burmese breed of cats, at the present time, is no longer a rare breed. Now there are a lot of these cats in the world, as they say, for every taste and with any exterior and color. And this, of course, reflected in the price of the cat, for the better for the buyer.
The available price difference depends not only on the stature and pedigree of the offered animal, but on the kitten's belonging to a certain type: American or European. There are much more European Burmese cats on the market than American ones (they have stricter requirements for the breed), and, accordingly, the price of the European type is much lower.
In Russia, the price for a European-type Burmese kitten ranges from 9,000 rubles to 15,000 rubles. Although, you can often find ads with a designated price of 500 rubles (there is no need to talk about the real pedigree of such kittens). Kittens of the American type will cost much more, and even in Moscow or St. Petersburg you still have to look for them.
Description of the Burmese cat in this video:
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