Burmese
The Burmese cat is a domesticated cat breed that has been split into two subgroups; The American Burmese and the British Burmese. Its name means fortunate, beautiful, and splendid appearance. Most of the cat registries don't recognize the split between the two Burmese groups. Burmese cats were originally a sable brown color but through years of selective breeding have produced a cat with a wide variety of colors. Burmese cats are known for their social and friendly behavior towards humans; they are vocal and very intelligent.
History
· The earliest record of the Burmese cat comes from Thailand. It was known then as the Siam. There are three types of cats that are mentioned in Siam literature that correspond to the Burmese cat breed; the Vichien Mat, the Si-Sawat, and the Thong Daeng (known now as the Burmese). These cats are though to have remained in Thailand until it was invaded by the Burmese in the 18th Century.
In 1945, soldiers returned from Burma with cats.
· In 1871 Harris Weir organized a cat show at the Crystal Palace where a pair of Siamese cats sat on display. These closely resembled the American Burmese. It took several years for the Burmese cat breeds to be worked out and developed.
· The Burmese cat breed was first thought of in the 19th century in Britain. They were considered Chocolate Siamese rather than Burmese. There was encouragement to cross breed the Burmese with the Siamese, but the breed slowly died out.
· A brown female cat was imported to San Francisco in 1930 by a Dr. Joseph Cressman Thompson. Dr. Thompson considered this breed to be completely different than other Siamese cat breeds. Wong Mau, the brown imported cat was bred with a sealpoint Siamese from Thailand and then bred again with her son to produce dark brown litter of kittens called Burmese cats.
· In 1936 the Cat Fancier's Associate granted recognition to the Burmese breed. Because of extensive breeding with the Siamese cat the original type had been overwhelmed, so the CFA and other leading cat registries suspended recognition of the Burmese as a purebred in 1947.
History of the Burmese in England
· The Burmese breed didn't take off until about 1945 when soldiers began returning from Burma with cats. The breed was recognized by the UK Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in 1952.
· The first blue Burmese was born in 1955 in England, followed by a cream and tortoiseshell kitten within the next couple of decades.
· In 1971 the first lilac kitten was born which was the latest solid color introduced in the Burmese. Brown chocolate, blue, and lilac types were developed in England throughout the 1970s.
· In 1984 the champagnes, platinums, and blues were accepted for registration as Burmese.
Burmese Cat Characteristics
The Burmese cat breed is considered to be a foreign shorthair breed in the United States. Their eyes are usually golden or yellow in color although interbreeding with the Siamese can lead to blue and green eyes. In a purebred Burmese cat however the blue or green eyes are impossible. The coat has a glossy, satin-like finish and requires very little to no grooming. They generally live to reach the age of sixteen to eighteen years of age.
Personality
The Burmese cat is quite vocal, although it has a softer meow than the Siamese. They are very people-oriented and can form strong bonds with their owners. They also love to be around all human activity. All survival instincts of flight or fight seem to have been bred out of them, although there have been a few that have shown aggressive behavior.
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