Burmese – Mixed Cat Breed Characteristics & Facts

The Burmese is frequently referred to as a “brick wrapped in silk,” a description that highlights his sturdy, athletic physique.

The traits of Burmese cats are listed below.

Burmese Mixed Cat Breed Picture

Burmese – Mixed Cat Breed Characteristics

Vital Stats:

History

The Siamese and the “copper cat” of Burma (currently known as Myanmar) are the ancestors of the Burmese. They are believed to have been cats that priests bred and kept in temples and palaces. The small, dark-brown cat Wong Mau served as the matriarch of the contemporary Burmese.

She belonged to Dr. Joseph Thompson, who, depending on which version of the tale you buy, either bought her from a sailor or brought her back himself from his travels. At first, people believed Wong Mau to be a Siamese cat with a chocolate-colored coat. These Siamese were not uncommon. In the 1880s, “chocolate Siamese” were discussed. Their points were seal-brown or almost black, and their bodies were tan or brown.

The seal-point Siamese, also known as the royal Siamese, were favored by breeders and the general public due to their lighter bodies that contrasted with their dark points. The solid-colored Burmese cats and Siamese (pointed) cats that roamed freely in Thailand and Burma (now known as Myanmar) naturally mated to produce the chocolate-colored cats, which eventually vanished in Britain but remained there.

One of them was Wong Mau. She was destined to lead two new breeds—the Burmese and, later, the Tonkinese—as their matriarch. Dr. Thompson crossed Wong Mau with Tai Mau, a seal-point Siamese. His breeding program produced kittens with beige, brown, and pointed coats in collaboration with breeders Virginia Cobb, Billie Gerst, and geneticist Clyde Keeler.

The findings, which included the identification of the Burmese gene, were so fascinating that Thompson wrote the first article ever on feline genetics and published it in a 1943 issue of the Journal of Heredity. Burmese were first registered by the Cat Fanciers Association in 1936, but registrations were suspended in 1947 due to breeders continuing to use Siamese in their breeding programs. 1953 saw the start of registrations again after the practice was stopped. The Burmese cat breed is now very common among cat lovers.

Personality

The Burmese are cheerful and vivacious. His voice is soft and sweet, belying his propensity to rule the home with an iron paw covered in velvety fur, but he has the charm and tenacity of his Siamese ancestors and enjoys conversation as much as that breed. He is extremely intelligent and craves human company, so a home where he will spend most of the day alone is not the best place for him.

Make sure he has a pet companion if no humans will be present to challenge his intellect. He gets along well with both dogs and cats, but a Burmese will always be his best friend. The Burmese are as inquisitive as cats can be. Expect him to thoroughly examine your house and be familiar with all of its nooks and crannies. He is playful and still is as an adult.

Use interactive toys to tease his witty mind and teach him tricks so he can perform them in front of people. He can learn to fetch a small toy or walk on a leash in addition to sit, roll over, wave, and come. Early conditioning will make car trips and doctor’s appointments a breeze. A Burmese is a good option if you don’t mind losing all privacy.

This cat will want to be a part of everything you do, from cooking and watching TV to reading the newspaper and using the computer. He will, of course, share your bed with you and may even cuddle up with you at night. He will be in your lap or sitting close to you when you are seated, eagerly awaiting your pettiness. If you don’t listen to him, you’ll get a lecture.

He will give every visitor his undivided attention, and chances are he’ll win over even people who say they don’t like cats. The very definition of a queen is a female Burmese. She enjoys being the center of attention and in charge. Males are more content to fill a lap and are more restful. Whichever you decide, it’s likely that you’ll start longing for another pretty quickly.

Health

Pedigreed and mixed-breed cats both have varying rates of health issues that could be genetic in origin. Although they can be susceptible to gingivitis and may be sensitive to anesthesia, Burmese people are generally in good health. In Burmese people, the following illnesses have also been reported:

• When a kitten is young, the eye may temporarily appear milky. This condition typically goes away on its own.
• Surgically correcting corneal dermoid, which is the development of skin and hair on the corneal surface.
• Extreme licking, chewing, and pawing at the mouth are signs of orofacial pain syndrome. When the cat is anxious or excited, the discomfort may worsen, and they frequently avoid eating because it hurts so much. To prevent them from hurting themselves, some cats must wear an Elizabethan collar and have their paws bandaged. Some situations end on their own, then come up again. It is unknown what causes and how inheritance occurs. In order to rule out dental disease, consultation with a veterinary dentist as well as painkillers and anti-seizure medications may be helpful.
• Congenital peripheral vestibular disease in kittens results in head tilting, shaky balance, jerky eye movements, and clumsy walking. Deafness in some affected kittens is also possible.
• a craniofacial anomaly known as the Burmese head defect.
• Burmese kittens occasionally exhibit hypokalemic polymyopathy, a muscle weakness brought on by low potassium levels in the blood. Generalized weakness, a stiff gait, reluctance to walk, and head tremors are symptoms. Oral potassium supplements can be used to treat it.
• Flat-chested kitten syndrome is a birth defect that can range in severity. When they are mature, kittens who live to adulthood typically don’t exhibit any signs.
• Kinked tail, typically as a result of a tailbone deformity. There is no discomfort or pain from it.
• Elbow osteoarthritis, a form of early-onset arthritis, restricts the cat’s movement or activity.
• Endocardial fibroelastosis is a condition of the heart where the left ventricle thickens and the heart muscle is stretched. It is best to wait until a kitten is 4 months old before bringing it home because signs typically appear between 3 weeks and that point.
• Heart enlargement caused by dilated cardiomyopathy.
• Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disorder that results in elevated blood sugar levels and is brought on by a problem with insulin secretion or action.

Care

The Burmese’s short, soft coat requires only weekly brushing or combing to remove dead hair and distribute skin oil. Rarely is a bath necessary. To prevent periodontal disease, brush your teeth. Although daily brushing is preferred, once a week is still preferable to never. To get rid of any discharge, use a soft, damp cloth to wipe the corners of your eyes.

To prevent the spread of any infection, use a different area of the cloth for each eye. Each week, check your ears. If they appear to be dirty, clean them with a cotton ball or soft, damp cloth dipped in a 50/50 solution of warm water and cider vinegar. Cotton swabs shouldn’t be used because they can harm the ear’s interior. Maintain a spotless litter box. Burmese cats, like all cats, are very particular about bathroom cleanliness.

A Burmese should only be kept indoors to prevent him from contracting illnesses from other cats, being attacked by dogs or coyotes, and other risks that face cats who go outside, like being hit by a car. Burmese who venture outside also run the risk of being taken by a person who wants to own such a stunning cat without having to pay for it.

Coat Design and Maintenance

The Burmese is frequently referred to as a “brick wrapped in silk,” a description that highlights his sturdy, athletic physique. Although the original Burmese was a solid dark brown color known as sable, he is now also available in blue, champagne, and platinum hues. The cats have a small, rounded head, large, expressive gold or yellow eyes, and medium-sized ears that tilt slightly forward and are rounded at the tips.

Short and satiny, the coat is. Traditional sables have a rich, warm brown color with a lighter underside. As a kitten gets older, its coat gets darker. Brown paw pads and leather on the nose. A champagne-colored Burmese has a warm honey-beige undertone that fades to a light gold-tan on top. The paw pads are a warm pinkish tan, and the nose leather is a light warm brown.

The medium-blue coat of blue Burmese has a lighter belly. Slate gray leather covers the paw pads and nose. Platinum Burmese have a light silvery-gray color with light fawn undertones, and their underbody is a slightly lighter shade of color. The paw pads and nose leather have a pretty lavender-pink color. Other colors are permitted by some associations, such as tortoiseshell, lilac, and red.

Kids and other animals

The sociable and energetic Burmese is an excellent choice for households with kids and canines who get along with cats. He can play fetch just as well as any retriever, picks up new tricks quickly, and enjoys the attention from kids who are kind to him. He coexists peacefully with cats and dogs that obey him. To make sure that pets learn to get along with one another, always introduce pets gradually and under controlled conditions.

Creator: PetsCareTip