Burmese

The Burmese cat is a pedigreed domestic breed that comes from Burma, with its origins thought to lie near the border between Thailand and Burma. It was developed through selective breeding in the United States and Britain. Most Burmese cats today trace back to a single female named Wong Mau, brought from Burma to the U.S. in 1930 and mated with American Siamese cats. American and British breeders then created two distinct breed standards, an unusual situation among pedigreed cats. Most registries do not formally separate them, but those that do call the British type the European Burmese. Originally, all Burmese were dark brown (genetically black sepia), but now appear in many sepia colors, though official recognition of these varies. The breed is noted for its social, playful nature and persistent vocalizing.

In 1871, a cat show in London featured Siamese cats that looked much like modern American Burmese, likely similar to today’s Tonkinese. The first deliberate attempt to create the Burmese in late 19th-century Britain produced what were called chocolate Siamese, not a separate breed, and this view led to crossbreeding with Siamese, causing the Burmese to fade out in Britain. In 1930, Joseph Cheesman Thompson brought Wong Mau to San Francisco, believing her build was distinct enough from the Siamese to form a new breed. She was bred with a seal point Siamese named Tai Mau, then with her own son, producing dark brown kittens that became the breed’s foundation. The Cat Fanciers’ Association recognized the breed in 1936, but heavy outcrossing with Siamese diluted the type, leading to a suspension of recognition ten years later. U.S. breeders worked to refine the standard, and the CFA lifted the suspension permanently in 1954. In 1958, the United Burmese Cat Fanciers set a U.S. judging standard that has stayed largely unchanged.

Interest revived in Britain, where cats of various builds, including some from the U.S., formed a new breeding program. By 1952, three true generations had been produced, and the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy recognized the breed. Since the 1950s, Commonwealth and European countries imported British Burmese, so most base their standards on the British model. Historically, the two versions were kept genetically separate. The CFA declassified the European Burmese in the 1980s, and the GCCF banned U.S. imports to preserve traditional bloodlines. Most registries do not recognize the two as separate breeds, but those that do call the British type European Burmese. Recently, TICA and CFA clubs have begun using the American standard at some European shows.

Early on, it became clear that Wong Mau was a cross between a Siamese and a Burmese type. This cross was later developed into the Tonkinese breed. Burmese cats also helped create the Bombay and Burmilla, among others.

The two standards differ mainly in head and body shape. The British ideal is more slender and long-bodied, with a wedge-shaped head, large pointed ears, a long tapering muzzle, and moderately almond-shaped eyes. Legs are long with neat oval paws, and the tail tapers to medium length. The American (or contemporary) Burmese is stockier, with a broader head, round eyes, a shorter flattened muzzle, and wider ears at the base. Legs and tail are medium-length and proportionate, with rounded paws. Burmese are small to medium, about 4–6 kg (9–13 lb), but muscular and heavy for their size—often described as “a brick wrapped in silk.”

The coat is very short, fine, glossy, and satin-like. Color is solid and uniform, shading only slightly lighter on the underparts. Faint colorpoint markings may appear, but barring or spotting is a serious fault. Eyes are green or gold, depending on coat color. The original standard color is a rich dark brown (genetically black), called sable in the U.S., brown in the UK and Australia, or seal in New Zealand. This comes from the Burmese gene (cbcb), which reduces pigment, turning black into warm brown on the torso and making other colors paler. The first blue Burmese was born in Britain in 1955, followed by red, cream, and tortoiseshell in later decades. Chocolate first appeared in the U.S. Lilac was the last major color to develop.