Burmese

The Burmese is a medium-sized shorthair that grows very attached to its household. There is more to it than meets the eye: the body is compact and muscular, heavier than you would expect, which is how it earned the tag "a brick wrapped in silk." The coat stays short and glossy and lies close to the skin.

It is a talkative cat, though never shrill, and it will follow the family from room to room. A Burmese will often go to the door to greet callers, ride about on a shoulder, and keep itself in the thick of whatever is happening at home. Its devotion is regularly compared to that of a dog.

Burmese cats tend to live 16 to 18 years and stay lively well into old age. They suit anyone after an interactive companion rather than a cat that minds itself.

Who it suits

The Burmese belongs in a home where someone is around for a good part of the day, or where a second pet keeps it company. It is the wrong cat for anyone wanting little fuss, because it hates being left alone for long and goes looking for company. That sociable side makes it a fine match for a busy family home, and for first-time owners who want a cat that stays involved.

The breed comes down from a single brown female called Wong Mau, brought from South-East Asia to the United States in 1930. Dr Joseph Thompson of San Francisco began a breeding programme with her and crossed her to Siamese, as there was no comparable mate to be had at the time.

Careful selection over the following years drew the darker, solid-coated kittens apart from the Siamese-pointed ones. The Cat Fanciers' Association recognised the Burmese in 1936, then suspended recognition in 1947 over worries about continued Siamese crossing, and gave it back in 1953 once the lines had stabilised.

British breeders imported their own Burmese and worked up a separate line, longer in the frame and guided by different standards. So we have the two types known today: the rounder American (or contemporary) Burmese and the more moderate British (or traditional) Burmese. The cat described here is the United Kingdom line, and it is this type that registries such as TICA and the Irish Cat Association work with here.

From that first brown, breeders widened the accepted colours over the decades that followed, bringing in the dilute shades while keeping the dense, satin-like coat that marks the breed out.

The Burmese has a solid, well-muscled body on sturdy legs. The British type is a touch longer and more moderate than the rounder American type, but both are solid and come as a surprise for their weight when you pick them up. The head is rounded, the muzzle short, and the large eyes sit well apart, full of expression.

The coat is the giveaway feature of the breed: short, fine, and lying very close, with a satin sheen that follows the muscle underneath.

Coat and colours

Brown, also called sable, is the original and best-known colour, a deep warm shade that goes a little lighter on the underparts. The dilute shades and the red series came along through later breeding. The British standard takes in a wider palette than the American one, with chocolate, lilac, red, cream, and the tortoiseshell patterns among them. No matter the colour, there is little undercoat, so the coat lies flat and catches the light.

There are few cats as taken up with their people as the Burmese. It goes looking for laps, shoulders, and any warm spot near its owner, and it keeps itself interested in whatever the family is at. With children it is patient and playful, and will often put up with handling that other cats would shy away from. It tends to get on with other cats and cat-friendly dogs, and it does better with feline company than left to itself.

Strangers meet with curiosity rather than nerves, and many a Burmese will go straight over to greet a caller. The breed hangs on to its kitten-like playfulness into adulthood and enjoys fetch, puzzle toys, and interactive games.

The one thing to mind is how little it likes being on its own. Left for long hours day after day, a Burmese can get bored or anxious, so a companion animal or regular human company matters. Its voice is soft and chatty, lighter than a Siamese, and it uses it to keep in touch rather than to give out.

Grooming

• Go over the coat once a week with a soft brush or rubber mitt to lift loose hair and spread the skin's natural oils.
• A wipe with a damp cloth or chamois brings up the shine; a proper bath is hardly ever needed.
• Trim the claws every two to three weeks.
• Check the ears and clean them when they need it, and brush the teeth regularly to keep dental disease away.

Exercise

• Put aside two or more interactive play sessions a day with wand toys, or throw a toy for a game of fetch.
• Leave out puzzle feeders and change the toys around to keep the mind busy.
• Give the cat climbing trees and shelves; this is an active breed with a fondness for height.

Environment

The Burmese is best suited to life indoors and likes a warm, settled home. Its thin coat and light undercoat mean it feels the cold more than most breeds, so warm places to sleep are no small thing. Company is part of looking after it: a second cat, or a house with people home much of the time, gives it the best surroundings. Provide scratching posts, resting perches near the windows, and a quiet corner to sleep in.

Feed a complete, balanced cat food with animal protein at the top of the ingredient list. The Burmese is muscular and active, so quality protein suits it, but it has a good appetite too and will gain weight if food is left down all day. Measured meals work better than leaving food out. There should always be fresh water within reach, and a mix of wet and dry food supports both hydration and dental health.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to no more than ten percent of daily calories and take them off the meal portions so the cat doesn't gain weight. A cat on a complete commercial diet usually needs nothing extra; add vitamins or joint support only on the advice of a vet.

The Burmese is a hardy, long-lived breed that commonly reaches 16 to 18 years with good care. Its health is sound on the whole, though a small number of inherited conditions crop up in the breed lines, and responsible breeders screen for them. Routine veterinary care, weight control, and attention to the teeth all go towards a long life.

Preventive care

• Annual veterinary checkups, moving to twice a year for older cats.
• Keep vaccinations and parasite control up to date.
• Hold the cat at a lean body weight to lower diabetes risk.
• Brush the teeth and book dental cleanings as advised.
• Ask the breeder about genetic screening for hypokalaemia.

The Burmese learns quickly and takes to the attention that training brings. Being so focused on its people, it does well with short, reward-based sessions, and many take readily to fetch, sit, and even harness walking. Keep each session short and end on a good note, as a bored cat loses interest in no time. Litter training is usually no bother; set out a clean tray in a quiet spot and the kitten takes to it early.

Basics

1. Start with the litter tray: keep it away from food and noise, and keep it clean.
2. Bring in a clicker or a marker word paired with a treat so the cat ties the sound to a reward.
3. Teach one simple behaviour at a time, such as coming when called.
4. Reward there and then, and keep each session to a few minutes.
5. Build up to fetch or harness work once the basics are reliable.

Burmese cats reach sexual maturity fairly early, and a queen can come into season from around five to six months, though responsible breeders hold back from mating until full maturity. Gestation runs about 63 to 67 days, and litters average four to five kittens. Burmese mothers are usually attentive and look after their young well.

Kittens should stay with the mother until at least twelve to fourteen weeks, by which stage they are fully weaned, litter trained, and socialised. As the breed carries inherited conditions, ethical breeding programmes screen breeding stock for hypokalaemia where a test is to be had and keep watch on litters for flat-chested kitten syndrome. Handling the kittens early on supports the friendly, people-oriented temperament the breed is known for.

Registering a Burmese in Ireland

Cats sit outside the 2015 chipping law, so whatever record your Burmese has is the one you make yourself. Make it a free one: the United Pet Club profile carries your details, her photo, and her chip number for the whole of her life. Registering your cat costs nothing, now or ever.

The fifteen digits on your Burmese's vet paperwork want a registry. United Pet Club lodges them free, keeps them current through every move, and leaves the record findable whenever a scanner asks. Microchip registration plus a free account: both sorted in one cup of tea.