- Cats
This cat breed is loved by many families. Strong, muscular body, wide cheekbones, incredibly smooth coat, almost no undercoat. Kittens move very easily and gracefully, but once you hold a representative of the breed in your arms, you will understand that appearances are deceiving. The weight of an adult cat reaches 10 kilograms.
Burmese cats are sensitive to ambient temperature. During the cold season, their color becomes darker, and when it is warm, it becomes lighter. Incredibly beautiful eyes, original fur, graceful movements - this is why many families fell in love with the Burmese.
Description of the Burmese cat breed
The description of the above breed includes several characteristics and qualities that the animal must fully comply with.
Dimensions and weight of the Burmese cat
When you look at a Burmese cat, you get the impression that it is a very light, almost weightless, medium-sized animal. But as soon as you take her in your arms, you immediately understand your mistake. So, an adult cat of this breed can weigh about 9 kilograms, and a female cat can weigh about 6 kilograms. It’s not for nothing that the popular phrase “a brick wrapped in silk” is used to describe the Burmese breed.
If we consider the weight of the Burmese by month, we get the following picture:
Age | Male | Female |
1 month | From 450 to 750 grams | From 300 to 500 grams |
3 months | From 1.5 to 2.4 kg | From 1.2 to 1.7 kg |
6 months | From 3 to 5.7 kg | From 2.5 to 3.6 kg |
1 year | From 6 to 7.5 kg | From 3.5 to 5.4 kg |
2 years | From 8 to 9 kg | From 4 to 6 kg |
Burmese standard
- Build: Muscular, strong, incredibly well-built, medium size. Males are always larger and heavier than females. The chest is quite powerful, which gives the impression of the strength of the Burmese cat. The back is equal.
- Coat: thick, short, without undercoat, very soft and pleasant to the touch, dense.
- Head: rounded, muzzle short with an elongated forehead, wide cheekbones.
- Neck: strong, thin and long.
- Eyes: large, very expressive, round in shape. They shimmer in all shades of yellow (from honey to amber) and green. Moreover, the older the Burmese cat is, the lighter the color of its eyes becomes.
- Ears: beautiful triangular shape, slightly rounded tips.
- Limbs: ideally proportional to the body, medium size. The paws are neat with fairly developed muscles. This cat breed has five toes on the forelimbs and four on the hind limbs.
- Tail: Medium length, slightly tapering towards the tip.
Description
When describing this breed, one cannot do without division. There are two variations of this animal:
- American,
- European.
The first has a round face, its body has no sharp lines, smooth and harmonious. Medium-sized ears that are set wide and flattened.
This breed, in turn, is divided into two subtypes, modern and traditional. At shows they have the same standard, but the pedigree is different. Usually they are not mixed with each other, so they exist in parallel.
The European variety appeared in the forty-ninth year of the twentieth century, when a breeder named Derby brought three representatives to England. Everyone immediately liked them, and already in the mid-fifties a breed club appeared. Siamese relatives also helped with demographics, eventually giving rise to a modern, more elegant version. Their proportions are more refined than those of the Americans; the British even thought about new colors, but experts from the USA were against it - they believed that chocolate was the signature feature of these cats. As a result, in the ninety-third year, two lines were isolated, the impetus for this was the fact that the English owners stopped exhibiting their specimens due to the significant difference in phenotypes.
American pets are of medium size, clearly defined muscles and considerable weight, which at first seems much less than it actually is. They have a very smart and focused look, they seem to understand everything.
The eyes are large, widely set, round. Their color varies from light yellow to deep amber. The more saturated the shade, the more valuable the copy.
The head of the handsome men resembles a short, blunt wedge in shape, the cheekbones are very visible, and the shape is rounded. The forehead is visible from the side, the transition to the nose is quite pronounced. The ears lean forward, they are rounded at the ends and wider at the base. The chin and nose are located in one line. The neck is short and developed.
To read: Confident and independent dog breed Beauceron (Briard, French Shepherd): description and character
The chest is wide and round. The legs are harmoniously combined with the body, graceful and thin, the paws themselves are small and round. The tail is medium-sized, straight, somewhat wider at the base. Fur is what distinguishes these charming creatures from other relatives. It is shiny and thin, reminiscent of satin, short hairs lie tightly to the skin, and there is no undercoat. Below the body is lighter, the transition is smooth and neat. It happens that the face and ears are more contrasting than the body.
European pets have a narrower, wedge-shaped face. Their ears are sharper and closer set, and their eyes are more cunning, while their eyes are oval rather than round. The forelimbs are somewhat shorter than the hind limbs, oval paws, thin and short fur that tightly covers the body. The base color is sable, the brown shade can be either dark or light coffee. The main thing is that the tip of the llama's nose and pads are the same color; the difference is considered a defect. The muzzle is darker than that of the Yankee, and the nose and paws can be just like dark chocolate. There are also blue Burmese, which have a bluish-gray tint to their paws and nose.
There are also purple representatives that are unique in their kind - no other four-legged animals have this color. Platinum cats are also exquisite and beautiful; the most valuable are light platinum cats with a pinkish undertone.
As you can see, the color range of furry Europeans is much wider than their relatives from the United States.
Colors of Burmese cats
The color of Burmese cats also has its own characteristics. Thus, the European type of this breed is allowed to have almost any color without stripes or spots. But the American type is allowed to have only four colors:
- Sable. It is a rich chocolate shade that becomes darker on the face, paws and tail.
- Blue. This color can be either uniform or slightly darkened on the tail and muzzle.
- Champagne. Its color is a little reminiscent of coffee with milk, but it becomes darker on the paws, nose, tail, and ears.
- Platinum. It is also called lilac. It's a beautiful shade of creamy color that deepens on the face.
The difference between the American Burmese and the European
Today there are two types of Burmese breed: American and European.
The European Burmese are distinguished by greater “refinement”. It has less weight and a more elongated body. The muscles are noticeably weaker. But the limbs are longer and slimmer. The eyes can be described as almond-shaped, which gives cats a stern look.
The American Burmese cat is heavier. It has a round head and muzzle, and the eyes are also round, which gives them a good-natured and even somewhat naive look. In addition, the ears of this type are slightly rounded.
What determines the price of a kitten?
The price of a Burmese kitten is determined by several factors, including the prestige of the nursery, the class of the cat, age, and color. It is best to buy a kitten when it reaches 12 weeks of age. Until this time, the baby in the nursery receives high-quality care. Also included in the price of a kitten purchased at the nursery is:
- Maintenance and veterinary care for mother cats
- Purchasing producers for the nursery
- Participation in exhibitions confirming the pedigree of parents
- Breeding quality of the kitten (i.e. genotypic and phenotypic properties)
At the same time, the color of the Burmese has a great influence on the price. The most expensive is the sable (brown) color, characteristic of this breed, but rare for pets.
Character and habits
The Burmese cat is an ideal choice for those who are looking for a kind, affectionate, cheerful and loyal animal. The Burmese is incredibly active; even older cats of this breed take great pleasure in chasing sunbeams and flies.
Representatives of the Burmese are often called “cats with the soul of a dog.” Because they simply love to spend time with their owner, to participate in every moment of his life. Therefore, do not be surprised that it will be difficult to drive such a cat off your lap; it will follow you everywhere, and at night it will crawl under the blanket to sleep closer to the person.
An interesting feature: Burmese cats love all family members absolutely equally, but cats choose only one, who will become her favorite. Also, representatives of this breed very sensitively sense the mood of the owner and adapt well to it.
Compatible with children and other pets
Burmese cats get along well and get along well with other animals, be it dogs or parrots.
They also have wonderful relationships with children. Adults can rest assured that representatives of this breed will not scratch or hiss at children; on the contrary, they will happily take part in their games.
Types of purchase
There are three types of purebred cats (Brit, Pet and Show), the prices of which are strikingly different.
- Pet cats have some disadvantages (kinked tail, malocclusion...) due to dominant genes. Animals of this type cannot participate in exhibitions and are worth much lower than other species. Thus, the price of a Burmese kitten can be 10,000 rubles .
- Brit type pets, as a rule, are endowed with minor disadvantages. Therefore, they can take part in exhibitions (however, their ratings will not be high) and be used for breeding. On average, the cost of a Brit Burmese kitten is 20,000 rubles .
- Show type cats are distinguished by impeccable genetics and compliance with all breeding standards. They are the ones who become winners of prestigious exhibitions. the show type Burmese breed varies between 30,000-35,000 rubles .
As mentioned above, it is optimal to buy a Burmese kitten when it reaches 12-18 weeks. By this age, the baby is already independent and has received all the necessary vaccinations.
The cost of a kitten greatly depends on the place of purchase, that is, whether it is a nursery or a private owner.
Care and maintenance
Caring for Burmese cats is quite simple, but it requires regularity and time from the owner. To begin with, you need to buy your little pet a cozy bed, toys and a good scratching post.
What to feed the Burmese
Special attention should be paid to feeding the Burmese cat. So, it is better to purchase premium dry food. They contain those minerals and vitamins that allow the Burmese to maintain its majestic appearance, and its coat to shine and shimmer in the sun. In addition, feeding representatives of this breed the same thing will also not work. Dry food needs to be diluted with other food. For example, lean chicken, turkey, veal or rabbit. You can give your Burmese cat vegetables and ready-made cereals, once a week - an egg, boiled sea fish, fermented milk products (low-fat).
Please note that a small kitten (up to five months) should be fed four times a day, a slightly older kitten (up to eight months) should be fed three times, and a completely adult cat should be fed twice a day so that your pet does not gain excess weight .
Wool
Despite the fact that the Burmese cat's fur is not long, it needs to be carefully looked after. So, once a week you need to comb it with a special rubber brush; if your pet sheds, then you should comb it twice. If you want to give Burmese wool a special shine and shine, you can rub it with silk.
You can bathe a Burmese cat no more than once every five months.
Caring for ears, eyes and other body parts
Due to the fact that Burmese cats have a special structure of tear ducts, it is important to wipe your pet’s eyes, and in some cases it is better to use hygienic veterinary drops for this. It is better to clean your ears with a special lotion. Burmese cats also need to be vaccinated regularly. Trim nails once or twice a month.
Walking your pet
The Burmese cat has a fairly calm disposition, so you can either keep it in an apartment or let it go outside. But in any case, it is better to walk the animal under control. For these purposes, it would be good to purchase a leash.
Breeding Burmese cats
The first mating of Burmese cats is best done at two years of age (although the first heat occurs as early as six months). It will be good if the female lives in the male’s territory for several days. A cat's pregnancy lasts 72 days, during which time she becomes especially affectionate and calm. It is also necessary to agree in advance with the specialist who will attend the birth. Kittens are usually born strong and healthy.
History of the Burmese cat breed
The ancient state of Burma (today it is called Myanmar) in Southeast Asia is considered to be the birthplace of Burmese cats. The first mention of these animals was found in manuscripts of the 12th century, and medieval books even contain their images.
It is believed that Burmese cats lived at temples, and accordingly, they were equated with sacred animals. The monks took care and patronage of them in every possible way, thus demonstrating their respect and veneration for the gods. It was the Burmese cats that accompanied the deceased to the afterlife, protecting his peace. Also, according to legend, it was these animals that brought wealth and good luck to their owner, so royal and aristocratic families tried to get themselves a Burmese cat. Foreigners could receive them only as a gift for great devotion. At that time, the animal had a beautiful sable color.
It was only in the 19th century that Burmese cats first came to Britain, known as Black Siamese. Modern Burmese owe their appearance to the doctor Joseph Thompson, who in 1920 brought a small kitten named Wong Meow to America and began crossing him with Siamese. As a result, back in 1938, a breed with an incredible chocolate color appeared. In the same year, she was presented to the attention of felinologists and registered. After World War II, the Burmese breed was developed with an amazing tortoiseshell and cream coloration. And then cats of this breed spread throughout the world.
What is the price?
The average price for such a beautiful cat ranges from fifteen to thirty-five thousand rubles. It varies depending on its class, pedigree and the presence of awards from its parents for exhibitions.
It is better to purchase a kitten from trusted breeders, having first read reviews about them on the Internet, or in a breed club, which is the most reliable. They are usually found in large cities. Remember that when choosing, you need to be guided not only by the appearance of the creature, but also by its compatibility with you.
If the kitten is affectionate and asks to come to you, take it, but if it snaps at you, think about it, perhaps you should still look for your future family member. But, as a rule, such fluffies are well socialized, and from an early age they love to communicate with people, although they may be wary of strangers. Proper upbringing is the key to friendship and good relationships, so the ideal option would be not an adult, but a child. You will never regret this purchase!