Burmese cats

Burmese cats ideal weight and nutrition

The ideal weight of Burmese cats is 8 - 12 lbs (4 - 6 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Burmese cats daily food intake

In order to maintain the fit build of Burmese cats, as well as their playful nature, their nutrition must contain high quality protein and reduced fat, as well as Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. Although cat food companies have not yet developed special food formulas for Burmese cats, you might want to try meals specially designed for active cats or even better formulas for Siamese cats, their not so far ancestors.

Burmese kittens care

When you introduce burese kittens to your home let them find their own way out of the basket and allow them to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent them from escaping.

Burmese kittens - Photo by http://www.burmese-cats-alliance.com/

Burmese kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the burmese kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kittens and encourage them to play with a toy but do not overwhelm them with extreme attention.

Burmese kittens need warmth, for they miss their mother and litter mates. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, burmese kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.

At the age of one month they can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.

For the suggested daily intake of burmese kittens dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Burmese kittens daily food intake

Burmese cats grooming

Burmese cats generally have smooth fine hair, so grooming and maintaining the coat is not an issue and they do a good job of keeping themselves clean. You will want to occasionally brush them, as this will help with shedding. The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate. Use a comb with metal bristles and an elastic grip and work through her fur from head to tail to remove dead and loose hair. Be extra-gentle near her chest and belly to avoid injuring your Burmese cat. Grooming will also improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.

Burmese cats coat sheds considerably during the seasonal change. Extra brushing is beneficial at this time to remove as much loose hair as possible to prevent cats hairballs.

Tapeworms in cats

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our cats tapeworms treatment guide.

Cats hairballs

When cats groom themselves by licking their own fur, they will swallow some of their hair. Most of the hair passes all the way through the digestive tract without problems. If some hair stays in the stomach, it will form cats hairballs.

To find out more, check our cats hairballs treatment guide.

Fleas on cats

Even clean cats can pick up fleas, especially during the summer months. They get fleas through the contact with infested pets or through the contact with fleas in the environment (e.g. from an infected bedding).

To find out more, check our fleas treatment guide.

Burmese cats care

Special attention should be paid to their eyes hygiene, as Burmese cats are prone to developing eye disorders such as the cherry eye. Keep the eyes clean by removing any discharge accumulating in the inner corner of the eye. Flushing the eye with a mild boric acid solution is also advised.

Cat ears also require a great deal of hygiene as they are prone to serious infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Cat teeth should be checked periodically and brush with a special wipe to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. Burmese cats are very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give Burmese cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for them; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that cat toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Burmese cats health and lifespan

Burmese cats live to be 14 years old on average and are generally healthy cats.

Burmese cats commonest health issue is Cherry Eye, a condition that occurs in cats when the gland located at the base of the third eyelid breaks lose from its attachment to the lid and visibly pokes outward. Treatment options include your vet removing part of the gland or forcing the gland to stay put by tacking down the migrating portion to the inner part of the third eyelid. You can keep the eye clean by removing any discharge accumulating in the inner corner of the eye. Flushing the eye with a mild boric acid solution is also advised.

Cleft Palate is a birth defect of the nasal and oral cavities commonly associated with harelip. It is caused by failure of the palate bones to develop and fuse. This results in an opening from the oral to the nasal cavity. It is usually impossible for the Burmese kitten to nurse and survival depends on tube feeding. This problem is primarily cosmetic, and can be corrected with plastic surgery.

Finally Hypokalemia is capable to affect Burmese cats as well. The condition is developed when blood potassium levels drop, initially causing cramping, then paralysis. Hypokalemia can be treated with oral supplements.

Burmese cats history

The earliest of Burmese cats existence in a series of 17 illustrated poems written in Siam , today known as Thailand, during the period of the Ayutthaya. In the certain poems are mentioned three types of cats, the Vichien Mat (Siamese cat), the Si-Sawat (Korat), and the Thong Daeng (Copper, now known as Burmese). These cats are thought to have remained in Thailand until it was invaded by the Burmese in the 18th century. The Burmese soldiers upone their return to Burma seem to have taken the temple cats with them.

In the early 1930’s, Dr. Joseph Thompson of San Francisco imported an attractive walnut-brown female from Burma, which he named Wong Mau. Through selective breeding to Siamese cats, it was established that Burmese cats were a distinct breed.The breed was accepted for CFA studbook registration in 1936 and for championship status in 1957.

The 21 years of delay for the breed to be accepted for championship status, is due to a real paradox. Burmese studbook registration in CFA was suspended from 1947 to 1953 , because of a "temporary" opposition to he practice of out-crossing between Burmese to Siamese cats. Interestingly enough, cross-breeding Siamese and Burmese cats is what later produced the Tonkinese breed. The ironic part about this is that Wong Mau, the mother of the Burmese breed, is now widely believed to have been a Burmese-Siamese cross herself.

Burmese cats personality

Burmese cats are social, intelligent and extremely sweet-natured cats. They are people oriented, forming strong bonds with their owners. In addition, they are well known to need a reasonable amount of human attention and hate being left alone for long periods of time. Therefore, in case the owners spend all day at work, it is advisable to buy two Burmese kittens, ideally from the same litter.

Burmese cats are very friendly and inquisitive, with an outgoing and loving nature. They are alert and curious, interfering and gregarious. They love to explore the environment, while anything that is mechanical and moves makes an ideal game for them.

As kittens, Burmese are quite lively. They often seem to be clumsy,especially when they attempt feats beyond their capabilities. The will also remain playful into adulthood. They are good with children, will tolerate the family dog and if introduced to at an early age as something pleasant, most will enjoy traveling in a car.

Burmese cats breed standards

As a result of separate breeding programs, there are two Burmese cat types, the British Burmese and the American Burmese. Bellow we will examine the British version.

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, Burmese distinguishes itself as an independent breed by its unique genetics of color. The striking characteristics of this lively breed are its silky coat texture as well as their expressive eyes.

So the Burmese cats have a wedge shaped head, wide at the cheekbones, tapering to a blunt finish at the muzzle. The top of the head is broad and high, wide between the ears and slightly rounded when viewed in profile. The tip of the nose and the chin form a vertical live. The nose bears a distinct break at the base and the jaws are wide at the hinge. The chin is strong and when viewed in profile, it shows a strong lower jaw.

Burmese cats have medium sized ears, broad at the base, with slightly rounded tips. The ears are set wide apart. Their outer line continues the upper part of the face. In profile they have a slight forward tilt.

Their eyes are large and set wide apart. The top line of the eyes is straight with a slight oriental slant towards the nose. The eyes' lower line is rounded. Their color can be all shades of yellow, from chartreuse to amber, however golden yellow is the ideal. In any case the color should be lustrous, particularly alert and bright.

Burmese cats have a medium length, muscular and compact body. It is much heavier than it looks, that is why their nickname is "Bricks wrapped in Silk". The chest is strong and rounded in profile and the back is straight. The legs are rather slender and in proportion to the body and the paws are small and oval.

Their tail is of medium length, of medium thickness at its base and tapering to a rounded tip. The coat, finally is fine, glossy and silky. It is short, lying close to the body, with almost no undercoat. The recognized colors and patterns are the following:

· Brown
· Blue
· Chocolate
· Lilac
· Red
· Cream
· Seal tortie
· Blue tortie
· Chocolate tortie
· Lilac tortie

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