THE HISTORY OF THE BURMESE
In the early 1930s, Dr. Thompson in San Francisco bought a cat named Wong Mau. Wong Mau would become the "mother" of the Burmese breed. Dr. Thompson bred Wong Mau to a Siamese male and the sable cat of today was born. The breed standard was developed in the 1950s and remains much the same today. A Burmese should possess a round head, a short muzzle and large gold eyes that have a sweet expression. The coat is fine, glossy, short with a satinlike texture. CFA recognizes four colors - sable, champagne, blue and platinum.
There are two Burmese - the Traditional and the Contemporary. The Traditional has a longer, narrower muzzle and comes from traditional blood lines (no Fortunatas). The contemporary Burmese has a broad short muzzle and a pronounced nose break. The head will appear broader and fuller. Today in the show ring, the appearance of these two Burmese is closer than ever so it is difficult to see the above distinctions.
©Incapaisley Cattery 2006