Burmese Cat: Nutrition and a Description of the Breed
The Burmese cat is a shorthaired cat from Myanmar, which was formerly called Burma.
History of the Burmese cat
In the USA the breeding of the Burmese cat began already in the early 1930s, whereby a cat brought to California from Burma at that time, which reminded of a light brown Siamese cat, is considered today as the mother of all Burmese. Since 1936 the Burmese cat has been recognized by CFA as an independent cat breed.
In Europe its breeding started much later. The European breeding has its origins in Great Britain. The first German Burmese were born in 1970. Today the breed is mainly bred in Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain.
The breed standard of the Burmese cat differs quite clearly depending on the region. The slimmer Burmese bred in Europe are not recognized in the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Conversely, however, it is not intended to cross imported animals from the USA in the British standard for the Burmese cat.
Appearance of the Burmese cat
The Burmese cat belongs to the oriental cat breeds. It’s a medium sized cat with a muscular build. Burmese cats bred in the USA are stronger than their European counterparts. Males weigh five to six kilos, while females are slightly lighter at 4 to 4.5 kilos.
The head of the Burmese cat is wedge-shaped. Their slightly rounded forehead is broad and their chin is strong. Their medium sized ears are set wide apart. They are broad and slightly tilted forward.
The coat of the Burmese cat
The Burmese cat has a short coat that lies close to the body with very thin undercoat. Their coat is dense and is characterized by a great silky shine. The face mask and the ears are slightly darker than the rest of the coat. Apart from regionally recognized varieties, the coat of the Burmese cat may have ten different colours.
The following coat colours are generally recognized in the Burmese cat:
- Seal
- Chocolate
- Blue
- Lilac
- Cream
- Red
- Chocolate Tortie
- Seal Tortie
- Lilac tortie
- Blue Tortie
Character of the Burmese cat
The Burmese cat is intelligent and curious and they enjoy playing with the younger members of their family.
The Burmese cat builds a very close relationship with their owner. It’s therefore not recommended to leave them alone for a long period of time. If this is unavoidable due to the owner's occupation, the purchase of a second cat should be considered.
Taking care of the Burmese cat
The Burmese cat is an easy roommate. However, it’s important to offer your friend a variety of activities. They help in challenging the Burmese cat mentally and physically.
In addition, ideally a garden or at least a balcony should be available. Even if the Burmese cat doesn’t necessarily have to be kept as a free roamer, it appreciates it if it can stay outdoors and let off steam from time to time.
The silky coat of the Burmese doesn’t require excessive grooming and it should be brushed regularly. The grooming ritual also strengthens the bond between the Burmese cat and its owner.
Burmese cat diseases
The Burmese cat is one of those cat breeds where the genetic diversity is very low. Especially in Burmese cats in the USA inbreeding is therefore quite common and often associated with numerous health problems for affected animals. To counteract this, crossbreeding with Tonkinese and Bombay cats is permitted in the USA.
One of the hereditary diseases that can occur in Burmese cats, not least because of the small gene pool, is congenital vestibular syndrome. This is a disease of the inner ear, which leads to deafness and balance disorders.
In addition, Burmese people are quite often affected by diabetes. Cats with diabetes usually need insulin daily. It is also necessary to adjust their diet. If both of these are followed consistently, the possible consequences of diabetes can usually be kept quite well under control.
In addition, it is not uncommon for older Burmese cats to develop chronic renal insufficiency, which can lead to fatal kidney failure if not treated in time.
Regular check-ups at the veterinarian are not only recommended with regard to the mentioned cat diseases, but also in general for early detection of possible health problems.
The life expectancy of the Burmese cat
On average the life expectancy of Burmese cats is about 17 years. Owners of a Burmese cat should keep in mind that not looking after their cat friend properly can sometimes reduce the life expectancy of their friend significantly.
The right food for the Burmese cat
A balanced diet helps your Burmese cat to stay healthy and prevents nutritional health problems. High quality cat food provides your Burmese cat with important animal proteins and does not contain cereals or other inferior ingredients.
With cat food from I Love My Cat you can easily feed your Burmese cat according to its needs. In addition to grain-free dry food, you will also find high-quality wet food for cats in our range, which is ideal for Burmese with diabetes, for example.
We recommend the following food supplements and care products if required:
- Kidney Power Powder helps to stimulate the natural detoxification activity of the kidneys.
- Dental Powder ensures effective cleaning of the teeth of your Burmese cat.
- Shiimun Immune supports the defences of your four-legged friend with valuable nutrients.
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