From analysis of the rather sketchy information available, the personal conclusion of this author, is that the early Burmese "hybrids", had been around longer than what we all thought or conceivably imagined. The breeding programmes of today's Burmese are solidly based and the cats breed true, with improvement in all aspects of the breed as recommended by the Standard of Points.

The character and temperament ensures continuing popularity of this once "plain Brown Cat".

There are still vast gaps in local background knowledge which, of necessity, needs to be explored. Any factual contributions from reader's will be greatly appreciated and of immense value in the attempt to compile a comprehensive narration of the Burmese breed in South Africa.

A very exciting 'discovery' was made when Mr. & Mrs. Rentz from Durban came to collect one of my Burmese recently. The Burmese they had brought with them when they emigrated from Germany had died, and they very kindly brought all the books they had collected over the years on Burmese.

Grace Burgess' book "BURMESE CATS" was a 'discovery', a slim volume that this author was completely unaware of; it was promptly photocopied in it's entirety - and the "new" information has now been shared in this article.

About the author:
The author's addiction to Burmese started in 1971 - after being an admitted ailurophobe!

Only one litter of Burmese were bred in the mid seventies. Breeding commenced once again in 1981, followed by the campaigning of Burmese in 1984.

Serious breeding programmes were established after the arrival of two excellent studs, Gd. Ch. Gitalaya Starshadow Gorgeous Gus - cream and Ch. Gitalaya Timaling Viking Warrior - lilac from Great Britain in 1986.  Much of the history of Gitalaya Cattery is summarized in "Stud Tales" ..

The author was considered to be the 'local' (South Africa) fundi on the colour breeding of Burmese (prior to her marriage in 1998 to a USA citizen and immigration to the States where Gail continues to breed her beloved Burmese in New Jersey but has restricted herself to breeding red and cream Burmese only .. updated April, 2002).

There are ten remaining imported Burmese at Gitalaya Cattery with valuable and diverse bloodlines. Eight Burmese have arrived since 1986; six* from England and two from Canada. The remaining three cats were 'bought in' when their owners needed to place them for various reasons.

Today, there is still no cure in sight for the Burmese addiction that started so harmlessly over 21 years ago!

* Ch. Gitalaya Kitwitchery Arabesque (27) (Imp UK), sadly, died in August 1992 from complications after being infected by calici virus. Her passing has left an awful void within our home and her loss to future breeding programmes is incalculable. Fortunately, her "line" lives on in Gd. Ch. Gitalaya Crystal Whimsy (27c). GLF