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| Breed
profile |
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Cat
World Article by Rosie Alger. |
From issue 231 |
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© Copyright Cat World |
From
Category : Breed Profile |
| Beautiful
Burmese |
Breeder
Rosie Alger discusses the cat that - she
maintains -
totally believes that it is a
person.. |
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The
Burmese is an elegant but muscular,
shorthaired cat with yellow eyes and a
fine glossy coat.
The breed was first introduced to England
from the USA in 1949 by a Mrs Lilian
France of Derby when she imported three
brown Burmese, two females and a male. In
1955 a blue appeared in a father to
daughter mating, and was aptly called
Sealcoat Blue Surprise (obviously such
close breeding should be carried out with
extreme care and by experts only.
Browns and blues were the only Burmese
colours in Britain until 1969 when
chocolate Burmese were imported from the
USA. Subsequent matings where blue and
chocolate were on both sides produced
lilacs; the first one to appear in England
was in 1971.
Between the years of 1965 - 1975, English
breeders introduced the red sex-linked
gene to their breeding programmes,
producing reds and creams and then brown,
blue, chocolate and lilac torties. The
torties were the last to obtain
championship status, this being granted in
1977. Since then, Burmese have
championship status in all ten colours in
England. However, rather ironically, in
the USA, some States still only recognise
the brown or sable as they call it.
Anything else is called a Malayan.
Temperament
The Burmese is an intelligent, inquisitive
cat with an outgoing, loving nature and
makes the ideal family pet. They are
particularly good with children and their
sense of fun makes them the perfect small
person’s companion.
Having worked in a school for many years,
I found they made the ideal companion for
children going through the difficult
stages of growing up. It is amazing how a
purring, loving Burmese companion can make
all the difference when the world is
against you and your parents don’t
understand!
At the same time, they make marvelous
companions for elderly people. I am sure
that some of the Burmese we have placed
with the older generation have been the
main reason for keeping them going. A warm
loving intelligent friend that needs to be
looked after, is far more therapeutic than
a visit from the home help! One elderly
friend of ours in her nineties made a
miraculous recovery in hospital from a
broken hip, in order to get back to her
Burmese that we were minding for her!
Many people who have previously been dog
owners and who now live in towns and
flats, find the Burmese an excellent
alternative in modern day living. I
remember reading an American book years
ago when they quoted the Burmese as being
a cat that thought it was a dog. An apt
description. Many of them will retrieve
for hours on end - given the chance! They
will greet you at the door when you come
home and comfort you when you are ill or
unhappy when love is given
unconditionally. Plus, they don’t have
to be taken out for walks. Once you have
owned one you realise that they are
totally addictive and wonder how you ever
lived without one.
Two’s
company
However, it is not recommended that the
Burmese is a single cat if you go out to
work. The very nature of their make-up
does mean that they need company. The
ideal when buying a kitten is to buy two
from the same litter. That way the stress
of moving is halved and the fun doubled.
It is not a good idea to give Burmese
access to the outside world especially if
you are out at work. Apart from the danger
from roads, they are so friendly that they
could move in with another family in their
search for companionship. Either way, it
is too risky and you may lose your cat.
On the other hand, if they are left in the
home on their own without some
stimulation, they will sleep until you
return and then want to play all night,
Alternatively, they will find something to
occupy their time. Unfortunately more
often than not what they consider
therapeutic we consider destructive! This
principle applies to all cats, but with
the more intelligent breed such as
Burmese, it is particularly important that
they have company. A happy cat is a marvelous
addition to the home; an unhappy one can
disrupt the household. |
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