Originally, Burmese cats were exclusively brown, but years of selective breeding have produced a wide variety of colours. Different associations have different rules about which of these count as Burmese

The Burmese is an extremely friendly and affectionate car and needs attention from human beings to be happy when kept in a domestic environment. They are extremely playful and can be taught to fetch toys like a dog. They are tolerant of and good with children and make wonderful family pets. They are also very sensitive to their owner’s feelings. If the owner is likely to be out all day it is often a good idea to have two Burmese, as they can become bored very quickly with no one to play with. If you cannot be at home with your Burmese for at least half the day you really should give it a companion. They are very demanding and will follow you around the house crying for attention and generally like being cuddled. Burmese are very vocal cats and will greet you when you return home or speak to you when they want something.

The first blue Burmese was born in 1955 in England. This was to be followed by red, cream, chocolate and tortoiseshell kittens over the next couple of decades. Much effort was put in to remove banding patterns from the coats, and to decide whether these new colours counted as Burmese. In 1971, the first lilac kitten was born, being the latest solid colour introduced in Burmese. Throughout the 1970s, brown, chocolate (champagne), blue, and lilac tortoiseshell types were developed in England. Apricot Burmese were developed in New Zealand from a breeding programme initiated by geneticist Dr Rod Hitchmough.

The are generally a healthy breed and suffer from few ailments. Obviously like all cats they require vaccinating against cat flu and feline enteritis and should be wormed regularly.

The Burmese is a medium sized cat, with an elegant yet well-muscled body. They are not as large and sturdy as the British Shorthair nor as slender and dainty as the Siamese. They are surprisingly heavy for their size when lifted and this is due to their solid muscular physique

The brow of the Burmese is rounded and the nose has a distinct break. The face is a short blunt wedge and the eyes should be well set apart and a golden yellow in colour. The tail should be long enough to reach the shoulder when brought along the side of the body.