Cat breed

Burmese

The Burmese is a compact, surprisingly heavy cat with a short, satin-glossy coat and golden eyes; breeders call it “a brick wrapped in silk.” It is very sociable, playful and devoted to its people. In Poland, you will mostly see the European type, which is slimmer than the American one.

Recognised by: FIFE, WCF, TICA, CFA

Weight: 3.6–6 kg
Lifespan: 10–16 years
Origin: Burma (Myanmar); breed developed in the US and the UK

How much food for this breed?Compare with another breed

Photo: VikOlliver, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Temperament

The Burmese is a cat that never leaves your side; in the US it is known as a “velcro cat.” It greets the family at the door, climbs into a lap at every opportunity and joins in whatever you are doing. It is curious and bright, learns to fetch easily and plays with kittenish enthusiasm well into adulthood. It usually gets along very well with children and tolerates or even likes dogs. It greets guests with interest rather than fear. Its voice is fairly soft, but when something displeases it, it will let you know clearly. The downside of all this sociability is loneliness: a Burmese left alone for many hours every day quickly starts to suffer, which is why keeping two cats is often recommended.

Energy: calmvery energetic
Affection: independentvelcro pet
With children: not idealgreat
With other pets: difficultgreat
Trainability: stubborneager to learn
For first-time owners: for experienced ownersyes
With strangers: waryoutgoing
Playfulness: dignifiedeternal puppy
Shedding: minimalheavy
Grooming: easydemanding
Being left alone: strugglescopes well
Apartment living: needs a house and yardgreat in a flat
Talkativeness: quietchatterbox
Indoor-only life: needs outdoor accessgreat

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Burmese for?

The Burmese suits families with children, people who work from home and seniors who want a cat that is always around and happy to cuddle. It will thrive in a home with a second cat or a dog. If you leave for 10 hours every day and don’t plan on a second pet, this breed will be unhappy. It is also not for people who value feline independence.

Pros

very sociable and affectionate
great with children
minimal grooming
one of the longest-lived breeds in UK studies

Challenges

copes very badly with being alone
prone to diabetes
inherited diseases that require testing
demands attention

Size and looks

Size and looks: Burmese
Weight	males 4–6 kg, females 3.6–5.4 kg
Lifespan	10–16 years
Coat	short
Colors	brown (sable/seal), blue, chocolate (champagne), lilac (platinum), red, cream, tortoiseshell
Country of origin	Burma (Myanmar); breed developed in the US and the UK
Recognition	Recognised by: FIFE, WCF, TICA, CFA. There are two types: European (in FIFe simply “Burmese,” in the CFA “European Burmese”) and American, which is stockier with a rounder head.
Also known as	Burmese cat, European Burmese, American Burmese

Care and exercise

1/5grooming needs

1/5shedding

The short, close-lying coat needs very little: a weekly rub with a rubber grooming glove or a chamois cloth keeps it shiny. While you are at it, check the skin, because a dull, greasy or flaky coat can be an early sign of illness. The Burmese grows quickly and reaches full size at around 18 months. It needs lots of contact and play: wand toys, balls to fetch and puzzle toys all work well. The breed is prone to diabetes, so it is worth keeping it lean, weighing its food and checking its weight regularly. A Burmese does well in an apartment, as long as it isn’t spending whole days there alone. Because it is so trusting with strangers, a cat-proofed balcony is safer than free roaming.

How much should the Burmese eat?The calculator starts from this breed’s typical weight: calories and grams a day.

Health and breed-related conditions

In a UK study by Teng et al. (2024), Burmese cats had the longest life expectancy of all the breeds studied: 14.42 years from birth, compared with an average of 11.74 years for all cats. The breed does have its weak spots, though. Diabetes is more common than in other cats: in an English study, it affected 2.27% of Burmese compared with 0.58% of cats overall. Hypokalemia, meaning episodes of muscle weakness caused by low potassium, GM2 gangliosidosis and orofacial pain syndrome have also been described. American lines carry a fatal head defect. DNA tests exist for hypokalemia, GM2 and the head defect, so ask the breeder for the results.

diabetesIn an English study, it affected 2.27% of Burmese cats compared with 0.58% of the general cat population.
Burmese hypokalemiaEpisodic potassium deficiency (WNK4 mutation) causes muscle weakness; a DNA test is available.
feline orofacial pain syndrome (FOPS)Sudden attacks of mouth pain; the Burmese is the breed most often affected.
Burmese head defectAffects American lines (ALX1 gene deletion); a fatal skull malformation in homozygous kittens, and a DNA test exists.
GM2 gangliosidosisA rare storage disease of the nervous system; detected with a DNA test.

Health tests to ask the breeder about

hypokalemia DNA test (WNK4)
head defect DNA test (ALX1), American lines
GM2 gangliosidosis DNA test
blood typing

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

Most modern Burmese descend from Wong Mau, a dark brown female brought from Burma to San Francisco in 1930. She was bred to a Siamese, which launched the breeding program. The CFA began registering Burmese in 1936, then suspended registration for several years, and granted championship status in 1959. In the UK, the GCCF recognized the breed in 1952. Over time, breeders on the two sides of the Atlantic went in different directions: Americans developed a stocky cat with a round head, Europeans a slimmer one with a more wedge-shaped head. That is why there are two separate standards today.

Fun facts

Nearly all Burmese descend from a single cat, Wong Mau, brought to the US in 1930.
Burmese are heavier than they look, hence the comparison to “a brick wrapped in silk.”
Two different types of Burmese are bred in the US and Europe, each with its own standard.
In a 2024 UK study, Burmese had the longest life expectancy of all the breeds studied.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between European and American Burmese cats?

The American type is stockier, with a broader, round head and round eyes, and the CFA allows only four colors: sable, champagne, blue and platinum. The European type is slimmer, with a more wedge-shaped head, and has its own standard with a wider range of colors. The European type dominates in FIFe and in Poland.

How long do Burmese cats live?

Breed profiles give 10–16 years. In a large UK study of cats under veterinary care, Burmese had an average life expectancy of 14.42 years from birth, the highest of all the breeds studied.

Can Burmese cats be left alone?

For a few hours, yes, but this is one of the breeds that copes worst with being alone. A Burmese needs company and contact, and if left alone all day every day it can become anxious or listless. Two cats are a good solution.

How big do Burmese cats get?

Purina gives 3.6–5.4 kg, and large males can weigh up to about 6 kg. The Burmese is compact and muscular, so it feels heavier in your arms than its size would suggest. It reaches full size quickly, at around 18 months.