Sacred Burma - as the cat of this breed is sometimes called. And it is no coincidence. In her homeland, in present-day Myanmar, these furry creatures have long lived at Buddhist monasteries. It was believed that the Burmese cat is the conductor of the souls of dead monks in the
underworld. And the more people reached Perfection, the golden the pet's fur coat became. And those monks who could not rise to the Absolute returned to their native monastery in the form of ... kittens of the mentioned breed. In Thailand, they assure that Holy Burma was raised in their country, crossing a classic Siamese with long-haired orientals.
Eastern legends can be contrasted with documentary records of Europeans. In 1919, the American millionaire Vanderbilt brought to Nice from his trip to Indochina a cat that was born into the offspring of a new generation. The French say otherwise. They claim that the cats of the Burmese breed appeared as a result of their breeding work. Its purpose was to breed an animal that was similar in color and physique to a Siamese, but more fluffy. For this, Persian cats were connected to the breeding work . How did this come about?
Breeders have worked to completely remove the stop of the Persian. The piercing and unpleasant voice of the Siam was also eliminated. As a result, the Burmese cat is the owner of only the best qualities of both breeds. He immediately gained popularity!
Sacred Burma was inscribed on the French Register in 1925 (first participated in the exhibition in 1926). In Great Britain and the USA, the breed was recognized in 1966 and 1967, respectively.
Burmese cat has a very characteristic "Roman" nose. It is of medium length, proportional to the head, but the nostrils are at the bottom of the lobe. In profile, you can see a small bulge - a Roman hump. The head is a bit like an Asian profile. Its upper part is beveled back, which makes the impression of the Mongolian cheekbones. Ears of medium size, rounded and far apart. The jaws and chin are massive. The eyes are piercingly blue, and the more intense the tone, the better. Holy Burma is distinguished from other orientals by a squat, stocky physique with large strong legs.
A fur coat deserves special mention. Burmese cat - photo allows you to see it - has a long silky coat. On the face it is short. Therefore, representatives of the breed do not have such eye problems as their ancestors, Persians. Immediately on the cheeks, the hair lengthens, growing into a thick collar and even into a luxurious frill. Further down the body, it streams in silky waves, curling slightly on the stomach. However - again, unlike the cover of Persian cats, their hair does not tend to become tangled and to form mats. The color is typically Siamese, however, white boots and gloves are characteristic of Sacred Burma. The tail looks like a light feather.
Burmese cat combined the best qualities of the two breeds and in its character. He is very smart, but moderately active. Does not fall into tantrums, the voice is harmonious, with a slight hoarseness. The animal is very sociable, not afraid of strangers. But if Burma sees that you are busy, it will be able to become “invisible” for a while. Despite their long hair, caring for representatives of this breed is not so burdensome.