Mary Allen
The beautiful Burmese cat originates from what is now Myanmar, north of Thailand. The history of the velvet paws leads us from there via California to Europe.
Not least because of its friendly and people-oriented nature, the Burmese cat is one of the most popular breeds. Her story begins in the 1930s when an American psychiatrist brought one of these beautiful cats from what was then Burma – now Myanmar – to San Francisco, California. The velvet paw named Wong Mau was not a Siamese, as Dr. Joseph Thompson and his colleagues initially assumed it was a crossbreed of the breed with a species native to Myanmar. Thus, the exotic Burmese was born.
Burmese Cat: Different Breed Standards
In 1936, the beautiful cat breed was officially recognized. In the 1950s and 60s, it was then increasingly exported to Great Britain, where its own breed was established. However, the breed standard between the USA, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand varies greatly. A Burmese cat bred in Europe is generally not recognized in the US, Australia and New Zealand. The Oriental has also been bred in Germany since 1970 and has been one of the most popular pets ever since .
History & Color Development
Since the beginning of Burmese history, ten recognized velvet paw colors have evolved. The first Burmese Wong Mau had a coat color similar to that of the Siamese cat – probably “chocolate”. In addition, the beautiful pedigree cats are now available in “blue”, “cream”, “red” and “lilac”.