European Burmese vs Birman - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

There isn’t clarity as to this exquisite cat’s origins. Many people believe they originated as the companions of temple priests in northern Burma.

The cats somehow found their way to France, and it is believed that they have been in France since the 1920s.

The cats nearly disappeared during World War II, but luckily the remaining Birmans that survived were crossed with Siamese and Persians to strengthen the breed. In the early 1950s, pure Birnam litters were produced. It was in about 1959 that Birmans were brought to the United States.

The cats were also recognized in Britain in 1965 and in 1966 by the CFA. The first Birman cats were seal point but later other colors were brought in such as red, chocolate, and tabby.

The European Burmese was developed in the 1960s when they were imported to England by British breeders.

They were then crossed with red-point Siamese as well as British Shorthairs to expand the gene pool and number of coat colors.

In 1994, the cat was recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association and later by the Canadian Cat Association as well as the Cat Fanciers Federation and others as well.

These are medium-sized cats which can become fairly large. They can weigh up to 4, 5 or 6kg. They are fairly heavily boned with a broad face and ears that are widely spaced.

The round eyes are deep blue. The cat’s fur is medium-long and should be silky to the touch with no undercoat. Ther cat is a moderate shedder.

The base color is whitish to cream, but the kittens are always born white. Coat color, whether red, cream, or chocolate is always pointed and the cat always has the white paws.

Temperament:

The Birman isn’t as outgoing as some of the other cat breeds and its a quiet, docile intelligent cat that attaches itself to one particular family member. They can actually become jealous of their human companion and demand their attention.

These friendly cats are wonderful choices for families with children and dogs. They are calm and affectionate, and softly spoken, quietly letting you know when it’s dinner time and enjoying just being around his human family.

He is able to get along well with kids and other pets in the home. He can become quite playful too and because he is so intelligent, you can buy him some toys that require him to think.

Your beautiful European Burmese cat is a small to medium-sized cat and both males and females will weigh between 3 and 5kg.

The cat’s coat is short and glossy and it comes in a number of different colors such as white, brown, cream, blue, red and tortoisehell.The cat has large, expressive eyes that are a yellow or amber shade.

Your European Burmese has a silky short coat and the coat will also only need to be brushed once a week to keep it in tip-top condition.

Temperament:

The European Burmese is a very affectionate, loyal ad intelligent cat, loving the companionhip they share with their human family.

They’re a great pet for families as they’re active and playful. They are also a cat breed that likes to bond with one particular family member more than others.

They’re also inclined to be lap cats, grabbing each opportunity to be stroked and petted. They will also be quite willing to become friends with other pets in the home and don’t like to be left alone for a long time.

They like having other pets around to keep them company and can become withdrawn if constantly left on their own.

The Birman cat has to be one of the most beautiful cats there are, but the cat isn’t only a beautiful cat, it has wonderful characteristics as well.

It is a loving, affectionate cat with his human family, loving to spend time around them. Playful and healthy, when you bring this most wonderful cat into your home, it will be as though an angel has come to stay.

Your European Burmese has a sweet disposition and it is a loving, companionable cat. They enjoy the company of their human owners as well as other pets.

They can be quite vocal too and they don’t like being left alone. If you work all day, it will be a good idea to have another pet as a companion for the European Burmese.

The European Burmese loves to play and is a fun-loving, active, social cat. While they love their human family, they may not make the greatest pet for an inactive, single person as these cats actually seek out companionship.

A person unable to involve themselves with this cat, may well find it becoming depressed. These are cats that require a lot of interaction and attention, craving the attention of their human families.

With good health your Birman can reach up to 13 years of age. With the Birman, the most serious illness is feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which also happens to be the most common heart disease in cats.

It’s a progressive disease and can result in heart failure. The cats are also at risk of developing feline infectious peritonitis.

Also, because this is a larger cat and a stocky kind of breed, it can easily put on weight and then become overweight. Strict attention will need to be given to diet as well as daily exercise.

Also, look out for Corneal dermoid - skin and hair on the surface of the cornea in one eye or in both. Luckily this is an eye problem that can be surgically corrected.

The European Burmese is a fairly healthy cat and is unlikely to cost you a lot in terms of vets fees.

Just like with other cats, some of the common cat illnesses include developing diabetes mellitus. There have been some of these cats that ave been known to suffer from Feline Orofacial Pain Syndrome (FOPS).

It is a disease related to the teeth. Teeth problems are a common ailment with cats. With this particular problem, there is an unusual amount of pain when the cat's adult teeth begin to emerge. Your cat will be displaying a lot of licking and chewing motions. The symptoms do however go away once the adult teeth come in.

The cat will in all likelihood need to see the vet for pain medication and other treatments such as a potassium supplement.

General:

The Birman has a silky coat that sheds moderately so you want to give him a gentle brush once or twice a week to keep the coat of his soft and silky.

The Birman has a full topcoat, with no undercoat which means that you won’t have the coat matting or tangling.

He’ll need his nails trimmed and his teeth checked regularly. Your vet or professional groomers can do this for you and clean his teeth and check that there are no bad teeth making your pet sick.

Diet:

The Birman cat has access to some great commercial cat food as there are some seriously good quality ones.

Many cat lovers choose cat foods that are AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) approved. It at least provides minimum standards for pet foods.

For your Birman you want to avoid artificial flavors and preservatives. Choose quality foods high in meat protein. As a carnivore, a cat has a huge need for meat protein. Get to know your pet food labels and choose foods with added taurine and vitamin A.

Because the European Burmese is a very affectionate, loyal cat, and because they thrive on the companionship of their human family, you owe it to him to provide him with consistent companionship. They are friendly cats and will be amicable to visitors to the home too.

Scratching is a natural behavior of pets so instead of becoming angry with your cat when he scratches on your furniture, provide him with a scratching post.

You can also learn how to carefully clip your cat's nails, otherwise a professional cat groomer can do it for you.

It’s not always easy keeping a cat indoors and that is why neutering or spaying becomes important to avoid unwanted kittens. It makes your European Burmese a more balanced cat and it has a host of health benefits too.

It can’t be stressed enough how important good food is for the health of people and animals. The European Burmese needs top quality food high in proteins and meat to remain healthy.

If you feed your cat human food or food high in carbs, expect to spend a lot on vet fees.

Make sure your pet enjoys his food but that it is also nutritious and in the right portions to avoid obesity.

Kittens will eat 4 bowls of food a day and then progress to 2 bowls of food after the cat turns one year of age.