Knowra Burmese cat Burmese cat The Burmese cat is a domestic breed with a compact, muscular body, short glossy coat, and affectionate, people-oriented temperament. Its modern breed history began with cats developed in the United States and Britain.
Cat coat genetics : The inheritance of genes that shape cats’ coat colors, patterns, and hair characteristics. Burmese coat color is tied to a temperature-sensitive form of albinism.
Wong Mau : The cat brought from Burma to the United States in 1930 and used in developing the modern Burmese breed. Her breeding with Siamese cats founded the American Burmese line.
American Burmese : The Burmese type recognized in the United States, typically characterized by a rounded head and compact, cobby body. It represents the rounder, more compact standard often contrasted with the British type.
Cat breeding : The planned mating of domestic cats to pass on selected traits and maintain pedigreed lines. Burmese lines are managed to preserve type while limiting inherited disease.
Tyrosinase : An enzyme involved in producing melanin, the pigment responsible for coloration in skin, hair, and eyes. A temperature-sensitive tyrosinase variant produces the Burmese coat’s darker extremities.
Joseph Cheesman Thompson : An American physician and breeder who introduced Wong Mau to the United States and developed the Burmese breed. Thompson organized the breeding program that established the breed in America.
Bombay cat : A domestic cat breed developed to resemble a miniature black panther, with a black coat and copper or gold eyes. The Bombay shares a compact build and Burmese ancestry but is defined by its black coat.
Burmese head defect : A severe craniofacial malformation associated with a recessive mutation found in some Burmese cats. Genetic testing can prevent matings that produce affected kittens.
Cat body types : A classification of domestic cats by overall build, including differences in length, bone structure, and muscularity. The Burmese is compact and muscular rather than long and slender.
Siamese cat : A domestic cat breed known for a slender body, short coat, color-point pattern, and blue eyes. Siamese cats contributed to early Burmese breeding, but have a distinct body type and pattern.
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