Cheerful, playful and remarkably easy to care for, the Burmese cat is a lovely breed. And thanks to Burmese cat pet insurance from PIA, you can give your favourite feline the care and attention it deserves, without having to worry that an unexpected accident or illness might put you in a position to have to make tough financial decisions. With one of our coverage options, your Burmese cat will enjoy a long and healthy life as the happiest member of your family.
As the name suggests, the Burmese originally comes from Burma (or Myanmar, as it’s now called). However, all of the primary breeding took place in the US. In fact, all officially registered Burmese cats today descend from a single, dark-brown cat named Wong Mau.
The original matriarch belonged to Dr Joseph Thompson, who either brought her back with him, or purchased her from a sailor (depending on which breed expert you ask). In either case, Wong Mau was viewed as a chocolate-coloured Siamese cat. She actually mothered two different breeds – the Burmese and the Tonkinese.
He worked with a small team of expert breeders and one geneticist, and even ended up publishing his research in the Journal of Heredity. This became the first published research of its kind on feline genetics.
25-28 cm
5-6 kg
Playful, social, persistent, vocal
10-16 years
Polycystic kidney disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, progressive retinal atrophy
Burma
Short, satiny fur
Sable, blue, champagne or platinum – all point colouration
The Burmese is not as independent as some cat breeds and relies on human contact; being left alone for long periods could cause undue stress.
Given its similarity and geographical proximity to the Siamese cat, the early Burmese line was often crossed with Siamese cats. This practice halted in the 1950s, when breeders had sufficiently isolated what it was that makes the Burmese cat unique. And make no mistake: this cat is very much its own creature.
The Burmese boasts a solid, muscular body that has earned it the nickname, ‘the velvet brick’. The original had a coat of short, dark-brown fur (i.e. sable) – though other colour variations are now available. It has a large, rounded head with express gold or yellow eyes and medium-sized ears.
This is an active and social cat that loves to be part of the action. With that in mind, it makes an excellent addition to families with children or even other pets. That being said, the Burmese is only going to feel comfortable if it believes that it’s the apex pet in the house.
If you would like to learn more about pet insurance for your Burmese cat, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We offer a range of flexible plans with options to suit a variety of circumstances.
Terms, conditions, waiting periods and limits apply. Pet Insurance Australia is general insurance issued by the insurer The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd (ABN 78 090 584 473; AFSL 241436) (Hollard), is distributed and promoted by Pet Insurance Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 85 113 507 850; AR 326233) (Pet Insurance Australia) and administered by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd (ABN 95 075 949 923 ; AFSL 420183) (PetSure). Pet Insurance Australia acts as an authorised representative of Petsure. Any advice provided is general only. Please consider the Product Disclosure Statement available from www.petinsuranceaustralia.com.au in deciding whether to acquire or continue to hold, Pet Insurance Australia Pet Insurance.
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