BREED INFO > THE BURMESE > CHARACTER
Burmese are very social, intelligent, sweet and remarkably affectionate cats. They like human company. Their objective seems to wrap each and everyone around their paw. Yet they know very well who their boss is and they are usually very attached to him or her. A Burmese attaches itself more to people than to a house, although when a Burmese comes into a new environment, it will explore even the smallest corners.
They cherish, like most cats, warmth and lay therefore preferably in the sun, on a warm lap, in someones neck and when nobody is near on the central heating, enduring temperatures that you and I not deem possible. Inviting a Burmese in to ones house means that one adds a member to the family. He/she belongs to the family, participates in everything, helps with everything and is present in all that the "boss" does. Like sitting on top of the newspaper or the computer keyboard. Also he/she will, if possible, come to bed.
Burmese radiate an inner peace and harmony and are in addition very curious, very naughty and playful and this usually continues into old age. Even castrates do not loose this playfulness. Also periods of idleness are among the huge arsenal of Burmese.
Closed doors are no problem for the average Burmese , he/she just opens them. If you don't like that, you can put the door handle upright, but I can not guarantee it works. Often you will need to proceed to the assembly of round metal doorknobs. Wooden knobs can be held well by the Burmese with his/her nails and a swinging body ensures that the knob will still turn. Just so you know.
So they are very intelligent, but that doesn't mean they will learn or unlearn something. In principle, the Burmese will decide for itself what they do and you really need to be the boss to him/her to change its mind. They are also very well aware of what a ban means, but whether they listen to it, depends on your superiority. So they primarily listen when it suits them.
Yet a single Burmese isn't really happy, despite his/her human orientation. Often one Burmese tends to languish without other cats around. Especially if you're often away from home, the Burmese can't be without feline companionship or they will pine away irrevocably. But not every cat is acceptable for a Burmese. As shown above a Burmese cat is one of the more dominant species. Adding another dominant cat can pose problems.
The Burmese are generally a healthy breed, often they live to be 15 years or older. They are fairly precocious: Some cats get into heat for the first time at an age of only 5 to 6 months. The Burmese is also quite fertile. An average litter size is 4-5 kittens. Litters of 7 or 8 kittens do also occur, where it is not inconceivable that they all stay alive. The kittens are born fairly light coloured and reach their final colour after approximately 2 years. Burmese are also very social and mothers and often bring up a litter together.
Burmese are certainly not aggressive, though they are clearly present. Fights between Burmese are therefore rare. Also dealing with dogs generally runs without problems. Because Burmese are calm and balanced, they don't become impressed by something quickly. It is therefor a good comrade for children and thrives in crowded households.
Besides all this, the Burmese has a soft and pleasant voice and they love to be heard. They "blare" to beg, ask or answer, to comfort or scold, to express joy or frustration. It almost makes their body language redundant.Yet they are far from noisy.
In conclusion, the Burmese is an idiosyncratic, dynamic, people-oriented cat and can usually be labeled a companion like a dog. He/she stirs things up. This great cat is very addictive and many people don't leave it with only one representative of this breed.
