How to Select a Burmese

The Burmese is a medium-size, muscular and surprisingly heavy cat, with big, round, gold eyes that can sucker you into anything. Sable is the most popular color, but Burmese can also be blue, champagne or platinum.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Cat Beds
• Cat Carriers
• Cat Collars
• Cat Combs/brushes
• Cat Dishes
• Cat Foods
• Cat Litters
• Cat Scratchers
• Cat Shampoos
• Cat Toys
• Cat Treats

1. Find a responsible breeder who will guarantee that your Burmese is in good health and doesn't have feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).
2. Expect to pay around $300 to $500 for your Burmese.
3. Pick up and hold the cat or kitten to check for good muscle tone.
4. Make sure that the cat isn't sneezing or sniffling, that the eyes have no discharge and that the ears are clean and pink inside.
5. Examine the cat's fur, which should be short, sleek, and glossy and have no bald patches or signs of dry or flaky skin.
6. Check for fleas behind the ears and at the base of the tail - flea dirt, which looks like black sand, is a sure sign.
7. Get a written sales agreement from the breeder that provides the breeder's health guarantee.
8. Take your Burmese to your veterinarian as soon as possible to confirm that the cat is healthy.
9. Take home a kitten no younger than 12 weeks of age.
10. Plan to keep your Burmese inside and to have the cat neutered or spayed. Vets say it's the best way to keep cats happy and disease-free and to prolong their lives.

Tips & Warnings

• Burmese are playful and affectionate well into their older years, and they make great lap cats. Your Burmese will love to sleep with or on you - the breed has been compared to dogs in its pursuit of affection.
• Despite former assumptions, the Burmese breed is not in danger of becoming frail or endangered due to an inbred, small gene pool. Quite the contrary, Burmese are hardy cats that can live well into their late teens.
• Burmese have little if any survival instinct, so it's important to keep them indoors.