Burmese Standard of Points

The Burmese is an elegant cat of a foreign type, which is positive and quite individual to the breed. In character they are alert, active, intelligent, extremely friendly and affectionate.

Head

The head, carried on a medium neck, should be in proportion to the body. Viewed from the front, it should form a short wedge, wide at the cheek bones and tapering to a blunt finish at the muzzle. The top of the head should be slightly rounded between the ears, which are set well apart so that the outer line of the ears continue the shape of the upper part of the face. However, in mature males who have developed full jowls and a sturdy neck, this will not be so apparent. Allowance should be made for a teething pinch in kittens.

In profile the head should show good depth between the top of the skull and the lower jaw. The brow should be slightly rounded. There should be a distinct nose break followed by a straight nose ending with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane as the chin. The lower jaw should show a good depth of chin.

Ears

Medium in size, broad at the base, rounded at the tip and having in profile a slight forward tilt.

Allowance should be made for correctly shaped but overlarge ears in a kitten where the head size and shape is still developing.

Eyes

Must be set well apart. They should be large and lustrous, the top line of the eye showing a slant towards the nose, the lower line being rounded.

Eye
Colour

Any shade of yellow from chartreuse to amber, with golden yellow preferred.

Burmese eye colour is very sensitive to variations in light intensity and colour. Wherever possible it should be assessed in north daylight. It is important that, when being judged, the eye colour of all the cats in the class should be assessed under identical light conditions.

Allowance should be made for eye colour in a kitten where it may still be developing and for colour dilution in an older cat.

Body

Of medium length and size, feeling hard and muscular and heavier that its appearance indicates. The chest should be strong and rounded in profile, the back straight from shoulder to rump.

Legs
and Paws

Legs should be slender and in proportion to the body, hind legs slightly longer than the front, paws neat and oval in shape.

Tail

Straight, medium thickness at the base and tapering to a rounded tip. when the tail is brought gently round the side of the body the tip should reach the shoulder.

Coat

Short, fine, satin-like in texture, lying close to the body. The glossy coat is a distinctive feature of Burmese and is indicative of good health.

Condition

Cats should be well muscled with good weight for size, lively and alert.

Colour

In all colours the under parts will be lighter than the back but the shading should be gradual. Ears and face may be slightly darker in colour. A coat free from barring or spotting should be aimed for in all colours. The presence of a few white hairs may be overlooked in an otherwise excellent cat. In all colours the coat should shade gradually to the roots with no evidence of smoke effect of ticking. Reds and Creams may show some freckling or brown pigmentation on ears, nose leather, eye rims, lips, paw pads.

The individual colour descriptions are for mature adults. Allowance should be made in kittens and adolescents for a lighter coat colour than the adult standard specifies. Paw pads may be a lighter colour in kittens than adults.

Note: In the case of the four Tortie colours 27e, 27g, 27h and 27j the colours may be mingled or blotched; blazes, solid legs or tails are all permissible. Variations in the overall effect of the Tortie coat pattern are to the expected.