Rosemonde S. Peitz, M.D.
Introduction
When Dr. Joseph Thompson presented the first Burmese import at a San Francisco cat show, he was ridiculed for showing "apoor Siamese". The cat fancy could not accept the walnut colored
cat as a new breed and indicated that the cat he possessed was neither
Burmese nor representative of a new breed. Dr. Thompson left thehall determined to prove to all that his impossible cat was indeed
possible.
In New Orleans, at a somewhat tender age, I saw a dark brown
cat with copper eyes and have remembered to this day the magnificence of the animal, Many years passed before I saw another suchcat. The eyes were no longer copper, but there was no mistaking
that the breed was the same. The first cat had belonged to the late
Winifred Porter and the second was Christine Streetman's cat. Without realizing it, I had seen one of the first Burmese in the UnitedStates and had witnessed a part of cat history.
What follows is more of that history and the cats and people who
took part in it. It would not have been possible without the gracious
help of Christine Streetman, and Doris Springer who both collected
and supplied most of the pictures, Grace Forrest, Mary Kate Carroll,
Erolyn Snelling, Edna Mozeley, drawings, and Mr. and Mrs. A.
Broaddus Estes. Like all other Burmese breeders I am grateful to Dr.
Joseph Thompson, for his righteous indignation and to that impossible
cat, Wong Mau.
Year Book, 1968

311

THE ELEGANT BREED
THE BURMESE CAT
The Burmese breed has never lacked for interest or fascination
since Wong Mau, the first cat of this type, was brought to the UnitedStates from Burma by Dr. Joseph C. Thompson of San Francisco,California in 1930. At first, the cat fancy did not recognize this walnut brown female as being a new variety of Malayan cat, rather she
was suspected of being a poor Siamese. Intrigued with a cat unlike
any other in the United States or Europe, Dr. Thompson was also
faced with the quandary of finding a mate to perpetuate her type.
Since the most available breed of the Malayan cat in the UnitedStates was the Sea1point Siamese, Wong Mau was bred to one, andthe cat fancy in general was even less impressed when Wong Mau
presented typical Siamese in her first litter of kittens.

Wong Mau and Kitten

Dr. Clyde Keeler and Mrs. Virginia Cobb felt that this new brown
cat would breed true and represented a variety quite distinct fromthe Siamese. Perhaps for the first time in cat fancy history specificbreeding experiments were designed to define the genetics of a potential new breed. And that is how it began—an interested group of scientists and experienced breeders and a single cat—Wong Mau.
In numerous crosses between Wong Mau and Sea1point Siamesecats two types of kittens were produced in that two definite coatcolors were observed in kittens produced by such matings. The darker
kittens all developed into cats similar to their dam, while the lightcoated kittens were typical Siamese when they matured. There did notappear to be any sex linkage involved since approximately equal
numbers of Siamese and Burmese kittens of both sexes were counted
in the litters.
Because the Burmese kittens had darker points which seemedto blend with the entire coat with age, it was suspected that thisnew variety of Malayan cat probably represented a genetic intermediate between silver and Siamese.
There are a certain group of genes which control the intensityof pigmentation in cats. If the cat has a pair of genes responsible
for the greatest depth of pigmentation, then the cat will have themost intense level of that particular coat pigment. There are, how312

C.F.A.

ever, other genes which are alternate forms to full color ; and thesevarious alternative forms are the albino alleles. The silver, shaded
and smoked coat colors are produced when these particular alleles arepresent in the cat. In 1930 the albino alleles were as follows:
C+ = full color= silverCs =SiameseC= albino
All of these alleles havea common physiologic denominator which is the factthat they are affected bytemperature as well as age.
It has been noted that
Burmese kittens had points
similar to Siamese when
they were young. Withage, however, the Burmese
points blended in, and an
even coat color of darker
brown became evident.
Thompson et. al. proposed
Pak Kwai Mu 1938.1940
the following hypothesis :—that the Burmese coat was determined by an albino allele which
was intermediate to silver and Siamese. They determined that if thishypothesis was true, they could expect the following:
1. Burmese bred to full colored cats would produce kittens withfull intensity coats.
2. Pure Burmese bred to pure Siamese should produce only Burmese kittens.
3. Those Siamese kittens produced from crosses between Siameseand Burmese should breed as true Siamese.
4. Pure bred Burmese or Burmese-Siamese hybrids when matedto silver, shaded or smoke should produce only silver, shadedor smoke kittens.
Through a series of breeding experiments each of these predictions proved to be true.
Eventually a cross occurred between two Siamese-Burmese hybrids, which resulted in kittens with three types of coat colors. Theseactually were three levels or grades of pigmentation. First, there werethe lightest colored kittens which were pure Siamese. The intermediate coat color was that similar to Wong Mau and represented Burmese-Siamese hybrid coat pigmentation: and third, there were thedarkest coats which represented the pure Burmese. The typical 3:1
ratio occurred whenever two Burmese-Siamese hybrids bred. From
all of these breedings, it was concluded that the Burmese gene represented a previously unidentified allele in the albino series. It
ranked between silver and Siamese in order of dominance. These findings were first presented by Dr. Joseph C. Thompson, Virginia C.
Cobb, Clyde E. Keeler and Madeleine Dmytryk in the Journal ofYear Book, 1968313

Heredity, Volume XXXIV, April, 1943. It is important to point out
that in the 1930's Siamese and Burmese werequite similar in conformation. It is the Siamese, through years ofbreeding, that haschanged most in body
type. The naturally occurring differences between Siamese and Burmese were genetic andtwo in number. These
differences persist today
together with the manmade conformation of the Siamese. First, Siamese are recessive to
Burmese as has been pointed out earlier and second have as a partof their genetic makeup a defective enzyme system which is alteredby temperature and age. The enzyme system occurs also in silvers,
shaded cats and smokes. What distinguishes each of these varieties
or breeds is the degree of defect present.

THE BURMESE MIGRATION
Burmese cats became established on the West coast through theefforts, of Dr. Thompson of San Francisco and Mrs. Billie Gerst. Previously, Dr. Thompson's main interest had been Siamese when his cattery had been established about 1926. Mrs. Mildred Alexander of Los
Angeles obtained two of the early Burmese and established anotherline on the West coast. The cattery names of these three early breeders -- Mau, Gerstdale and Mrs. Alexander appear on all pedigrees ifthey are traced back far enough.
Upon reviewing early pedigrees, one finds certain cattery names
reappearing, and the geographic spread from one area to another becomes apparent with knowledge of the cattery locations.
Mau Tien
Gerstdale
Mrs. Alexander
NewtonThe Farm
ChindwinLaos
YanaTang Wong
Forbidden City
PagodaChun Chou
Casa Gatos
314

Dr. Joseph Thompson
Mrs. Billie Gerst
Mrs. Mildred Alexander
Mrs. Virginia Cobb
Miss Winifred Porter
Mr. & Mrs. E. Battey
Mr. Donald Came
Mrs. Donald Came
Mrs. M. G. Stevens
Mr. Guy Fisher
Mr. A. B. Estes
Mrs. W. H. Hubsch
Mr. & Mrs. Howard
WarrenCalifornia
California
California
Massachusetts
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Washington
Georgia
Georgia
California
California
C.F.A.

The earliest breeders passed the fruits of their labor into able
hands that continued the work. Bograe, Beavers, Borens, Chirn SaHai, Darshan, Far Cry, Hassayampa, H. R. H. Marin; aadawh ; Kon
Ke Ke, Lan Yen, Ling Ford, Lion, Re-Ru, Ruboe; Su-Ryah; Talasman
and Yindling are only a few of the catteries to become well known
for their fine Burmese.
CATTERIES AND CATS
There are certain remarkable events which divide the thirtyeight year history of Burmese into specific periods. The first year
begins in 1930 and ends in 1947. The second lasts for ten years until
1957, and the final eleven year period extends to the present.
1930-1947:
In 1930 Wong Mau
entered the UnitedStates : and during thatyear Mrs. C. C. Strange
registered t h e cattery
name Valhalla, one later
associated with very fineBurmese. In 1936 t w o
Burmese, Wong Mau
and Yen Yen Mau wereregistered in the Foundation Record. Brownie
Mau was registered in
1937. Mrs. Billie Gerst
appears in 1939 witht h e recording o f Yen
Yen, Jr. Next Mrs. G.
C. Tillman and Miss
Winifred Porter are
noted as breeder a n do w n e r, respectively of
Till and Tilly of theFarm in 1941. In t h esame year Mrs. Alexander's Te-Ata-Ling w a s
registered in the Foundation Record. In December, 1941 Mr. Harry Birkin imported for Mr.
Guy Fisher a female Burmese Tangyi. This kitten and her brotherand sister were boarded on the S. S. Chart and arrived in New York
five months later. They survived bombings of the Japanese to add
new blood to the Burmese breeding program in the United States. .
Much activity is recorded in 1945. In that year Mr. and Mrs. Everett
M. Battey registered Chindwin C a t t e r y; Mr. and Mrs. Donald
Came registered Yana and Mrs. Mildred Alexander registered hercattery name, Mrs. Alexander's. In addition, two of Mrs. Alexander's cats Co Co and Son of Burma are recorded. In 1946 Mrs.
Year Book, 1968

315

Blanche Warren registered t h ecattery name, Casa Gatos. Shortly
before the end of the first Burmese period Mrs. Gerst registered
the name Gerstdale in CFA andMrs. Lillian Pedulla registered
Cymri.

From 1930 to 1947 the following
cats
were registered in CFA:
Early Burmese
Lent by Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Estes

1936

F.R. Wong Mau b 2/1930
F.R. Yen Mau b 8/ 1932

J. C. Thompson
J. C. Thompson

Vol. 19
F.R. Brownie Mau b 2/1935 J. C. Thompson
1937
Vol. 21J. C. Thompson
F.R. Yen Yen II b 2/1935
1939
F.R. Yen Yen, Jr. b 5/1937 Mrs. Billie Gerst
Vol. 22
F.R. Run Ti Mau b 10/1934 J. C. Thompson
1940
J. C. Thompson
F.R. Pip Sque Ak Mau
b 10/1936
Vol. 23
1941 Wong Me Mau b 10/1936
Mrs. G. C. Tillman
F.R. Till of the Farm
Mrs. G. C. Tillman
F.R. Tilly of the Farm(owner — Miss W. Porter)Vol. 25
1944
F.R. Faith of the Farm
C. R. Byrdb 3/1942(Owner: Miss W. Porter)
F.R. Hope of the Farm
Mrs. Alexander's Te-Ata-Ling
Mrs. Alexanderb 10/1941
Vol. 26
F.R. Mrs. Alexander's Co Co
1945
M. Alexanderb 2/1943
F.R. Mrs. Alexander's Son M. Alexander(owner Ruth Larson)of Burma
G. Fisher
F.R. Ananda of Forbidden
City
G. Fisher
F.R. Tangyi of Forbidden
City
B. Gerst
F.R. Gawdapalin of For(owner—Guy Fisher)bidden City
316

The f i r s t Burmese era hadcome to an end. During the period from 1930 to 1947 the first
Burmese, Wong Mau had been imported. The genetics of the breed
had been clarified and the breed
had been accepted for registrationin 1936. Three more Burmese, twofemales and one male, had been
imported by Guy Fisher from Rangoon in 1941. These cats eventually
arrived in t h e United States in1942. Two cats belonging to Mrs.
Blanche Warren achieved recognition as All-Western Award Winners. These were Yana Tansen
Gr. and Quad Ch. Julie's Nubs
Wat. a female Burmese, and Vaniof Jadawh-Boren
Wat cf Yana. a male. Their picBreeder-Owner Mrs. Carlon Borentures graced t h e cover of Cats
liarazine. July 1947, two months after suspension of Burmese recognition by CFA.
The Executive Board of the Cat Fanciers Association passed thefollowing motion on May 8, 1947:
The recognition by the CFA of the so-called Burmese breed ofcats as a pure breed is indefinitely suspended ; during the pendencyof the suspension, no Burmese class will be judged in any show sanctioned by CFA, no Burmese cat will be registered by CFA either inFoundation Record or the Stud Book, and all existing Burmese registrations are suspended; registration fees for such present registrations to be refunded upon request of the owner or without such request, when deemed plausible by the Recorder."(1-)
Serious Burmese breeders suffered a tremendous blow when theircats were no longer recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association. They
had struggled against all odds to preserve this new breed. With only
a limited number of cats their problems were greater than any othergroup of breeders. A number of misconceptions were thought to be
responsible for discontinuance of recognition. Apparently some feltthat Siamese had to be interbred to maintain the Burmese. Only themost ill informed would countenance such a theory. It was a matterof practical sense. There were simply not enough pure Burmese tomaintain breeding stock. For recognition to continue, three generations of pure Burmese had to be in the pedigree, and these conditionsin the majority of instances could not be met. In the heat of emotional response to their disappointment and frustration, one breeder
secretly blamed another for their common down fall. But the moststriking aspect of the whole disheartening situation is that they continued to breed. Working with the few cats they had the breeders
were determined to maintain their Burmese. The greatest tribute to
Burmese breeders was not that they were simply trying to regain
recognition but that they wished to present an excellent Burmese of
the best type possible. Considerable disagreement in the early stages
Year Book, 1968317

existed. Fisher and Estes fought hard to maintain type; and although
they were not in favor of lockets or kinks, they considered theseminor faults in a cat of excellent conformation. Unfortunately, otherbreeders at the time spent more time looking at trees rather than theforest. There were those whose eyes focused on lockets or tail deformities. Fisher said he though it less offensive to see a small locket
than a scattering of white hairs throughout the coat. Opinions differed. Light coated kittens continued to appear as a result of the necessary breeding of Siamese. These were weeded out of the breeding program since they were recognized for what they were, reversion to the
Siamese type. During the interim some breeders sought stock thatwould produce kittens eligible immediately for stud book status whenand if such recognition became available. Mrs. Warren of California,
Mr. Estes and Mr. Fisher worked hard during this period to maintainand better their stock.
Evidence of continuing work in the breed is indicated by the birthsof the following kittens. These are only a few of the many fine kittens born between 1947 and 1957.
Sin-Gu of Forbidden City—
FisherLaos Alompra—Came
Bu-Ti of Forbidden City—
FisherChun Chou Cha Foo—Hubsch
Casa Gatos Mae Hoo—Warren
So-Wat of Forbidden City —FisherHassayampa Pasha of Re-Ru—Pyle
Chocolate Monday Lion of
Re-Ru—Pyle
Dobyns Boki Tyf—Dobyns
Pagoda Suda—Estes
Oolong Sabrina of Pagoda —Roark
From 1947 to 1957 new catteries were registered. In 1949
Mr. a n d Mrs. Robert Forrest
registered Bograe. In the same
year Ramayana belonging to D.
Kerbow and Mrs. J. D. Elliott
was established in Au s t i n,
Texas. Hassayampa was regTopaz Mau Hybrid
istered by Natalie Pyle of AlenSire: Tai (Siamese)
dale, Arizona as was Sherwood
Dam: Wong Mau (Burmese-Siamese)of Mrs. Frances Kanoffe of GuilShowing Cobby Type Natural to Burmese
ford, Connecticut.
In 1951 Van Estes with a foundation stock of Casa Gatos established Jacaranda in New York City. Mrs. Donald Warner of Dayton,
Ohio began Lan Yen cattery. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest F. Otten of Jonesboro, Georgia established Morningside cattery in 1953 and later be318

C.F.A.

came interested in Burmese using some of Beth O'Donovan's
Chirn Sa-Hai cats. During the same year Mr. and Mrs. H. T.
Beaver of Downey, California registered Beaver's using Gerstdale
stock. Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Boren with some Casa Gatos cats began
Boren's. The first All American Burmese belonged to Mrs. John W.
Hoag who established Bridle Trail cattery in 1954. The honored cat
was Sherwood's Tria bred by Frances Kanoffe. In 1954 Mrs. Virginia
Daly of Berkley, Michigan founded Dalai cattery. Mrs. Wilbur G.
Ball of Oakland, California registered Regal. Charlotte Smiley of
San Francisco, California, registered HRH Marin, using Casa Gatos
and Regal cats at the beginning of
her line. Russell Middleton of Dallas, Texas, founded Re-Ru while
Jadawh was established by Mrs.
Jewell Crowell of Oakland, California.
In 1954, Gerstdale's The Princess of Re-Ru and Hassayampa
Spi-Dar of Regal were entered in
the Foundation Record of CFA.
Joining this company were five
Caso Gatos cats, two Gerstdales,
five Bograes, eighteen Re-Rus andfour Su-Ryans. Also in 1954 SuRyan Burma Prince found a new
Sherwood's Tria of Bridle Trail
home at Alberten Slauter's Kon
Owner Mrs. John W. Hoag
KeKe cattery.

Gr. Ch. KoKoMo of Elyria
Breeder-Owners Mr. and Mrs. Alberten Slauter

Mizzana cattery was registered in 1955, and in the same year
Regal Kuh Hub-Bah was entered in the Foundation Record. Thiscat was sired by Count Bruga one of the most famous Burmese
sires.
Kalyan cattery was registered this same year. Lan Yen's Ket Kay
bred by Mrs. Donald Warner was registered in the Foundation Record. Ket Kay was to sire a famous off spring Ko Ko Mo of Elyria.
Year Book, 1968319

Yindling cattery was registered by Doris Springer.

In 1956 Mrs. G. M. German transferred the cattery name Pagoda
to Mr. Andrew Broaddus Estes, III and Mr. Estes registered seven

Joey Singh, bred by Ruth Gramley shows excellent
type continuing through the "moratorium"

Burmese. Joey Singh bred and owned by Miss Ruth Gramley was
registered. Miss Gramley never registered a cattery name, she merely
continued to breed fine Burmese. Three significant events occurred in
1956. The first Burmese eligible for stud book registration was
Gerstdale's Rani of Regal, Mrs. Alexander's
Fi-Ying of Far Cry. Two Casa Gatos catswere sent to England and J. C. Thompson'scattery name Mau Tien was transferred to H.
E. Casassa and Ruth Fisher.
Mrs. Paul W. Levy's cattery Darshan andNiello's of Mrs. Mildred Foster were registered in 1957. Mrs. Dorothy Roark established Oolong cattery using Pagoda Burmese for her foundation stock. Stella Harlos
registered Hill House cattery the same year
and Ruth Larson registered Ruboe in California. With the following brief statement.
"Burmese to be registered under the same
HRH Marin Reine D'Or ofrules as other breeds," (2.)which appeared inCerel. Breeder Charlotte
CFA
minutes December 14, 1957, the second
Smiley. Owner Mr. and Mrs.
era of Burmese ended. Now came the timeFrank Bucquoy
for true recognition. 1957-1968:
Mr. and Mrs.Frank Chartier registered Mizpah cattery in 1958. Mizpah
produced some of the finest Burmese in this country. Prince Pogo ofRegal was bred by Donovan Friese and went to Mrs. Peggy Ball. Mrs.
James Brodie of Houston, Texas established USAF cattery. Su-Ryancattery was transferred to Mrs. Alyce Rosenberg. In 1959, Bill andJean Quiner of Haywood, California registered Cher-Lan cattery. In
320

C.F.A.

Houston Christine Streetman established Chi-Sai
cattery using Casa Gatos,
Gerstdale and Mizpah
stock. Chi-Sai cats weresired by Prince Pogo, Ko
Ko Mo and Mizpah's
C lane y. Eberhardt Le
Schin and Dr. John W.
Wieler registered LeShinWieler cattery. Mrs. T. J.
McNaughton of Pennsylvania was an outstanding
breeder who established
Sheramain cattery. Ty-Ru
begun by Mrs. A. P. Tyler
of Houston is the home ofmany fine Burmese. Mrs.
Doris Wilcox of Florida
began Yasmin cattery.
During 1959 many exceptional Burmese were registered : Casa Gatos Zoto
(owner Brodie), Count
Bruga bred by J e w e 11
Crowell, Ko Ko Mo of
Elyria, Dobyns Man Oh
Man, Ling-Ford Devas.
Prince Pogo of Regal (deceased)
Devas was bred by Miss
was owned by Doris Springer
Elinor Dennis.
In 1960, one of Beaver's Burmese went to Mrs. Ray Gardner forestablishment of her line. Burmese registered in 1960 were Casa Gatos
Wafu of Sherwood, Casa Gatos Zenda O'Jacaranda, HRH Marin
Bronze Angel (owner Jolie Ott), Chirn Sa-Hai Soo Wat, Dobyns Burma of Sheramain, Ghiradelli Alla Mizpah sired by Bograe's Sabur, wasbred by Mrs. Chester Noren. The dam was Dark Moon of Yindling.
This famous cat went to Mr. and Mrs. Chartier of Reno, Nevada.
The first Burmese registered by Mrs. Marge Pallady was Seven
Cee of Pat Pat (of Pallady). Yindling Dark Dancer and Yindling Dark
Shadow were the foundation stock of Evelyn King's line. In 1960
Rogers Hts. cattery was registered by Mrs. Willa Rogers.
Seventy-four Burmese were registered in 1961, among them
Chuck's Burma Road of Rogers Hts. This cat was found and recognized as a fine Burmese and registered in the Primary Record. Othercats in this group to become outstanding were Chi-Sai Ko Ket, Mizpah's Clancy and Oriental Bamboo. During 1961 Felinest, Bur-Ami
and Jo-Pau catteries were registered. Puss-in-Dale was establishedby Richard Bateman, using Chi-Sai stock.
In Volume 89 of the Stud Book, 41 cats were registered. Yindling's
Dark Don of Pomona went to Mrs. R. M. Berry of Arizona while
Year Book, 1968

321

Yindling's Tomas went to the Ling-Fordcattery of Miss Elinor Dennis.
In Volume 90, 1962 Beaver's Clan
Singh Tu was registered. Cher-Lan's
Tonii belonging to the Quiners was also
registered, and Yindling's Polaro went toRogers Hts. cattery. Brierwood cattery
was registered by Mr. John Baker. Mizpah's Fernand of Brierwood and Mizpah's Claudia of Yasmin appeared on thescene as outstanding cats. In the same
Yindling's Dark Moon, 1956
year Heatherwood cattery was registered,with Chi-Sai Cyween as foundation stock.
The following year new catteries were registered: Alpatra belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Robie began with Heatherwood's Winsome of Alpatra. Mrs. Raymond Erhart registered Mai Hai. At two
extremes geographically, Jeanne Jeffrey registered Rio Vista in Canada and Mary Jayne Eaton and Dorothy Hopkins established Jandoin Alabama.
1964, Cher-Lan's Tonii a n d
Mizpah's Fing Fung of Samdur,
owned by the Darrell Samples,
made names for themselves. Janice Key registered Key-Kat cattery
in Florida.
The outstanding cats in 196566 were Hill House Daniella ofShawnee, bred by Stella Harlos
and owned by Nikki Shuttleworth;
G(LEN)N'S Geronimo of Rogers
Hts., Beaver's Clan Singh Tu andPuss-N-Dale Kihara o f Pageant(Kihara belonging to Susie Page
was an outstanding cat.) Jo-Don
cattery was registered by theThompsons of Dallas.
Chi-Sai Ko Ket, daughter of
In 1966-67, t h e outstanding
Gr. Ch. KoKoMo x Valhalla Salween
Burmesewere: Brierwood's Ferof Chi Sai. Breeder Owner Chris
nandelowned
by LeShin-Wieler
Streetmancattery ; Mai-Hai Demitasse bredby Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Erhart ; Hill House Daniella of Shawnee continued to win honors. Burma Road's Detour of Senshu bred by Bev
Stevens and owned by the Vern Maddoxes, appeared. Evidence ofBeaver stock is seen in "De". Nikki Shuttleworth produced one of
the best in Shawnee Casey Jones of Phi Line owned by Roger W.
Sanftner. And thus we have reached the present with a long historyof some hardship, from which have come extraordinary cats. In reviewing these years, certain fine catteries and cats may have notbeen mentioned. This was not intentional, be assured. Space would
not permit inclusion of all the fine Burmese. H o w e v e r, frompoint of view of their historical significance or because of the fine322

C.F.A.

Briarwood's Fernandel
Fernand's Son. owned by Le Shin-Wieler

Mizpah Fernand of Briarwood
Bred by Vivian Chartier. Owned by John Baker

Pongui, bred and owned by Don
Thompson, did poorly in the showsin the late 50's, was not "typey"(Siamese) enough. When shown in
the 60's in her old age, was considered excellent type; the original
Burmese conformation had comeinto its own.

Valhalla Saiween of Chi-Sai
Bred by Blanche Strange from
Casa Gatos stock. Owned by
Chris Streetman
Year Book, 1968

cats they sired or simply from thepoint of their magnificent quality
I should like to cite the following
Burmese:
1. Wong Mau
2. Mrs. Alexander's My Ling
3. Faith of the Farm
4. Tangi of Forbidden City
5. Sin-Gu of Forbidden City
6. Gerstdale's Rani of Regal
7. Lao's Santee Wat of Casa
Gatos
8. Cymri Pad-Ma
9. Regal Mocha of HRH Marin
10. Count Bruga
11. Prince Pogo of Regal
12. Ko Ko Mo (of Elyria)
13. Ghiradelli Alla Mizpah
14. Antonica Pamphula
15. Valhalla Salween of Chi-Sai
16. Mizpah's Clancy
17. Chi-Sai Ko Ket
18. Ty-Ru Barbi Babi
19. Mizpah's Fernand of
Brierwood
20. Hill House Daniella ofShawnee
21. Shawnee Casey Jones of
Phi Line
323

BURMESE PROBLEMS
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the Burmese breed is thatthe majority of the cats are such good ones. This may be due, inpart, to the fact that they are being bred to a single standard. However in such a short span of time an outstanding job has been done.
No breeder of Burmese is yet satisfied. As a group they still want theround head round in the sense that a Persian breeder means round;copper eyes in the sense that a Persian breeder means copper. Much
has yet to be achieved. From the beginning, the Burmese breeder
has had to guard against dwarfism, as the result of excessive inbreeding, and subluxation of the pectoral and pelvic girdles. Skeletal
defects inherited as recessive traits have constituted the major enemies of the breed. White spotting and tail abnormalities are, in comparison, minor. The major problems were recognized very early inthe period. Many years ago Mr.
Guy Fisher wrote, "We are alarmed at the emphasis put on smallness in the C.F.A. standard . . .
Some breeders informed the public that the little three or four
pounders are the height of perfection and much to be desired. Actually they are weaklings and theresult of dwarfism induced by excessive inbreeding."(3•) And again
Fisher said, "Allowance of t h ekink tail is an unwarranted concession to breeders who haven't
the courage to eliminate this outstanding fault from their stock(4)-"Burmese, today, in most instances
are of good type. There has beencomae criticism that the males have
Chi-Sai Kowan
Grandson of Pogo
deformed pelvic girdles ; and insome lines, this is true ; however
more often the male looks some what out of proportion simply because he is a male and has a slimmer pelvic region than the female.
A more disturbing and disastrous finding has become apparent within
the past two years. There are a few Burmese with very nice roundheads, but the heads are small and simply out of keeping with therest of the body. The sense of balance to the entire cat is lost.
The copper eye color has not been seen in years. Green eyes aremost disconcerting, particularly in a Grand Champion Burmese. But
eye color counts for only a few points in the standard, so most breeders can get by with that. The professional breeder need not worry
about it. The green eye color is again "an unwarranted concession
to breeders who haven't the courage to eliminate this outstanding
fault from their stock."
What are breeders working for? What should a good Burmese
cat look like and feel like? First of all, the cat should be sturdy
324

C.F.A.

with a look of roundness, a sense of well muscled stockiness. It
should be heavy and convey that feeling. The surprising thing to a
novice is that the Burmese feels heavier than it appears. The headshould be round with the dome
like crown, the eyes large andround without bulging. T h emuzzle should be well developed,
the chin firm and the jaws
should meet evenly. The profilei s short without being pekelike. The ears are short andwell rounded. The shoulders arebroad, well developed a n d inbalance with the pelvic girdle.
The tail is short and blunt at
its tip. The coat should be sleek,close lying and sable brown to
its roots. The eyes should be
deep gold in color. There is atendency for Burmese today to be too small. They should be of goodsize, and I, personally, do not object to a large cat provided it is ingood balance.

THE PERSONALITY OF THE BURMESE
American short hairs will take you or leave you. Siamese will
wheedle, coerce, snuggle or demand what they want in a most vociferous way. On the other hand Burmese will turn on the most soulfuleyes in catdom and "con" you out of everything you own. The female

has the soulful eyes and "silent miaow" routine down pat. She getsany and everything she wants
with the least effort. However,she is extremely jealous and will
waste no time in letting you
know that s h e is displeased.
She is the queen of the household, ruler of all other cats inthe kingdom; and there may be
one or two hair raising episodes
until this fact is established.
When she is displeased with you,
she will flick her tail, turn on
her heels and disappear f o rhours. On the other hand, themale is even tempered, loving
and devoted to his owner, thatis until he is confronted withanother male. Then the law of
the jungle returns, and they willfight with a fury not seen inother breeds.
Year Book, 1968

325

Burmese cats form a family unit ifmany are housed together. Interestingly
enough the female heads the group.
When the matriarch speaks, all Burmese
listen. She emits a low gutteral soundthat stops the rest in their tracks andthat includes any outsider of anotherbreed. The female bluffs them all, andshe is capable of the fury of the male
only when her young are threatened.
When this occurs, the male will alsocome to the rescue and protect the entire group from any intruder foolish
Gr. Ch. Tzaana's Rangoon
enough to threaten. Burmese males are
Breeders Drs. Val and Mary Jaros
sloppy with their affection, they roll,toss and purr in response to attention.
The males are fond of kittens ; like Siamese males they will mind thekitten box while mother is out. This attention to kittens includes washing, loving and even diapering.
Are they easy to live with? Very definitely so ! They are not "allover you" like Siamese ; much more dignified in their demeanor andfrom my experience seem eminently more intelligent than any otherbreed. They cooperate to achieve their goals. As an example I broughthome one of those boxes that contain a catnip mouse in it, the catreaches in, grabs the mouse which is
attached to a heavy cord on a spring.
If the cat lets go, the mouse rapidly iswound back into the house. The Siamese tried it first. The best they
could do was to hold the mouse firmly and drag the attached box behindthem. The Burmese had a go at themouse next. Within three minutes
one of them had the mouse out while
two others gnawed on the cord to
free it. They work together opening
drawers, one on each end until there
is a wide enough opening for both tohop in. They are the original underGr. Ch. Mizpah's Audio-Chatof Rio Vista
cover cats, much preferring to be unOwned by Jeanne Jeffrey
der the bed covers at the foot of the
bed than any place else in the world.
They are not opposed to joining you in the bath tub, but showers areout. On the other hand, they despise the baths you give them, yetadore the grooming that follows. The Burmese then is that unbeatable combination of looks, intelligence and warm affection. The Burmese is the cat connoisseur's breed, beautiful to see and to touch,elegant and exciting in every respect.
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BURMESE ASSOCIATIONS
Prior to 1958, there were two clubs
devoted to Burmese breeders ; each ofthese was unaffiliated, that is, neither
was aligned to any major cat fancy association. The Burmese Cat Society of
the East and the Burmese Breeders ofAmerica, composed largely of western
breeders, merged in 1958 under the newand presently continuing name of theUnited Burmese Cat Fanciers. The first
officers were : President Ruth Larson,
Vice Presidents, Doris Springer and
Mildred Alexander, Treasurer, Mrs.
Mirador's Playmate Pepita
Grace Forrest. Mrs. Forrest is still
Lovely Spay
Treasurer of this organization.
Owned by: Mildred Dobson
This international group of Burmese
Breeders has accomplished the notable achievement of having a single
standard virtually unchanged by all major cat fancy associations.
There are many other Burmese clubs in existence, but each of theothers is affiliated with one of the cat fancy associations. The first
U.B.C.F. annual meetings were held in California. However, since few
could attend, a new system of regional meetings was instigated by thethen Regional Chairman of #4, Mrs. Christine Streetman, who held thefirst Regional Meeting in Dallas in 1960.
SELECTING A BURMESE CAT
Now that you have decided that you want a Burmese, other decisions must be made, some of which may be beyond your control. Whatkind do you want—male, female, kitten or adult, pet type, show type or
breeder and what will the budget permit? Most of us have to consider the pocketbook first and let all other wishes be subservient
to it. For a pet Burmese you will pay a minimum of $50 ; you will notreceive pedigree papers or registration slip unless proof of castrationor spaying of the pet is presented
to the breeder within a year of thedate of purchase. A more likely fee
for a pet Burmese is $75. Breeding
stock with pedigree and registration
can be bought for a minimum of$100. Prospective show stock will
cost at least $150. How does one distinguish between pet, breeding andshow type animals? The pet Burmese will have some characteristics
that will disqualify it from showing,that is, a white spot or a minor taildefect or excessive barring. Breeding stock may have some minor deGr. Ch. Ling-Ford Ludovic (of Paragon)
fect, but the small defect may be so
Bred by Elinor Dennis
overwhelmingly negated by other
Owned by Mi'dred Dobson
Year Book, 1968327

outstanding qualities that the cat is of significant potential as abreeder. As an example, a cat may have a magnificent head andbrilliant eye color, but a small white spot may mar an otherwise
excellent coat. Since white spotting is apparently recessive in Burmese such a cat would add many fine qualities to a breeding program.
The show cat looks good from birth. It is free of any disqualifying
defects has good eye color a sound coat and good conformation. One
0.nnot expect the breeder to guarantee a grand champion cat andthe breeder who does is foolish indeed. But with experience the buyer
can appreciate what a kitten has to offer at an early age.
You have now decided what you want; the next question is, will
the breeder let you have it? Most Burmese breeders will just about
check on your pedigree as to whether or not you deserve one of theircats. The most ethical breeders who are genuinely fond of their catswill not, sell a cat unless they are reasonably sure of the care the buyer
will provide. You will not find ads in local papers except upon extremely rare occasions offering Burmese for sale. Therefore, you must knowa breeder or become acquainted with one either at a show or throughads in ethical cat fancy magazines. Once you have made the decision
as to the type of Burmese you want and have located a breeder who
is willing to sell, some time may elapse before the right cat is foundfor you. During this interim you will be interested in finding material and information about Burmese. There are a number of good
publications on the market indicating the general care of kittens. In
addition, the breeder will provide
specific instructions about feeding
and grooming the cat. Most people
who go to the trouble of seeking out and buying a Burmese haveprobably had some experience withcats before. In nearly all instances,the breeder from whom youbought the Burmese will provide
thorough answers to your questions.

Gr. Ch. Mizpah's Dippi-Chat of Sim Sam
Breeder, Vivian Chartier; Owner, Edna
MozleyGROOMING THE BURMESEThe Burmese breeder is fortunate, indeed, when it comes togrooming. The coat is sleek andclose lying and not prone to matting. Some few Burmese, however,
have inherited bad coats, bad in the sense that they are of the "flyaway type" that no amount of grooming improves. The hair is semingly always "on end" and stands away from the body.
Strange as it may seem, there are other factors involved in groom
ing than mere cleaning and brushing. Nutrition and temperature are
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two vital elements. First of all, the Burmese that has received aproper diet will require very little care as far as grooming is concerned. A good bath once a week
and daily brushing are all thatneed be done. Temperature is important because of its effect oncoat color and coat thickness. Excessive cold can darken the Burmese coat as well as cause it to be
thicker. Excessive heat will cause
the coat to lighten, but it will also
dry the hair and cause it to fallout prematurely. In this writer's
experience the ideal temperature is
75 to 78 degrees for a sleek coat.
Bathing Burmese need not be achore, but it does require some
Ch. Alpatra's Bermuda. Pr. Alpatra's Brupreparation. If you have a houseNa. Sire: Chi-Sai Kowan. Dam: Heatherhold of Burmese that run free, thewoods Winsome. Owner, Mr. and Mrs.
best thing to do is line up the canRalph Robie
didates and place them in an enclosed, escape proof area. The bathing area should be warm and freeof drafts. It is rarely necessary to totally Immerse the cat. Fullstrength Listerine saturated on a face cloth or any other soft clothprovides an adequate bathing solution. Put the cat on a slick
surfaced table, let the palm of your left hand press down on theshoulder girdle and proceed to rub the Listerine over all parts of the
body. After thorough saturation, the cat is wrapped in a warm towel
and rubbed dry. The next step involves a gentle combing to remove
dead hair. Inspection of ears and claws should be done with proper

Chi Sai Cyween
Owner: Dr. Peitz

cleaning and trimming accomplished if necessary. Ears may becleaned with Q-tips dipped in Listerine, using a new tip for each ear.
The best method of keeping the cat clean is to brush the coateach day. A natural bristle brush is preferable to a nylon one. Brushing and combing is no problem with Burmese. They all love it, and, the sight of a comb or brush evokes much purring and a stampede
into your arms.
Year Book, 1968

329

BREEDING BURMESEPerhaps you are taken with theidea of breeding Burmese for a hobby. If you have the mistaken notionthat breeding cats is a profitablebusiness, think again. You alreadyhave a cat, and at the age of about
one year wish to select a suitablemate. Most breeders usually choose
a female for their own and then canmake a selection of a suitable studfrom a variety of cats. The female
is easier to keep and sprays only occasionally when in season. The BurGr. Ch. Sim-Sam'smese queen is somewhat less vocal
Dash-O-Ginger
during her period of calling, but her
Owner: Edna Mozleyinterest is no less than the sexiest
Siamese. However, s h e is usuallymore choosey and may reject the ardor of the most handsome Burmese male you have ever seen. If you are frustrated by her attitude,
consider the poor tom cat. Burmese males will frequently dislike aparticular female and ignore her also.
The choice of a suitable mate will depend actually upon availability. However, ideally one should select a mate that compliments
your male or female. The breeder must be coldly analytical, and if
necessary, write down the worst faults of his own cat. Upon such abasis, the proper decision can be made. If one cat is too long of body,the mate should be as short and as compact as possible. If one's cat's
ears are too large, select a mate with short round ears and so on down
the line. Even though the breeder has evaluated the situation as carefully as possible,
he still may be disappointed in his kittens.
Cats are cats ; and theory and probability are
only that. If I had a good Burmese, regardless of her faults or outstanding qualities I
would select a mate upon the basis of thefollowing points. The qualities high on thelist would be the most important.
1. Good, heavy bone structure—you haveto start with the foundation on which tobuild.
2. Even coat preferably a warm brown but
given the choice of an uneven or barred
coat of the best color I would choose a darkGr. Ch. Puss 'N Daleer coat, brown to the roots with no barring.
Kihara (Chi-Sai and Mizpah in
3. Round head, the roundest, most apple
background)
headed cat I could find.
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C.F.A.

4. Short body.
5. Good ear set.
6. Eye color—the deepest yellow possible.
7. Short tail.
Certain stud cats come in vogue because they are grand champions
or because they have won this or that award. Breeders scurry in all
directions paying fantastic stud fees hoping to get excellent kittens.
Obviously, such a winning cat is something special; but also bear inmind that he is the exception and not the rule. What were his litter
mates like ? What did they win? The top
show cat can frequently t h r ow rather
sorry kittens. With some mates, the winning cat will produce excellent kittens
and vice versa. Perhaps the most sensible
way of breeding is to select a good mateand have one litter of kittens. Then, ideally, mate brother to sister. Very quickly,
the bad points in your stock become apparent as well as many fine qualities
which are hidden recessives. It seems
logical that you can breed intelligently
only when you know as much about yourown stock as possible. Only then can you
decide what is needed to enhance the quality of your kittens.
THE PREGNANT BURMESE
The diet of the pregnant Burmese is discussed in another section.
Let's consider some of the practical points in delivering and caring
for kittens in a normal situation. The pregnant Burmese should bewell fed, but should not be allowed to become overly fat. Since you
know the approximate date of confinement (based on charts foundin most general cat books) you should alert the veterinarian well before hand. Since he knows you

and your cats, he may wish to
give you special advice regarding the Burmese during her period of gestation. Alerting theveterinarian well in advance iscommon courtesy to one y o utrust. You will find him more
willing to be available at thetime of delivery in case an abRogers Hts. Fatima of Gold Scarab
Bred by Willa Rogers. Owned by Evelynne
normal situation develops.
Kra uskopf
Several days before the anticipated arrival prepare a large, deep box and place it in a dark, quiet
area of the house which is convenient to you. The box and its immediate location should be off-limits to all other cats and children.
The bottom of the box should be filled with several layers of newspaper on top of which flannels are arranged. The pregnant cat will
Year Book, 1968331

inspect this and rearrange the box many times prior to delivery. At
the time of her labor an escape of bloodtinged fluid will be noticed. Her contractions will increase until the kitten
appears. If these contractions last foran hour without the appearance of akitten or if one part of the kitten isdelivered and the kitten can not be fully
delivered, call the veterinarian. In most
instances, there will be no trouble ; thekitten will come wrapped for the mostpart in a semitransparent membrane.
Mother cat will free the kitten, but if
she is exhausted you may have to do itfor her. Wipe the kitten's nose a n dmouth very gently with a soft clean
cloth. If she does not cry, very gently
Yindiing's Dark Dianepress on the chest in the area of the
Owner: Doris E. Springer
breast bone and spontaneous crying andbreathing will usually occur. Most of this activity will take place before the delivery of the placenta or after birth. The mother cat willusually chew the umbilical cord to free the kitten before the after
birth is delivered. If she does not, take your time and tie a clean
thread around the cord about 1 inch away from the kitten's belly.
With sterilized scissors, cut the cord a short distance away from thethread, on the side away from the kitten. Be certain of what you aredoing before you do it. In many cases the mother cat will wait forthe delivery of the placenta, consume it andthereby sever the cord. After delivery, themother cat will nurse the kittens and sleep.
When she has regained some of her strength,
she will look for water and food. Regular nursing periods will continue for several weeks. Whenthe kittens are four weeks of age, they should
be encouraged to lap milk. Nursing will continue
for about four more weeks during which time
the kittens are gradually encouraged to eat awider variety of foods. Weaning should be completed at eight weeks. When weaning has occured, the kitten should be given one-half a doseof feline enteritis vaccine. For other details of
Sandoway's Samantha
kitten feedings, consult the section on feeding
Owner: Mrs. Alexander
M. CochranBurmese.
FEEDING BURMESE
In order to grow, kittens require approximately 250 calories per
kilogram of body weight per day while the young cat needs 130 to
160 calories. The mature adult cat in order to maintain adequate nu332

C.F.A.

trition should consume 60 to 90 calories. The calorie needs are perkilogram of body weight per day. These calories come from the dietwhich should consist of thirty to forty per cent protein and twentyfive to thirty per cent fat. Fat provides a more palatable diet andallows for better absorption of vitamin A. At the present time carbohydrate requirements are not known. In addition the cat needs calcium, phosphorus, iron,copper, cobalt and iodine.
The vitamins necessary
for health are as follows :Vitamin A
NiacinFolic acid
Chlorine
Thiamine
Riboflavin
Shy Ann's Babu
Pyridoxine
Breeder: Ray Henke
VitaminD
Oeneer: Judy Kennedy
Vitamin E
Pantothenic acidHow are all of these requirements translated into everyday feedings' How much food should be fed, when should it be fed, and should
it be raw or cooked? First of all, the feeding of kittens begins with
their conception. The female in season is an ornery character at best ;and while interested in sex, her mind is not on food. If she does not
eat her regular diet, she can always be tempted with strained
baby meat which will provide
protein but no fat. Once interested, however, the breeder canmix evaporated milk and water(1 2 :1 2), vitamins, pulverized
rice cereal with the strained
meat. The mixture is fairly
soupy, and if some of the meatis allowed to remain in small
lumps, the female will consume
a fair amount of the necessary
mixture in order to get the desired meat. Once she has conceived, the pregnant lady makes
up for lost time in her eating
habits. A necessary item for the
pregnant queen is whole groundocean fish which provides calcium and iodine in goodamounts. These supplements
Gr. Ch. Mizpah's Claudia of Brierwood
are vital to avoid osteogenesis
Owner: Doris Wilcox
Year Book, 1968333

imperfecta in the kittens. This affliction is nutritional in origin incats and is not an inherited disorder.
Variety is the spice of life, and it is certainty true with cats. Allof our adult cats eat the same diet. They are fed two times a day
and with the exception of young kittens all eat from the same plate.
We have a pride of Burmese that live together without benefit ofcages, and we have the scars to prove it. For I have found that thebest stimulus to lagging appetites in the healthy adult cat is competition. Obviously, the sick cat is isolated ; obviously, the runts areobserved carefully so that they are well fed. But those of you with
fancy catteries and separately caged cats have missed an interesting
facet of colony cat life. The ladies eat first, the oldest attaches herself to the plate, and the younger females site in a circle and watch.
The males stand at a distance and wait. Each eats her fill from thecommunity plate and leaves. Burmese do not stuff themselves as
Siamese do, nor do they hover or dawdle over their food. If they seem
hungry after one plate is consumed, another is provided ; and thendry food is left for nibbling.
The adult diet is basically as follows.

Gr. Ch. Yindling's Temple Dancerof LeShin•Wieler

Gr. Ch. Rogers Hts. Geronimo
Breeder-Owner: Willa Rogers
334

Dry Purina Cat Chow or Dry Purina Dairy Dinner or Purina Sea Nip.
Regardless of the type, one ounce ofBakers powdered infant formula issprinkled over the ration. To thisis added one or more cans of Caloor Tabby canned food (chicken parts
and kidneys, etc.).
The above diet is fed once a day.
For the other meal a selection is madefrom the following:
1. Raw ground meat mixed withpowdered Bakers infant formula.
2. Raw or cooked ground meat withlarge curd cottage cheese.
3. Raw stew beef (at least once aweek).
4. Cooked chicken gizzards.
5. Beef heart.
6. Cooked beef kidney—chopped.
7. Raw horse meat.
8. Cooked chicken (deboned).
9. Kal Kan chicken or beef.
10. Mackerel.
Tuna fish about once a week. Sardines once a week helps avoid hairballs. I do not use "gravy" products
for this seems to me to be getting"shortchanged" in the already expensIve cat food products. Unipet
vitamins are readily accepted by most
C.F.A.

cats, and these should be used daily for adult Burmese. Most novice
breeders are interested in kitten feeding schedules. What they failto realize is that any schedule must be individualized according to a
specific kitten, its size and the size of the litter. Small litters get more
milk and mature faster. Therefore, such kittens may skip entirely
certain aspects of a generalized schedule.
Age
4 weeks
5 weeks
6 weeksDiet
1/2 evaporated milk: 1/2 water, vitamins.
Above. Add infant rice cereal.
High protein strained infant dinner.
Add Baker's infant formula.
High protein strained infant dinner.
7 weeks
Cottage cheese.
Finely minced ground meat with Baker's infant formula.
8 weeks Cottage cheese
Ground meat
Horse meat
Finely chopped stew beef.
In each stage beginning at t h e 6th
week I add V9 to 1 ounce of dry Baker's
formula to the infant dinner or groundmeat. This is well mixed and eaten readily. I use ABDEC vitamins, but the typeused is a personal matter. Vary the dietaccording to the kittens' needs ; if stools
become loose increase the amount of boiled
meat and decrease cereal and m i 1 k. If
weight is lagging increase protein a n d
milk as well as cereal.
FEEDING THE SICK CAT
Perhaps the first indication of illness
Gr. Ch. Mai Tai Demitassein a Burmese is its refusal to eat. This
Breeder-Owner:
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Erhart
first refusal of food causes me to examine
the cat carefully for fever, signs of a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection orabscess. Most cats, when sick, prefer to go off in a corner and die ;so force feeding becomes mandatory. Regardless of the illness, it has
become apparent to me that veterinarians do not have time to force
feed cats. The most serious illnesses of feline enteritis, pneumonitis andrhinotrachaeitis require constant supervision and care which, again
in my experience, veterinarians cannot give. While appropriate medication is given, the cat is fed with an eye dropper—first cool water
is offered and repeated every other hour during normal waking hoursof the animal. Once the cat retains water, a mixture of strained baby
meat and water is made into a broth mixture and offered every hour
until the cat will accept strained meat from your finger tip. I havefound strained infant ham the best choice with which to begin. Its
Year Book, 1968335

stronger odor attracts the cat, and the saltiness of ham helps makethe cat thirsty and more water is accepted and retained.

Feline Enteritis

A special discussion of this dread disease may not be in the realmof this paper, but there is no other situation in the cat's life in which
feeding is of greater importance. Antibiotic therapy is not specific inthis illness and any and everything that is done is directed towards
sustaining the cat's life until his own body resistance can overcome
the disease. Therefore nutrition and maintenance of hydration becomeof paramount importance. An electrolyte* solution of water, table salt
and sugar can be boiled, cooled and fed by dropper to the cat. Diarrhea
can be controlled by one of the anticholinergic preparations such as
Valpin elixir ; and life is sustained by the use of repository steroids
such as Depo Medrol in appropriate doses. If this disease is suspected
early enough and treated early enough the cat will be eating on her
own in 8 to 12 hours. Extra protein and fluids must be given for thecat to regain its former nutritional state.

Salmonella Infections and Debilitating Diarrheas

Another illness almost as debilitating as feline enteritis is salmonella infection which can produce profound diarrhea and subsequent dehydration. This bacteria has been found as a contaminant insome pet and human foods. Laws which have helped with confiscationof contaminated human food products are now being directed to help
similar situations in contaminated pet foods. Special diet is the besttreatment. This consists solely of cottage cheese, high protein infantdinners (infant product in jars, not dry mixture), whole boiled eggs,
chopped and boiled ground meat. Symptomatic measures such as Valpin elixir in appropriate doses will control the diarrhea.

NUTRITION AND THE SHOW CAT

Gr. Ch. Lochinvar's Donagal
Breeder-Owner: Nancy Bunge

You cannot make a silk purse out ofa sow's ear, but you can embellish thatsow considerably with proper feeding.
Burmese breeders a r e fortunate because if the cat has been well fed it canbe put in a show cage on literally amoment's notice. Usually one does not
feed evaporated milk to an adult cat.
but if weight is off near show time ouradult cats are fed a mixture of evaporated milk, water, rice cereal and egg
yolk and ham. They get more horsemeat as show time approaches.
Some cats need a little more help
with their coats. If this is the case, thecheapest and best schedule to follow
is to add Linatone to the diet and alternate daily with a mixture of cod liver*Electrolyte solution—Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 8 teaspoons ofsugar or white Karo syrup to 1 quart of boiled water.
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C.F.A.

oil, wheat germ oil and corn oil. With additional oil, one must watch
for diarrhea and decrease or eliminate this mixture.
The diets worked out for my cats, no doubt, vary considerablyfrom yours. As in anything else one does not argue with succdss. Whatworks for you is best. The most important point is to raise healthycats and kittens whether they win blue ribbons or not.
(Bakers Infant Formula manufactured by J. B. Roerig and Company.)
SHOWING BURMESE'
You think you have a pretty goodcat, and you want other people to see
what a fine Burmese you've raised.
If you've never shown a cat, the mechanics of even entering your proud
beauty can be overwhelming. Most
people will attend several cat shows
before deciding to exhibit. Perhaps
you will join a local club and try to
first learn more about your Burmese
breed and shows in general. You may
join the United Burmese Cat Fanciersand then decide to enter. Once, however, a club knows of your interest

Quad. Ch. Morningside Svengaliof Gold Scarab. Bred by D. Otten.
Owner: E. Krauskopf

you will receive news and entry blanks
for the local show. The only way to learn about showing is to jump inand learn to swim. You will probably find the water pretty cold on

the initial plunge. In spite of all of the help you will receive fromexperienced exhibitors, it will be a confusing time. But if you plan
to have a cattery and sell Burmese, showing the cats is the best way
to gain a reputation. Your reputation will depend not only on thequality of your Burmese and the condition in which you show them
but also on your graciousness and honesty. Put your best foot forward and present clean, well groomed Burmese in an attractive cagein the show. Cage curtains of aqua or gold, brown or shades thereof
provide an enhancing background for your cat. Keep the cage clean
and odor free. There are several products for reducing odor, Nilodor
being one that does not seem to affect cats. Lysol can produce disastrous effects on Burmese. If the cat comes near Lyscil fumes, theeyes will water; and weeping can become profuse enough to wet the
facial fur. There may be times when a disinfectant used in the showroom will affect your cat ; simply cover the cage with some transparent plastic and protect him.

In spite of the fact that as an exhibitor you have read and digested
the show rules, you may still be confused on certain points. If yourBurmese has passed its eighth month birthday and has never beenshown and has not been altered or spayed, it will be entered in thenovice championship class. For clarification, let us take your Burmese cat, sex it as a male and proceed. You have entered him in thenovice class. In the show he will compete against all other novice
Burmese males to start with. Suppose he is one of a class of fourYear Book, 1968

337

Burmese male novices. The judge decides that he is the best of thefour male novices, so a blue ribbon (first) is hung on his cage. Opposing your cat will be a Burmese male in the Open Class. If thejudge thinks that the "open" male is better than yours, then the red,white and blue (winners) ribbons will be awarded to the "open" male.
This means that your cat must remain in the novice class and willremain in that class until he has won atleast one winner's ribbon. In the next ringof this same show the judge might think otherwise and award your cat the winners aswell as the blue ribbon. For the next show
(at a later calendar date, not the next ringof this same show) your cat will be entered in
the Open Class. On the other hand, if he receives four winner's ribbons at this particularshow he will be advanced to champion which
you must confirm with the national office;and at the next calendar show he will be achampion. If by chance, your cat received
a second place ribbon in all four rings of the
Braunschwartz K (Fine Neuter)
Owner: Frederick Kraushaar
show, sit back and enjoy yourself and try
again.
But suppose the moon is in the right orbit and it is your day, let
us take your male Burmese up the ladder and see what is possible inhis first show. He wins first place and winners in the novice class :thus defeating the novice and Open males. He is considered Best ofColor and Best Burmese, :thus defeating all other Burmese in theNovice, Open, Champion and Grand Championship classes, both males
and females. Thus it is possible for this cat now to be eligible forBest Novice, Best Foreign Short Hair, Best Short Hair and conceivably Best Cat. In the specialty rings of the show your cat willcompete against all other short hairs. In the all breed rings competition will be against all short hairs and all long haired cats as well.
These top wins are important in gaining grand championship status ;however, your cat must gain four winner's ribbons in order to be achampion Burmese.
Showing your Burmese can be fun; and you will enjoy the company of other breeders and the excitement of the show. But mostimportantly you will learn more about Burmese.
Throughout the years certain Burmese have won honors in various associations. A.C.F.A. presents top Burmese winners in their
Annual Parade of Royalty. C.F.A. show wins for many years were included in All American Scoring featured in one of the cats magazines.
Cats in C.F.A. competition are now scored within that association andbecome eligible for C.F.A. Regional and National awards. Burmese
have their own special competition conducted by the United Burmese
Cat Fanciers. Very lovely sable brown ribbons are awarded (in allshows requesting them) to the winning Burmese. The only stipulations are that the show committee request the ribbons and that they
are awarded to members of U.B.C.F. only. The wins are accorded by
the Ribbon Chairman ; and annual awards to top winners are made.
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According to U.B.C.F. records, the latest winners are:
1965-1966
Best Female
Best MaleBest Neuter
Best Spay
1966-1967
Best Female
Best MaleBest Neuter(Tie)
Best Spay
1967-1968
Best Male: (Tie)Best Female:Best Spay: (Tie)Best Neuter:

Puss-N Dale Kihara of Pageant
Mai Hai Khuda
Jasha Khame
Rogers Hts. Spice

Mai-Hai Demitasse
Brierwood Fernandel of Le ShinWieler
Lil' Satchmo
Sir Reggie of Arcadia
Mizpah's Claudia of Yasmin

Burma Road's Detour of Senshu
Shawnee Casey Jones of Phi Line
Beaver's Clan Etta Wu
Tajan Baby of Kona Kai
Hill House Imogene
Brunschwartz K

One can trace the popularity and increasing quality of the Burmese breed by reviewing the list of C.F.A. Grand Champions year byyear.
1959-1960
Ko-Ko-Mo of Elyria
Reeba Ka
1960-1961
Mizpah's Clancy
Mizpah's Anitra
1961-1962
Mizpah's Claudia of Yasmin
Mizpah's Ferdnand of Brierwood
1962-1963
Mizpah's Angus Charkha
Mizpah's Cee-Celia of Brierwood
Mizpah's Chili Bean
Mizpah's Trotsky of G(len)nPing's Coffee Royale of Cardell (Premier)
Tear Book, 1968

Gr. Ch. Burma Road's Detourof Senshu
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1963-1964
Brierwood's L. Giarraputo
Cher- Lan's Tonii
Mizpah's Fing Fung of Samdur
Shawnee Cassius Clay
1964-1965
Hill House Daniella of Shawnee
Morningside Attsi
Yasmin's Claudia of Ting-Hi
1965-1966
Beaver's Clan Singh Tu
Brierwood's BabeG (len) n's Geronimo of Rogers Hts.
Ling-Ford Ludovic
Puss-N-Dale Kihara of Pageant
Sandoway's Samantha
Shawnee Cassia
Shawnee Little Brown Jug
Yindling's Temple Dancer
1966-1967
Brierwood's Fernandel
Burma Road's Detour of Senshu
Kittrik's Gung Ho
Mai-Hai Demitasse
Shawnee Casey Jones of Phi Line
Shawnee Sexee of Sul-Lee
Yasmin's Rose Brown of Kalmia
Mirador's Playmate Pepita(Premier)

Gr. Ch. Hill House Daniellaof Shawnee. Breeder: Stella
Harks. Owner: Nikki
Shutt:eworth

Gr. Ch. Shawnee Casey Jonesof Phi Line. Breeder: Nikki
Shuttleworth. Owner: Mr.
& Mrs. Roger Sanftner

BURMESE STANDARDSEven in current literature, it is not uncommon to read about thestrong resemblance of Siamese and Burmese. Once an idea is established in the lay press, it will be quoted ad infinitum; and only theexperienced will be capable of distinguishing fact from fancy. In, the1930s and early 40s Siamese and Burmese did closely resemble eachother in conformation. One has only to review old magazines to see
apple headed Siamese that were then of show quality. The Burmese
has changed to some extent but the changes have not been as radical
as in the Siamese. Photographs of early Burmese could easily be displayed today without arousing significant comment. Such a thing
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C.F.A.

SOME GOOD BURMESE, EARLY AND RECENT

Gr. Ch. (ACFA) Show Boat
Br. Owner Gereine

Gr. Ch. Mizpah's Anitra (deceased)

Nitschman

Gr. Ch. Mizpah's Fing Fungof Samdur
Owner: Mr. & Mrs. L. D. Sample
Gr. Ch. Kittrik's Gung Ho of Silkwood
Owner: Sally Bray

Ch. & Pr. Ty-Ru's
Barbi Babi
Briarwood's L. Giarraputo
Owned by Doris Springer
year Book, 1968

Owner
Ruth Tyler

341

could not be done with Siamese or several other breeds. Early standards, out of deference to necessary hybridization called for long,
dainty bodies and almond shaped eyes. Kinks were tolerated. A comparison of early Burmese and Siamese standards show very little
difference in regard to conformation.
In 1958, the newly formed United Burmese Fanciers set as oneof its objectives the recognition of a single standard for Burmese.
This was accomplished, and it has been accepted by the major cat
fancier associations. The standard for Burmese is as follows :The overall impression of the ideal Burmese would be a cat of
medium size and rich solid color, with substantial bone structure, good
muscular development, and a! surprising weight for its size. This,
together with its expressive eyes and sweet face, presents a totally
distinctive cat which is comparable to no other breed.
PointsCOLOR

25 pts.
The mature specimen should be a rich, warm, sable brown,
shading almost imperceptibly to a slightly lighter hue on
the underparts but otherwise without shadings or markingsof any kind.

HEAD AND EARS
25 pts.
The head should be pleasingly rounded, without flat planes,
whether viewed from front or side. Face should be full, withconsiderable breadth between the eyes, tapering slightly toa short, well-developed muzzle. In profile there should be avisible nose break. Ears should be medium in size and set
well apart on a rounded skull, alert, tilting slightly forward,
broad at the base, and with slightly rounded tips. (Roundness of head-7, full face with proper profile-8, breadth
between eyes-4, ear set and placement-6 points).
EYES

10 pts.
Set far apart, with rounded aperture ; color ranging fromyellow to gold, the greater the depth and brilliance thebetter. Green eyes a fault. Blue eyes to disqualify.
(Placement and shape —5, Color 5 points).

25 pts.
BODY AND TAIL
Body medium in size, muscular in development, and presenting a somewhat compact appearance. Allowance is to bemade for larger size in males. An ample, rounded chest.
Back level from shoulder to tail. Legs well proportioned tobody with rounded feet. Tail to be straight, medium inlength, and free from visible vertebral defects. (Body-15,
Legs and feet-5, Tail-5 points).
COAT

342

10 pts.
Fine, glossy, satin-like in texture ; and very closelying.
(Shortness-4, Texture-4, Close-lying-2 points).
C.F.A.

CONDITION
5 pts.
Perfect physical condition, with excellent muscle tone. There
should be no evidence of obesity, paunchiness, weakness,
apathy.
This standard has been accepted by most national associations.
(ACFA's standard is identical; CFA adds: "Withhold winners forfor kinked or abnormal tail, locket or button; incorrect number of
toes, and adds also that nose leather and paw pads should be brown.)
BURMESE OTHER THAN SABLE
For the past nine on ten years, light coated Burmese kittens haveappeared in litters from sable parents. Some breeders have prizedthese animals because of their beauty; some breeders have exploitedthese cats and have asked large sums of money for a supposedly"rare mutation". Those interested in the cat called "champagne"
have said that the kittens are the result of a recessive mutation andthat they breed true. The same explanation has been forthcoming forthe blue coated cats. Factual as those statements may be and satisfying as they may be to the uniformed, specific genetic delineation
has yet to be presented. With the exception of black, red, and blackand red, and dominant white, other colors of all, breeds are recessive
and will breed true under the proper circumstances. Indeed, the sable
Burmese is itself a recessive mutation.
Personal observation has caused me to feel that there are at least
four types of light coated Burmese, each of which has been called"champagne". Two of these can be dismissed rather promptly ; one is
the Burmese-Siamese hybrid which has a muddy brown coat, and theother is the light sable. The latter kitten is lighter than its littermates but darkens to sable within the first six to eight months ; thedarkening thus is delayed over the normal situation. The other two
types are of different conformation and are quite different in color.
One is platinum colored and slightly elongated in conformation. Since
conformation is manmade for the most part, one cannot argue toomuch in regard to the length of the cat. These platinum coloredcats have only faint points. These cats represent a recessive dilution
which probably has the same relationship as the Chocolate Point Siamese has to the Seal Point Siamese. In other words, the platinum Buris probably a chocolate dilute. The question remains is the dilution the same one which occurs in Siamese? In all likelihood, it is.
There is another cat, born of sable parents, which is compact inconformation and golden in color. There is a distinct warm overtone
to the coat. The points are more distinct and are light reddish brownin color. This cat is totally different from the platinum colored cats.
It may be that this cat represents an allele intermediate between
Burmese and Siamese. The fact that all these light colored Burmese
have varying degrees of points is disputed by some; but the fact remains that the enzyme defect responsible for point color in Siamese
exists also in Burmese. To deny the presence of points would seemingly deny a physiologic characteristic of the Burmese breed.
The "champagne" Burmese, have been present for about nine
Yam ink 11U

343

years. This would seem to be ample time for interested breeders tohave established a standard in all associations and have a majority ofthese cats conform. Since my experience is limited to associations
which have not recognized these cats, I cannot state the degree ofconformity which has been achieved elsewhere. However, I contend
that it will be impossible to 'arrive at a standard which will include
two of these types of light colored cats simply because they seemto represent physiologic different entities.
Again a similar situation exists with the so-called Blue Burmese.
In one area of the country a breeder presents a dark slate colored catwith a plush coat and silver tipping; and in this part of the country
this cat is a Blue Burmese. In another area of the country a lavendercat, absolutely perfect in color with a magnificent sleek coat, is presented as a Blue Burmese. No one doubts the integrity of these breeders, one only feels that they should see what the other is calling blue.
Hybridization
Burmese breeders worked thirty years to preserve a sable coat,distinctive to the Burmese. Some breeders have purposely crossed
Siamese and Burmese to produce hybrids known as Golden Siameseor Tonkanese. One is a Seal Point-Burmese cross while the other isa Chocolate Point Siamese-Burmese cross. Another type of hybrid is
the Bombay which results from a Burmese-black ASH cross.
THE PRESENT DAY CRISIS
After recognition was restored and excellent pure bred Burmese
continued to be bred, it was thought that there could be no question
about the status of the breed. As it turned out, within the past two
years, the term Established Hybrid was designated for Burmese. This
had been done in an effort to classify the Various breeds into specific categories. Apparently the decision was made on the basis thatthe original cat was a hybrid and therefore, it followed that all Burmese were hybrid, even those later imported.
Unfortunately, Burmese breeders had not been consulted in what
seemed to be an arbitrary decision. Novice breeders were incensed.
Older breeders merely considered it another whim of the cat fancy
which would be endured until intelligence o v e r c am e expediency.
Neither was impressed that the term hybrid was supposedly one to
be borne with pride. The waters were calmed temporarily not withthe substitution of the term Established Breed but by the fact that
Burmese breeders were to be consulted. It is hoped that the Burmese
will be restored to their true genetic status of a pure breeding varietyof Malayan cat.

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C.F.A.

SOME TOP BURMESE MALES FROM MIZPAH

Gr. Ch. Mizpah Clancy — Still Siring

Quad Ch. Ghirardelli Alla Mizpah ("Charlie")(deceased)`7'1--arBook, 1968

345

Footnotes
1. CATS Magazine, July 1947, Vol. 11 No. 11, page 10, 22.
2. C.P.A. Year Book, 1958, Page 79.
3. Personal correspondence between Mr. Guy Fisher and Mr. A. B. Estes, courtesy Mr. Estes.
4. Ibid.

Biographical Notes
Dr. Rosemonde Stevens Peltz was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, which
immediately places her in the company of artists and gourmandes, a heritage
she keeps as scientist and practicing physician, in Georgia. Her first love
was art which she studied at Sophie H. Newcomb College, graduating in 1948
with honors in Art. Later at Louisiana State University School of Medicine she
received her degree in Medicine. From 1948 to 1950 Dr. Peitz worked in medical
art and medical photography, illustrating medical textbooks and scientific articles. After receiving her M.D. in 1954 she moved to Atlanta to intern in the
Crawford Long Hospital, until 1958, when
she entered private practice in Decatur,Ga., where she now lives; her practice islimited to Internal Medicine and Cardiology.
She is also college physician at Agnes Scott
College, and Associate in Medicine, Emory
University School of Medicine. Finally,rounding out her busy schedule with teaching, she is senior tutor in Cardiology at the
Grady Memorial Hospital, Cardiac Clinic.
Dr. Peltz has been busy otherwise, in thefield of writing, and in her favorite hobby
cat-watching. The Year Book has had thepleasure of publishing two most interestingarticles by her, and THE BURMESE CAT,in this Edition, makes the third. We list thearticles written by Dr. Peltz below:
Domestic Cat in Art, C.F.A. Year Book
1963. Reprinted in International Catfancy
Magazine Charter Issue, 1965.

Dr. Peitz

Inheritance of Coat Color, C.F.A. Year Book, 1965
White Cats Odd-Eyed and Otherwise, International Catfancy Magazine. Vol.
1, No. 1.
That Lovely Brown Cat, International Catfancy Magazine, Charter issue
continuing through Vol. 8.
The Heatherwood Cattery was established By Dr. Peitz in 1961, where she
apparently keeps every cat fortunate enough to be born on the premises. At thelast reading she admits to 13 Burmese, 1 Silver Tabby ASH, 9 Siamese, and somepiebald cats numbering 5. Because of her experimentation, Dr. Peltz has morecats than she might have had otherwise, but each is equally loved and cared for.
Dr. Peltz is at present President of the Cotton States Cat Club, Member Burmese Breeders SH Club, Member Astrocats Club, Newsletter Editor and Board
member of the United Burmese Cat Fanciers, a non-affiliated Burmese Breed club.
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C.F.A.