Burma Shaved Cat?

December 10, 2005 5:10 PM

My partner and I are looking into a Burmese cat and were wondering a few things:

• whether there is a significant personality difference between males and females
• if shedding is a problem
• whether it is better to buy a Burmese kitten from a pet store or breeder (in terms of long-term health); and,
• where a good place would be to go to around the Philadelphia area to purchase said kitty.

Solid advice from cat owners on good literature is appreciated. Thanks for all informed answers, especially from cat lovers.

posted by Rothko to pets & animals (8 comments total)

I have a ten year old sable male Burmese (British type), and have owned no females of that breed, so what I'm telling you is based on a sample of one and various sources I've read.

From what I've read, both male and female Burmese of the traditional type (round faced) are very affectionate, talkative and cuddly cats. The biggest difference you'll see between them is their size, as even the neutered males are stocky, muscular fellows who will weigh in the 10-14 pound range, while the adult females often still look like adolescent kittens and may barely break the 8 pound mark.

There's a British Burmese line that has a more pointed, "foxy" face, and that's what we have have. Fergus is an affectionate, bossy and extremely stubborn cat, but he's also the most doglike cat I've ever known. He loves being roughhoused by us and adores being rolled about by hands or feet, having his fur rubbed the wrong way, and even being spanked/slapped firmly on his sides. He has taught himself to fetch and will always come when called, even when we're obviously annoyed with him.

But the one issue with the British Burmese line is that they tend to produce a few males who are more aggressive than your traditional round-faced Burmese. One cat expert calls them "Rottweilers." Fergus was a rough kitten to get used to and we even seriously considered at one point sending him back to the breeder. He was beating up on our 12 pound tabby (who was obviously not fighting him full-out) when he was a 12 week old kitten weighing less than 2 pounds, and he still plays rough with the other cats, although they fight back or just get out of the way. None of our cats has even caused a serious injury or even a scratch that bled -- they just yell and wrestle and posture a lot.

He was rough on us too, a bit more than the average kitten when it came to rough play, biting and scratching. We trained him out of it the same way you'd teach a puppy that you are the alpha dog of the pack. It took a month or two, but he soon learned not to bite or fight us any more.

Scared yet? We love him to death, but he took some time getting adjusted to his place in the household. I'm sure there are much more mellow males out there, but if you get a British type Burmese, you may get another Fergus -- which may not be a bad thing at all as long as you're prepared for it.

He doesn't shed much at all, less than any cat we've ever had. But he probably produces as much dander as any other cat, which is the real source of allergens, so if you're asking about shedding on behalf of someone who has an allergy, you'll still have to find ways of dealing with that.

If you're buying a purebred, ALWAYS buy from a breeder. A reputable breeder will take the kitten back if it's not a good fit for you, and their animals are generally much healthier and less expensive (in the short and long run) than pet store cats. Our breeder very clearly stated that Fergus was meant to be a pet, not a breeding animal, and would not release his full set of papers until he was neutered.

Good luck on your search!
posted by maudlin at 6:11 PM on December 10, 2005

There may be exceptions, but generally speaking, pet stores are wretched places to get animals.

Even ahead of looking for a breeder, I'd check with a rescue group (here's the rescue page from burmese.org) to see if you might be compatible with any of the cats needing homes. If you're willing to consider an adult cat, retired studs and breeding moms sometimes need homes, too.
posted by tangerine at 6:16 PM on December 10, 2005

In terms of health, avoid pet stores and many breeders. "Which breeders?" you ask. Well, that's tricky, since some breeders won't let you view their facilities (because the facilities consist of filthy cramped boxes overrun with animals passing disease back and forth), while some breeders won't let you view their facilities (because they work hard to keep their animals disease and parasite free, and the last thing they need is people who has been traipsing through pet stores and breeding facilities all week looking for a pet to bring the accumulated fleas and diseases onto their property.

Pet stores are the worst of both worlds - animals purchased from breeders you know nothing about, including kitten and puppy mills, the animals are constantly around people who have been going from home to home holding animals as they shop for them, and the animals are often housed in close quarters where they can spread any diseases caught this way to the rest of the animals there.

When you select and animal, take it to the vet BEFORE you take it take it home. Never form an emotional attachment to the animal until you have had it checked out by the vet. I know a place that through incompetence, regularly sells (seriously and sometimes fatally) diseased animals and largely gets away with it because people take the pet home before they take it to a vet. This means they (and/or the kids) fall in love with the animal before they discover it needs thousands of dollars in medical bills, at which point they're trapped by their own compassion.

Sellers are well aware of this mechanism, so read the contract carefully - you may only have a few days to return the animal, perhaps barely enough time to even get a vet appointment. What happens if the animal only develops symptoms a week after you got it - do they pay or do you? Etc.

There is no real way to put this politely, but breeders, and most especially cat breeders, seem to have a tendency towards the insane. As a result, there may be some interesting conditions attached to the sale :)

Given all that, a pet store may be more convenient and easier to deal with, so if you think you can be true to not falling in love and feeling free to return the animal with a clear conscience until the animal's health is assessed as good, then the greater convenience may be worthwhile - the risk of poor health may be higher, but that's less of an issue if you're getting it checked out first.

But basically, the best way is a personal recommendation pointing you to a particular breeder, coming from someone you trust on this topic. And then, talk to the breeder yourself and make sure you're also happy. And read the contract (and be aware that you can probably negotiate some points). Also, if they won't let you see the animal's papers, then best to assume it's not the breed they say it is, not purebred, whatever. Some breeders might have and be able to show, but choose not to give you the papers in order to prevent you breeding the animal (the offspring are not worth much without the papers), or ask a higher price for sale that includes the papers, etc.
posted by -harlequin- at 6:59 PM on December 10, 2005

Also, if you are able to view a breeder's facilities, look for signs that you are looking at the actual place where the animals are raised, not just a nice clean show-room which can bear no resemblence to the rearing area.
posted by -harlequin- at 7:07 PM on December 10, 2005

also, forgive me, but I have to ask:

My partner and I are looking into a Burmese cat

Is there enough light in there to read?
posted by tangerine at 7:44 PM on December 10, 2005

Third the advice not to go to a pet store, no matter what assurances the owners -- either an independent, local mom-and-pop or chain -- give you about the source of their animals. They often do not know; or, most commonly, their animals are provided by a middle man who buys from multiple dog/cat mills and re-sells to local pet stores.

(As a journalist I did a good bit of investigation into how the pet mill system works; it is more widespread and horrific than most people think.)

Good luck with getting your cat!
posted by docgonzo at 5:55 AM on December 11, 2005

Here's a list of breeders through the Burmese association page; I would bet they're reputable. There are two listed breeders in PA.
posted by docgonzo at 6:35 AM on December 11, 2005

In the interest of looking into adoption, Petfinder.com is an amazing resource.
posted by Rothko at 8:58 PM on December 13, 2005