By Erika Graf-Webster

Austriana Cattery

Modified from Cat Fanciers’ Almanac June 1997.

Bring a Burmese into your house, and you've brought an extra dollop of joy into your life. While a rich, glossy brown coat and big gold eyes might be the first things that attract you to the breed, it is the Burmese personality that gets you hooked for life. Simply put, Burmese will love you intensely, totally, and with every fiber of their being.

Burmese are the ultimate companion cats. They love being with people, playing with them, and keeping them entertained. They crave close physical contact with THEIR people - some of us call them "Velcro cats" because they seem to want to stick to your skin. They abhor an empty lap, will follow you from room to room, and want to sleep in bed with you. The love of a Burmese is not blind devotion, however. They are very intelligent and have very strong personalities, often showing considerable stubbornness. When they play, they often seem to try to entertain their human. They will literally turn around to see if you are watching their crazy antics.

When they make up their minds that they want something, they simply don't take "no" for an answer, and usually figure out a way to get what they want. This can sometimes turn into a real battle of wills between you and your Burmese. A classic example of this behaviour is the battle where they are going to sleep. Burmese quickly decide that your bed is exactly the perfect place to sleep. Try as you might and this includes locking your Burmese in another room, most Burmese end up sleeping with their owners and many sleep not only on the bed but in the bed with head on pillow and under the covers. I'm convinced that the reason for this behaviour is that Burmese have an overwhelming need to be close to their owners.