There are two distinct breed groups for the Burmese: the Burmese and the Foreign Burmese. Although their differences are specific, they both share the same early history and ancestry. The main difference between the standard Burmese and the Foreign Burmese is that the Foreign Burmese comes in a wide range of colors.

Also known as the European Burmese, the Foreign Burmese faithfully bonds to its family. Although content in the company of other animals, they seem to do best when they are the only pets in a household. In addition to their highly affectionate personalities, they are also outstandingly intelligent and active cats. Known for being vocal, the Foreign Burmese is often referred to as chatty. The appearance of this svelte feline is in contrast to its solid, rather than fragile, overall build.

With a foundation of a strong bone structure and superb muscular development, they are available in a wide spectrum of colors - a grand total of ten in fact. The Foreign Burmese breed is recognized in six unique coat colors: red, cream, seal tortie, blue tortie, chocolate tortie and lilac tortie. Consistent with their counterparts, the Burmese breed, they are also recognized in the four traditional colors: sable, chocolate (called champagne in the Burmese), blue, and lilac (called platinum in the Burmese). Their coat is short, shiny and lies close to their well-developed body. Males tend to be larger than females, but generally speaking, the Foreign Burmese is medium-sized and weighs between seven to nine pounds. Known for their expressive and adorable faces, they are graced with wonderful facial features. Set on a short, very round head are rounded eyes that are large with a slight inward slant and colored in ranges of shades from yellow to amber, with golden yellow being the preferred color. The feature of a blunt muzzle also emphasizes the roundness of the Foreign Burmese's head. From a profile view, the ears are wide-set with rounded tips.

In the 1930's, Dr. Joseph Thompson's breeding program resulted in a cat named Wong Mau. Both the Burmese and the Foreign Burmese are descendants of Wong Mau. British breeders imported Burmese into England during the 1960's and began a breeding program of their own. They crossed the Burmese with both red point Siamese and British Shorthairs. The result of this mix is most apparent in the European Burmese. By introducing the red gene, six new additional colors are specific to the breed. As part of their ancient history, the Burmese are also shrouded in mystery and legend. They were referred to as temple cats and were revered by their individual priests. Some say that prior to the Siamese breed, the Burmese were pets suited for royalty and nobility.

To extend the life expectancy and general health of your loyal companion, keep your Burmese - Foreign indoors. Females mature sexually at an early stage, so spaying on schedule is essential. Neutering your feline is also, important.

Female Burmese tend to start calling as early as four months or less. Most breed easily and produce an average litter of four to six kittens, although litters as large as eight and twelve have been recorded. They are adept at producing their young and known for being good mothers. Choose a birthing area that is warm because the kittens are born with fine coats which tends to make them chill easily and makes them susceptible to pneumonia. Keep a watchful eye on large litters to ensure that each kitten is obtaining proper nutrition from its mother, since the Burmese mother copes best with a litter size of four to six kittens.