Domestic

Type

16 - 18 years

Lifespan

Medium

Size

3 - 5 kg

Weight

25 - 30 cm

Height

Friendly, affectionate, sociable 

Temperament

30 mins per day

Exercise

Low maintenance

Grooming

Burmese cats thrive on human attention and don&rsquo;t enjoy being left alone. They are a breed that are known to suffer from separation anxiety.

It&rsquo;s best they have a companion, ideally a sibling, to keep them company, especially if you&rsquo;re out at work all day.

Burmese cats are considered to be fully grown when they&rsquo;re around 18 months old.

Burmese cats generally have yellow or gold eyes. Burmese kittens are born with blue eyes but if the blue colour continues into adulthood, then the cat isn&rsquo;t a pure-bred Burmese.

No cat is completely hypoallergenic &ndash; they all produce the protein Fel d 1 that causes cat allergies. Fel d 1 on the coat and skin (left from saliva during grooming, and from sebaceous glands) is shed in large quantities by dander (skin flakes, debris and dried saliva).

Burmese cats are considered to be one of the breeds that produce less dander and less Fel d-1 in their saliva and so might cause less of an allergic reaction. However, there are now a range of options to manage a cat allergy so ask your vet for advice.

What is the average Burmese cat lifespan?

The average lifespan of a Burmese cat is typically 16 to 18 years, though some Burmese cats have been known to live into their 20s with proper care.

That’s All You Need to Know About Burmese Cats

Active, friendly, and curious, the Burmese will want to be involved in whatever you&rsquo;re doing. They&rsquo;re best kept as indoor cats. <a href="/all-things-pet/signs-of-a-sad-cat" title="Link to Everypaw's guide on how to tell if your cat is sad">They may not be happy</a> if left alone all day so may need another cat, ideally a sibling, to keep them entertained. But they&rsquo;re easy to care for - their soft, short coats just need grooming once a week. A Burmese will be the ideal companion if you can give them the time and attention!

Active, friendly, and curious, the Burmese will want to be involved in whatever you&rsquo;re doing. They&rsquo;re best kept as indoor cats. They may not be happy if left alone all day so may need another cat, ideally a sibling, to keep them entertained. But they&rsquo;re easy to care for - their soft, short coats just need grooming once a week. A Burmese will be the ideal companion if you can give them the time and attention!

<ul>
	<li style="display: block; width: 0px; height: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: -9999px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden;">&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Burmese. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/freeform/burmese" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Burmese Cat freeform page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/freeform/burmese</a></li>
	<li>David Bruyette, Carmel Mooney, Nicki Reed (online) Diabetes mellitus. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/diabetes-mellitus" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's cat diabetes page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/diabetes-mellitus</a></li>
	<li>Leslie A Lyons, Susan Little (online) Craniofacial defect. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/feline-craniofacial-defect" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's feline craniofacial defect page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/feline-craniofacial-defect</a></li>
	<li>Prof Richard Malik, Severine Tasker (online) Hypokalemic myopathy (Burmese). In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/hypokalemic-myopathy-(burmese)" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Burmese Hypokalemic Myopathy page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/hypokalemic-myopathy-(burmese)</a></li>
	<li>David Godfrey, Geert Verhoeven (online) Flat-chested kitten and pectus excavatum. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/flat-chested-kitten-and-pectus-excavatum" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's flat chested kitten page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/flat-chested-kitten-and-pectus-excavatum</a></li>
	<li style="display: block; width: 0px; height: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: -9999px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden;">&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Content provided from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/felis%C2%A0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's cat information">Vetstream&#39;s Vetlexicon Felis</a>.

Vetlexicon is the world&rsquo;s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world&rsquo;s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

Burmese cats are easy to care for. <a href="/all-things-pet/bad-fur-day-read-our-cat-grooming-101" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to cat grooming">Minimal grooming</a>, a balanced diet and <a href="/all-things-pet/your-guide-to-cat-exercise" title="Link to Everypaw's cat exercise guide">lots of exercise</a> will keep them in tip-top condition. They don&rsquo;t like being left alone for too long so consider having two, ideally a sibling, for company. Having a curious and friendly nature makes them less fearful of strangers so to keep them safe, they&rsquo;re best kept as indoor cats.

These elegant and athletic cats will charm their way into your life, and love company and lots of attention.

With their intelligent and playful personalities, Burmese cats make great companions. If you can give them lots of attention, the Burmese will be the perfect fit for you.&nbsp;

Burmese cats are easy to care for. <a href="/all-things-pet/bad-fur-day-read-our-cat-grooming-101" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Grooming Guide">Minimal grooming</a>, a balanced diet and lots of exercise will keep them in tip-top condition. They don&rsquo;t like being left alone for too long so consider having two, ideally a sibling, for company. Having a curious and friendly nature makes this <a href="/cat-insurance/cat-breed-guides" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Breed Guides">cat breed</a> less fearful of strangers so to keep them safe, they&rsquo;re best kept as indoor cats.

With their intelligent and playful personalities, Burmese cats make great companions. If you can give them lots of attention, the Burmese will be the perfect fit for you.&nbsp;

Burmese kitten standing on a climbing tree

Like most <a href="/kitten-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Kitten Insurance page">kittens</a>, Burmese kittens are curious and playful. They&rsquo;ll fit well into families with children and households with other cats and cat-friendly <a href="/dog-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">dogs</a>. Make sure you socialise them from an early age so they can get used to other animals, your lifestyle allowing them to grow into confident, happy adults.

Life with a Burmese is never dull! These cats are people-oriented, affectionate, <a href="/all-things-pet/understanding-cat-language" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to understanding cat language">can be talkative</a> and will be your constant companion. Cuddles will are definitely on the table with a Burmese.

Try not to leave them on their own alone for too long though, as Burmese cats are prone to <a href="/all-things-pet/cat-separation-anxiety" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to cat separation anxiety">separation anxiety</a>. Keep them in cuddles though and they&rsquo;re an easy cat to care for and fun to have around.

Feed your Burmese cat a high-quality cat food that matches their age, activity levels and health needs. If you get your kitten from a breeder, ask them which cat food they used and continue feeding with this brand.

If you want to change their cat food, it&rsquo;s best to do so gradually to avoid any tummy upset and to avoid over-feeding, follow the recommendations on the packet. Being a vocal breed, they&rsquo;ll tell you when it&rsquo;s dinner time!

Burmese cats are low maintenance. They have soft, short coats that don&rsquo;t shed much, so a weekly brush or comb is all that&rsquo;s needed to keep their coats in good condition. And, of course, they&rsquo;ll enjoy all the attention that comes with the grooming sessions.

The Burmese are an energetic and playful breed that tend to retain their kitten-like characteristics into adulthood. They&rsquo;re best kept as indoor cats so make sure they have lots of interactive toys to <a href="/all-things-pet/cat-games-for-cats" title="Link to Everypaw's guide on games you can play with your cats">play with to keep them active</a> and out of mischief. They&rsquo;re good climbers so will enjoy having a perch or cat tree, ideally by a window so they can view the world around them.&nbsp;

Being highly intelligent they&rsquo;ll pick things up quickly, including <a href="/all-things-pet/how-to-train-a-kitten" title="Link to Everypaw's guide on how to litter train a kitten">toilet training</a>. They&rsquo;ll enjoy puzzle toys and can also be taught to play &lsquo;fetch&rsquo; and to walk on a lead.

Link to get an Everypaw Cat Insurance quote

Has a Burmese taken your fancy, or are you already a proud owner of one of these cute kitties? If so, <a href="/Home/cat-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw Cat Insurance">Everypaw Cat Insurance</a> may have what it takes to look after your short-coated friend. With new Burmese Cat insurance policies available from 8 weeks old, and a full range of cover options of cover to choose from, you&rsquo;ll be able to find the right insurance for both you and your Burmese.

Has a Burmese taken your fancy, or are you already a proud owner of one of these cute kitties? If so,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/cat-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw Cat Insurance">Everypaw Cat Insurance</a>&nbsp;may have what it takes to look after your short-coated friend.

With new Burmese Cat insurance policies available from <a href="/all-things-pet/kitten-development-8-12-weeks-old" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to kitten development from 8 - 12 weeks">8 weeks</a>&nbsp;and <a href="/pet-insurance-for-older-pets" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Insurance for Older Pets">cover for older cats</a>, as well as a full range of cover options of cover to choose from, you&rsquo;ll be able to find the right insurance for both you and your Burmese.

White Burmese cat sitting on the arm of a chair

Burmese Cat Insurance, Care and Health Advice

The Burmese breed of cat was developed in the US in 1930 after Wong Mau, a dark brown cat from Burma (now Myanmar), was mated with a seal point Siamese cat. The breed arrived in the UK in 1949. They&rsquo;re active, curious, friendly cats, sometimes noisy and will want to be involved in whatever you do. If you want to know more about this breed, we have all the information you need right here.

Burmese cats have an increased risk of being affected by Diabetes Mellitus. <a href="/all-things-pet/diabetes-in-cats" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to diabetes in cats">Diabetes in cats</a> occurs when the pancreas doesn&rsquo;t produce enough of the hormone insulin to keep blood sugar levels at the right level. The condition is likely to be inherited in breeding lines and can be fatal if left untreated or uncontrolled.

It usually affects cats aged between 7-14 years. Most diabetic cats will need regular insulin injections to keep their blood sugar levels under control.

This head defect is seen in Burmese cats in the US and those imported from the US. Fortunately, it isn&rsquo;t seen in European Burmese cats. Affected kittens are born with a severe malformation of the head and face and sadly have to be put to sleep. A genetic test is available for carriers of the defect and cats with the gene mutation shouldn&rsquo;t be used for breeding.

Hypokalaemic Myopathy is a condition inherited by some Burmese cats. Affected cats have muscle weakness and struggle to lift their head up, so their chin tucks down onto their chest. The good news is that it can be treated with potassium supplementation. A genetic test is available for the gene mutation responsible for the condition and cats carrying the gene shouldn&rsquo;t be bred from.

Flat-chested kitten syndrome (FCK) is a condition that can affect Burmese kittens, usually apparent when the kitten is only about 10 days old. The chest is flattened, and the legs can be splayed. The kitten may be called a &lsquo;swimmer&rsquo;. Malformation of the chest can also occur (called pectus excavatum or funnel chest) and affected kittens may have breathing difficulties.

Both conditions can occur together and can be mild or life-threatening. Splinting the ribcage can be successful. Survival depends on how severely the kitten is affected and their response to treatment. Sadly, more seriously affected kittens often don&rsquo;t survive.

Common Burmese Cat Health Problems by Vetstream

Burmese cats are generally a healthy breed, but both pedigree and mixed-breed Burmese cats can be susceptible to some inherited health problems. These include diabetes mellitus, Burmese head defect, hypokalaemic myopathy and flat-chested kitten syndrome.
It’s worth noting that the American Burmese and European Burmese cats come from two separate breeding lines. They have a different head shape and are prone to different health issues.

The Burmese are an energetic and playful breed that tend to retain their kitten-like characteristics into adulthood. They&rsquo;re best kept as indoor cats so make sure they have lots of interactive toys to <a href="/all-things-pet/cat-games-for-cats" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to some games to play with your cats">play with to keep them active</a> and out of mischief. They&rsquo;re good climbers so will enjoy having a perch or cat tree, ideally by a window so they can view the world around them.&nbsp;

Being highly intelligent they&rsquo;ll pick things up quickly, including <a href="/all-things-pet/how-to-train-a-kitten" title="Link to Everypaw's guide on how to litter train a kitten">toilet training</a>. They&rsquo;ll enjoy puzzle toys and can also be taught to play &lsquo;fetch&rsquo; and to walk on a lead.

Burmese Cat Insurance and Health Advice | Everypaw

Burmese

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Zoomies to Senior Snoozes, We've Got Them Covered

The benefit values featured in the table may vary across the different levels of cover and will depend on the cover you choose. Please check your cover before purchasing. Be aware, for some breeds of dogs we do not provide our &pound;8k and &pound;10k Lifetime cover. 
 
All policies and features are subject to special conditions and exclusions of the insurers, please click the link to read about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Insurance Exclusions page">our policy exclusions.</a> 
 
Excess is applicable to all vet fees claims. When your pet reaches a certain age, the excess payable may change. The excess will be your set excess plus a percentage of your claim amount.

Getting your furry friend covered shouldn&#39;t just come down to cost. There&#39;s a lot more to it than that, so take the time to do a pet insurance comparison. Think about their breed, the level of cover they might need, and what would be important to you. After all, insurance is there for both of you.

One of the best ways to do that is to compare cover levels. This will give you an idea of how much your pet insurance will cost, how much you can claim against vet bills, as well as the policy benefits. It&#39;s all about finding the Lifetime Pet Insurance that works best for you and your pet.

*Based on Everypaw claims data from February 2024 to March 2025

An older dog for pet insurance for older pets

As our furry companions age, they&#39;re more likely to suffer from ailments and illnesses here and there. And we want you to be able to look after your pet well into retirement. That&#39;s why we don&#39;t have age limits on our policies. Our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-for-older-pets.html">pet insurance for older pets</a> can help you do the most important thing &ndash; looking after your pet.

What about younger pets? We also offer <a href="/cat-insurance/kitten-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Kitten Insurance page">kitten</a> and <a href="/dog-insurance/puppy-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Puppy Insurance page">puppy insurance</a>, covered by our cat and dog insurance. No matter how old or young your purr-fect pet is, our pet insurance can give you all-important peace of mind.&nbsp;

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Whether you are looking for a playmate for your pet or if your house is more like a <a href="/dog-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">dog</a>, <a href="/cat-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Insurance page">cat</a> and <a href="/rabbit-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Rabbit Insurance page">rabbit</a> smallholding, you need multi-pet insurance that works for you. Everypaw&#39;s policies are just that and give you a discount on every pet too. No matter how many pets you have, from glorious <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides/golden-retriever-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Golden Retriever Dog Breed Guide page">Golden Retrievers</a> and majestic <a href="/cat-insurance/cat-breed-guides/maine-coon-cat-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Maine Coon Cat Breed Guide page">Maine Coons</a> to lovely <a href="/rabbit-insurance/rabbit-breed-guides/lionhead-rabbit-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Lionhead Rabbit Breed Guide page">Lionheads</a>, it&#39;s there for every single paw.

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How Does Pet Insurance Work: Getting a Quote

Our pet insurance quote form takes just 3 minutes to fill out. Here&#39;s how it works:

<ul>
	<li>Select which type of pet you&#39;re looking to insure and enter their age, breed and sex</li>
	<li>Enter basic personal details about yourself including your email and home addresses</li>
	<li>Select your vet fees limit</li>
	<li>We&#39;ll give you a pet insurance price! And we&#39;ll show you what the cost is for the year, plus what your monthly instalments will look like if you choose to pay that way</li>
</ul>

Will my pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Ever found the urge to discover what the best dog breeds to train are or maybe you want to get to the bottom of your pet&#39;s worm problem.&nbsp;<a href="/Home/all-things-pet.html" title="Link to Everypaw's All Things Pet blog">Everypaw&#39;s All Things Pet blog</a>&nbsp;has the content to keep you informed.

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Everypaw Pet Portal policy management icon

For that extra peace of mind when your pets get up to mischief, there&#39;s Everypaw. Our pet insurance is for cats, dogs and rabbits, and every policy comes with unlimited 24/7 access to vet nurses and vets. So, if you ever feel a bit &#39;for pet&#39;s sake&#39;, know Everypaw is here for you and your pet when you need us most!

Why Choose Everypaw for Pet Insurance in the UK?

<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/multi-pet-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Multi-pet Insurance page">Insure multiple pets</a>&nbsp;for a multi-pet discount

99% of claims paid in 5 working days*

Unlimited 24/7 access to UK vet nurses and vets with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/petcall" title="Link to Everypaw's Petcall vet page">Petcall</a>

Manage your UK pet insurance policy online in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/pet-portal-info" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Portal Information page">Pet Portal</a>

Three animals for Everypaw's Multi-pet Insurance

Choosing the right pet health insurance isn&#39;t always easy. We know that. And we also know that a key part of deciding is knowing what&#39;s not covered. That way, at least there are no nasty surprises in terms of coughing up for bills that you thought were going to be taken care of by your policy.

So, here are a few of the main exclusions on our pet insurances:

<ul>
	<li>Treatment for any pre-existing conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment for poisoning or any accidental injury that occurs in the first 3 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment for any illness that occurs in the first 14 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment related to vaccine-preventable conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment related to breeding, pregnancy or birthing</li>
	<li>Treatment on baby teeth if your pet is over 16 weeks when your policy starts</li>
</ul>

*Switching to Everypaw Pet Insurance? If you can prove your previous insurance runs up to the policy start date, we can waive this for you.

Please see our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Policy Exclusions page">exclusions page</a>&nbsp;for further details.

Fingers crossed, you never have to! We want to reassure you that claiming on your pet health insurance is as hassle-free as possible. That&rsquo;s why we have Vet Pawtal. A direct platform for vets so they can submit claims and leave you to care for your pet.

Vet Pawtal is the fastest and most efficient way to claim. There&rsquo;s no more paperwork for you, and we&rsquo;ll keep you updated every step of the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

If your vet can&rsquo;t submit the claim, don&rsquo;t worry; you can still submit it in the <a href="https://petportal.everypaw.com/register#login" target="_blank" title="Link to the Everypaw Pet Portal">Everypaw Pet Portal</a>. It&rsquo;s straightforward; just log in and follow the instructions. Alternatively,&nbsp;you can <a href="https://www.everypaw.com/downloads-2020/everypaw-claim-form.pdf" target="_blank" title="Link to download an Everypaw claim form">download a claim form</a>, but this can take longer.

Please refer to the guidance in your policy documents for Third Party Liability claims.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information, head to our <a href="/Home/claims.html">Pet Insurance Claims information page</a>.

We know pets are just as much a part of your family as any human. So, we know how important it is to you that they&#39;re protected. Choose Everypaw for pet insurance in the UK and give yourself that priceless peace of mind.

We know things can be tough right now, with many people facing money worries. If you have such concerns, please get in touch with us, as we may be able to offer some options to help, which could include reducing your cover or increasing your excess.

If you wish to find out more and your eligibility for any options, please call <a href="tel:03445431009" title="Call Everypaw Customer Services and Claims">0344 543 1009</a>.

Two levels of our Lifetime Pet Insurance cover have been rated 5 Stars by independent financial business, Defaqto, for 8 years in a row.

Deciding which pet insurance your furry bundle of fun needs can be tricky, especially if you&#39;re a new fur-parent. That&#39;s why here at Everypaw.com, we&#39;re trying to keep things simple, we&#39;re all about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/lifetime-pet-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Pet Insurance</a>.

Our Lifetime cover is available for your cats, dogs and rabbits. And if you&#39;re looking to cover your cat or dog, there&#39;s a range of cover levels to choose from. Lifetime covers your pet up to a set vet fee limit, and the limits reset for every year of cover.

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Dog Insurance

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Pet Insurance | UK Pet Insurance Quotes | Everypaw

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Burmese Cat Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Burmese Cat Facts

Is a Burmese Cat Right for Me?

What Are Burmese Kittens Like?

Life with a Burmese

Caring for Your Burmese

Dinner time

Grooming time

Training & exercise