02/05/2008

European Burmese breeders use a conversation full of alluring adjectives to describe their cats: affectionate, playful, intelligent, adventurous, athletic and beautiful to name a few. Could they all possibly apply? Yes! European Burmese crave the companionship of people and other animals and love cuddling and curling up with you in bed. They're hardly sedate, however. They remain playful and energetic throughout adulthood, delighting in games of fetch or the chance to explore closets and cupboards.

They're keen to supervise as you make the bed or work on the computer and are always happy to "help" you read the newspaper. They have sweetly expressive faces with lustrous (and preferably golden yellow) eyes. They come in 10 colors, including the traditional brown, chocolate, blue and lilac. Red, cream, brown tortie, blue tortie, chocolate tortie and lilac tortie are also possible. The breed is medium-sized, but don't let that fool you.  These sleek and graceful cats are muscular and often heavier than they look. They seem to defy gravity when leaping onto a windowsill and are whippet-quick when chasing a toy or playmate. European Burmese, like the American Burmese breed, traces its roots to a cat named Wong Mau, who arrived in the U.S. in 1930. Her descendants spread from the U.S. to Britain, where European Burmese evolved into a distinct and elegant breed. European Burmese can now be found across the globe.