Hi all,

I have a question I would like to ask burmese breeders. I adore burmese cats but am worried about health problems in pedigrees due to in-breeding.

Are there common health problems in the burmese breed? Is there anything breeders do to lessen health issues?

Also are there more minor complaints that are common - eg sensitive tummies?

It would be great to know more about all this.

Thanks.

I knwo the skull problem that is only in america, dont think I even know of any, liz breeds them here, maybhe she can help!

heres some good links (google is your friend! )

Maharani Burmese. The Burmese Cat what it looks like and their personality. Why they make excellent companions and loving pets

Burmese Cat

__________________

Thank you

See for a list of the common problems in Burmese cats- Inherited disorders in cats - Burmese and Asians

__________________
Lauren

Don't Shop Adopt! - Stop Puppy Farming

Battery Farmed Dogs Campaign (Puppy Farming)

Thanks also

That's a great link but I'm not it's a list of 'common' problems. Yes, these are problems which have been noted in 'some' Burmese and it is a highly responsible thing to check out a breed before buying a cat. What you must also take into account is the number of Burmese around - at one time they were the most popular pedigree breed. My last two Burmese lived to 18 and 19 years old.

You need to look at that list objectively to make your decision. Check the key to what the various coloured text means, see if it is actually a problem in the UK and look at how serious any of the potential problems may be.

I've recently taken in a gorgeous blue Burmese and I did a lot of reading up on known issues with the breed before I bought him. I found some really useful information in the Burmese Cat Society breeding policy documents, which talks about predispositions to various conditions. I found it really helpful to have all this information to hand before talking to breeders about their kittens.

http://www.burmesecatsociety.org.uk/...cyVersion2.pdf

__________________
My "angels", Charlie, Alfie and Sebastien

Good advice. It is quite a list - I am quite shocked actually. Some of the conditions sound very horrible.

eg Feline orofacial pain syndrome. Found in 100 cats so far.

This is also worrying. Elbow osteoarthritis - it says anecdotal but "Burmese cats appear to develop arthritic changes in their elbows at an early age, with few cats of this breed of >8 years having normal elbows on radiographs."

It is upsetting. They have such gorgeous personalities and temperaments and I am incredibly fond of them.

I actually will be looking to adopt an adult cat - the Burmese cat club for instance sometimes has cats that need a new home because maybe their owner died or something like that.

If I don't adopt a rescue burmese I will adopt an adult moggie instead.

My mum had a burmese when I was little and that's where my love for them stems from. I also have friends with burmese. I have had moggies too (and friends with moggies!) and they are lovely as well. But there's something about the burmese...

I'm glad yours lived such long lives, havoc.

I thought my post above hadn't appeared but it has

Also thanks greentea. I guess if I adopt an older burmese there will be less chance of knowing what the breeder was doing.

The breed has a serious problem with inbreeding but at the moment that does not seem to be having too much effect on the health of the cats, only on their size which seems to be getting smaller and smaller. I can't add to the list of conditions given already.

Liz