Burmese is for those who possess it, this word sounds like a magic conjuration, like a poem, like a dulcet song. One can talk about this cat for hours. Its charms have broken a great number of admirers’ hearts in the world.

So how has the Burmese cat gained breeders’ hearts? First of all, of course, with its appearance. Beyond any doubt, the most exotic feature it has is the color. It can be described as the deep color of mellow chestnut with dark, almost black patterns on the neb, ear edges, back and paws. This color is called sable, as it looks like the expensive sable fur. However, even greater delight causes touching this cat’s hair. It seems like your palm is wrapped with the most expensive silk from the East. Each hair, colored from the root till the top, bears against cat’s body. The fur shines smoothly and sparkles at every move of the animal. Touching this luxury, you’d forget all your deeds and problems and you’ll never refuse holding this wonder on your hands. It should be, however, noted that the sable color was the first and through many years the only one accepted for the Burmese. Eventually the scale was complemented with other colors of different names. But all of them reflect human admiration by the beauty of Burmese fur. Judge yourself: chocolate or champagne, lilac or platinum, blue, faunus, cinnamonic, off-white.

Truly the royal gift in addition to the luxurious fur is the character of Burmese cats.
These cats are not only our pets. They are our companions in everything. They are communicative, playful, lovesome, well-behaved, tidy, not fastidious, understanding your every wish. All your Burmese need from you is attention. Long absence of people presses upon it. However, it will become a permanent participant in the games of your children and their baby-sitter for the night. And, of course, its famous: “What about chat?” Burmese are chatterboxes. They certainly need to tell you everything they’ve learned during the day, while you were away. In return, they are ready to listen to you, if you wish to talk. And they would necessarily accompany this chat with loud murmur, as an evidence of pleasure and delight from the communication with a man.

Another role, which perfectly fits Burmese, is a hospitable host. While you’re away making coffee for your guests, your Burmese would easily replace you, entertaining your guests.
You must admit that this is a great pleasure to have at home your personal psychologist and excellent helper in one, in addition to such perfect appearance.

The history of Burmese cats begins in the last century from the cat named Wong Mau.

In 1930 Dr. Joseph Thompson brought the first representative of this breed to the USA from Burma. He described it as a relatively small cat with rather slim skeleton, which had a more compact body and a shorter tail, than present Siamese cats, which had round wide in cheekbones head with large round eyes. The most uncommon feature in its appearance was the deep color of chestnut with darker-colored points. The appearance of Wong Mau was so unusual and differed so greatly from other known at that time cat breeds that Dr. Thompson decided to create a new breed and engaged a group of scientists from the California University headed by Dr. Keller, and a group of enthusiasts from the local phelinological society, who had wide experience in cats’ breeding, to prepare a program of its breeding. The original program of breeding, based on the strict scientific approach, rapidly brought the results, so that in 1934 the first pre-standard and the first representatives of the breed with the three-knee ancestry were established to the Committee for Breeds and Standards of American Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA).

In 1936 the Burmese breed got the official status in CFA. This was a stunning progress for the breed, which started only in 1930!

In 1947 CFA made a decision to register only those Burmese cats, which had had not less than three generations of pure Burmese ancestors (but not the results of hybridization with Siamese cats). This gave the opportunity to keep and emphasize the breed unicity by expert pedigree breeding.

In 1949 Lillian Fnans of Derby took three Burmese cats to England. The new breed engaged the attention of breeders and enthusiasts. In 1955 The Burmese Cat Club, and in 1979 The Burmese Cat Society were founded in England. In order to enlarge the number of the breed, breeders kept using Siamese cats, which had slightly different appearance from those which were engaged for this purpose.
As a result, the appearance of Burmese cats, bred in England and other European countries, became different from the appearance of American Burmese cats.

In 1952 the two biggest communities of cat fanciers in England, GCCF and CA, accepted the standards of Burmese cats, which included demands, different from the first standard, approved by CFA.

That is the origin of two directions in breeding of these cats: the appearance of American and European Burmese cats differed so significantly that the European version was separated in the USA as a new breed, which was named the European Burmese cat. The hybridization of American and European Burmese cars is forbidden by CFA.

Having gained the hearts of cat fanciers in England and Europe, Burmese cats entered Australia in the beginning of 1950s, where they became the most popular breed among all short-haired. Australian breeders used American, as well as European animals in their breeding programs, as a result, Australian Burmese cats got the appearance of stocky and heavy animals with round head and smooth round lines in the whole look. Finally, the appearance of Australian Burmese cats was assigned in the standards of this breed, which were approved in 1970s by leading phelinological organizations of this country: ACF (Australian Cat Federation), CCCA (Coordinating Cat Council of Australia), NZCF (New Zealand Cat Fancy).

In 1958 the Organization of United Burmese Cat Fanciers (UBCF) was founded in the USA. This organization exists till nowadays and is fully engaged in development and promotion of the Burmese breed.

In 1959 CFA accepted a new standard of Burmese cat breed, developed by the United Burmese Cat Fanciers. Since then this standard has been almost unchangeable. The standard demanded round head with short neb, round eyes and tight body. This was the first step, which assigned the difference between Burmese cats of the USA and the rest world.

The black color of Burmese cats was the first officially registered color of this breed. The first standard of black color of Burmese cats was approved byт CFA. It was named sable for the similarity with the luxurious sparkling sable fur. In 1979 CFA makes a decision to detach Burmese cats of blue, lilac and chocolate color in a separate breed, which was named Malayans. This breed had existed in CFA till 1984, when Malayans cats were again united with Burmese, by making a special division of light colors of Burmese cats, called Burmese Dilutes.

Nowadays, there are 4 colors of Burmese cats, approved in CFA. The same spectrum of colors of Burmese cats is approved by another American Association - ACFA (American Cat Fanciers Federation).

The wider color range is approved in TICA (The International Cat Association). In the process of breeding Burmese, breeders of this Association used Siamese cats of red and off-white colors, as well as rare colors, such as cinnamonic and faunus. As a result, the Burmese colors in TICA were complemented with red, off-white, cinnamonic and faunus, as well as tortoiseshell versions of all these colors. In order to emphasize the unique distribution of color intensity at Burmese cats, TICA approved the special term, which describes the Burmese color – “sepia”. Therefore, the black Burmese color in TICA is named “seal sepia”, blue – “blue sepia”, lilac – “lilac sepia” and so on.

European Burmese cats also have colors, which include red, off-white and tortoiseshell versions. English breeders inserted red gene into the population of Burmese cats in the middle of 1960s and in 1977 English Association of Cat Fanciers (GCCF) officially registered these colors.

The common requirements for Burmese colors in all international organizations are: the absence of white spots or of a large number of white hair along the body, and of residual signs of tabbies on the body, extremities and tail. The exclusions are red and off-white colors, in which the residual spots on the body and extremities are not a serious disadvantage, however, it can be taken into consideration during judgment of an animal in high exhibition rates. Light spots are allowed only for kittens aged 7-9 months. The presence of all mentioned above disadvantages leads to disqualification of an animal because of the color.


Besides the difference in registration of the colors, there are significant differences in registration of the breed itself and in the standards of Burmese cats in various phelinological organizations.
All current standards of Burmese breed can be divided into two groups, each one of them describes a definite type. The first group includes standards, which describe the so called American type of a Burmese cat; the second group includes standards, which describe the European type of a Burmese cat. Such division reflects not only morphological differences between two types, but also the history of development of the breed.

For instance, the Burmese breed is registered in the following phelinological organizations, which are the members of WCC (World Cat Congress):
ACF (Australian Cat Federation)
FIFE (Federation International Feline)
NZCF (New Zealand Cat Fancy)
TICA (The International Cat Association)
GCCF (Governing Council of the Cat Fancy)
SACC (Southern African Cat Council)
WCF (World Cat Federation)

Moreover, one breed is registered in ACFA (American Cat Fanciers Federation) (the organization is not a member of WCC). There are two breeds, which are registered in CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association): Burmese and European Burmese. In CCCA (Coordinating Cat Council of Australia) there are also two registered breeds: Burmese and American Burmese.
Respectively, in each system there is a peculiar standard for registered breeds. In some systems they are alike, in others – they have significant differences. However, nowadays there are no other officially approved divisions of the breed, besides those mentioned in these references.

Therefore, the American Burmese breed is registered only in the standard CCCA (Coordinating Cat Council of Australia). In all the other cases American Burmese is the name for the cats, which follow the standards, approved in American organizations CFA, TICA, ACFA and which have in their ancestries Burmese of the American type, registered in these organizations.

The current division of the American Burmese into modern and traditional is conventional. It is accepted only among the breeders. While judging American Burmese, experts do not divide it upon breeding lines. An expert follows only the standards of the system of the exhibition, he works at.

Burmese astonishes not only by its unique appearance and magic character, but also by its variety.
The history shows that its formation and development took place in different time, in different continents, according to different programs of various phelinological systems. Many differences in Burmese appearance have been formed historically; the others were defined by breeders artificially.
In any case, each direction in development of the breed is worth attention and respect.

It is not fully correct to call Burmese of mixed origins those, which were obtained by hybridization of animals of different origin, as they do not have any other ancestors, besides Burmese.

It is possible to talk about the variety of breeds, only if to consider this question within only one American phelinological system - CFA, which has 2 standards for Burmese and European Burmese. And within Australian CCCF, which also has two Burmese standards, however, it is less important for us. Within CFA it is prohibited to mate animals of these two breeds.
Other phelinological organizations of Europe and America have the same standard for one breed – Burmese. In brief, the main differences in standards are mostly in description of a head of an animal. As for the rest, all of them describe Burmese as a cat of a middle size with well-developed muscles (a brick, covered with silk) and with unique silky structure of the hair, which tightly fit the body. In all the standards there are almost the same disqualifying signs of the color. In FIFE, for instance, this is the green color of eyes, in all the rest cases – yellow. For further detailed information on the standards of different systems you may refer to the Section “Standards” (link).

If we look back at the history of formation and development of the breed, it becomes obvious that the livestock of Burmese wasn’t large. In America in 11 years after the approval of the breed, it was prohibited to mate them with other breeds. It definitely helped to keep the breed unicity, but it also complicated work with it, because of the limited number of animals, suitable for breeding.
The Europeans, who also had no opportunities to work with a large number of imported Burmese animals, used the representatives of other breeds much longer in their program As a result, they obtained a wider color scale and the type, which differed from the original, approved in the USA.

Each organization assigned its type in its standards. However, breeders in various continents had one similar problem: the paucity of the breed in spite of its popularity.

Almost all animals, being limited by the geographical space, were more or less relatives. Frequent and close inbreeding not only consolidated the desired signs, but also kept undesirable aspects across the generations. The less number of breed representatives were present in a concrete region, the closer was the inbreeding. The only way-out from this situation was hybridization with new breeds.

It is not possible to find out the exact time when the first Burmese appeared in the former Soviet Union. It is supposed that it appeared earlier in Baltic countries and Ukraine (approximately, in 1994-1997). These were European Burmese. Their ancestries included Finnish, Dutch and Swedish nurseries. A little later European Burmese appeared in Moscow. The first Burmese was brought to Minsk in 2000 from Ukraine. In each country a few nurseries were involved in breeding.
In 1998 the modern Burmese HILLTOWN'S MARITN OF ALDIS was imported from the USA to Moscow by Elena and Andrei Surinov. This was the beginning of a long-term decent representation of the breed in exhibitions and everyday life.
This modern American cat was mated with many cats of different breeding lines. For instance, the first classical mixes with 50/50 American and European cats, originated from Martin. Even then breeders were tried to improve the type, which was getting older and older. Everyone was trying to get more American kittens, which meant rounder and heavier. The first broods were quite various. But afterwards, in case of correct pair selection, broods were getting more equal. Moreover, several other animals were brought from the USA to Moscow, which were mated with Martin’s children and great children.
However, as the lines in different regions differed in their origins, the results of breeding projects greatly differed regionally.
The interest in the breed had risen greatly at that period.
Since the year 2000, a seldom exhibition was held without the participation of Burmese, where they became winners many times.
At that moment animal import from other countries was quite problematic. Not trusting young Russian phelinology, foreign breeders preferred not to share their breeding material.
Generally, Burmese of mixed type, so called mixes, were exhibited according to WCF and FIFE systems. The clubs of these systems also registered broods.
It should be particularly admitted that the systems WCF, FIFE and TICA have no division in different Burmese breeds. Therefore, there can be no prohibition of such hybridization of cats of different origins within one breed.
Just due to the fact that at the moment these systems turned out to be the most popular in Eastern Europe, breeders worked according to their standards. Because of the frequent exhibitions, held within these systems, and of permanent participation of Burmese animals, the breed became known to the visitors and loved by the experts.

These cats became the workhorse of the breed for many years. And they still remain the same.

While the breeders, who were for the purity of lines before Wong Mau, were arguing about the worthwhileness of line hybridization, breeders and owners of such Burmese exhibited it within various systems, gaining one-breed rings in different cities.
If there were no mixed Burmese, who could have represented the breed in 10 years, kept the permanent interest, and made many fans fall in love with them, it would be unknown, whether this breed would be popular and known nowadays.
Propaply, now it would take 3-5 years to promote a breed. Moreover, animals of mixed type could have kept and assigned many breed qualities, which had been lost by the “pure” breed representatives, such as hair (color and structure), eye color, animal size, character. A thoughtful breeding program, individual for each nursery, let everyone gain animals, which properly represent in exhibitions within American systems TICA и CFA. Probably, that is the reason of dislike and disgrace of Burmese of mixed origin on the part of several breeders. Probably that is the reason of dislike and disgrace of Burmese on the side of some breeders.

You can’t refuse that it is irrational to exclude this Burmese, which has such a potential for keeping and development of the breed.

The European Burmese and the history of its approval should be considered separately. It turned out, historically, that formation of the breed in various continents involved different animals, which led to the differences in phenotype. Each phelinological organization approved its own standard, based on its breeding programs and its livestock.
In the beginning of 1990s representatives of the International Unit of CFA paid attention, that in Europe a small amount of Burmese cats takes part in this Organization’s exhibition. Breeders did not exhibit their animals within CFA because of the large difference between American and European (FIFe) Burmese.
In June 1993 at the administration meeting of CFA it was proposed to approve the type of Burmese cats, which corresponds the standards of FIFe, GCCF (Great Britain) and АСА (Australia). This suggestion was made in aid of promotion of CFA in Europe. At that time Burmese cats, which corresponded FIFe standard, were called Foreign Burmese.
At the next meeting of CFA administration in October 1993 Bill Lee (CFA judge) suggested giving Foreign Burmese cats a competitive status in the International division and non-competetive in the USA since May 1994. The suggestion was approved. Kim Everet (CFA judge) suggested changing the breed name to “European Burmese”, which was also approved.  It was necessary to develop a standard for European Burmese in CFA. Wane Trevatane (CFA judge) was charged to prepare a standard, based on the FIFe, GCCF and Australia standards.

Since May 1994 till April 2000 European Burmese had participated in CFA exhibitions within Class Miscellaneous, where judges estimated cats, but didn’t give them ribbons and didn’t place them. The next step was the approval of European breed as a Provisional breed. Such application can be sent to the CFA Committee after not less than 100 cats of a new breed had taken part in exhibitions during 5 years, plus, there should be not less than 25 active breeders.

In February 2000 at the CFA administration meeting European Burmese breeders applied with the request on giving a new status to the breed, which was approved by administration. Since then cats of the breed had an opportunity to participate in the Class Provisional exhibitions (since May 2000), but still they had a non-competed status. The judges estimated cats and placed them as in a competitive class, but gave them no titles. Judges also filled assessment sheets in order to find out cat’s quality, whether they suit standards and so on. These sheets were sent to the CFA office and were used later for making decision on giving a competitive status. After that, it was enough to have 25 various cats, which participated in exhibitions in all CFA regions, and then a breed would get a competitive status.

In February 2002 the Board of Directors of CFA approved the long-expected for European Burmese breeders decision on giving the Americane competitive status to the European breed in the USA since May 2002.

Due to this decision, nowadays CFA exhibitions are enriched by two magnificent breeds: Burmese and European Burmese.

The first mention of the cats, which looked like Burmese, can be found in the ancient “Book of Poems about Cats”. In the modern history the story of Burmese begins in 1930s.

In 1930 Dr. Joseph Thompson brought the first representative of this breed to the USA from Burma. He described it as a relatively small cat with rather slim skeleton, which had a more compact body and a shorter tail, than present Siamese cats, which had round wide in cheekbones head with large round eyes. The most uncommon feature in its appearance was the deep color of chestnut with darker-colored points. The appearance of Wong Mau was so unusual and differed so greatly from other known at that time cat breeds that Dr. Thompson decided to create a new breed and engaged a group of scientists from the California University headed by Dr. Keller, and a group of enthusiasts from the local phelinological society, who had wide experience in cats’ breeding, to prepare a program of its breeding. The original program of breeding, based on the strict scientific approach, rapidly brought the results, so that in 1934 the first pre-standard and the first representatives of the breed with the three-knee ancestry were established to the Committee for Breeds and Standards of American Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA).
In 1936 the Burmese breed got the official status in CFA. This was a stunning progress for the breed, which started only in 1930!
In 1947 CFA made a decision to register only those Burmese cats, which had had not less than three generations of pure Burmese ancestors (but not the results of hybridization with Siamese cats). This gave the opportunity to keep and emphasize the breed unicity by expert pedigree breeding.
In 1949 Lillian Fnans of Derby took three Burmese cats to England. The new breed engaged the attention of breeders and enthusiasts. In 1955 The Burmese Cat Club, and in 1979 The Burmese Cat Society were founded in England. In order to enlarge the number of the breed, breeders kept using Siamese cats, which had slightly different appearance from those which were engaged for this purpose.
As a result, the appearance of Burmese cats, bred in England and other European countries, became different from the appearance of American Burmese cats.
In 1952 the two biggest communities of cat fanciers in England, GCCF and CA, accepted the standards of Burmese cats, which included demands, different from the first standard, approved by CFA.

That is the origin of two directions in breeding of these cats: the appearance of American and European Burmese cats differed so significantly that the European version was separated in the USA as a new breed, which was named the European Burmese cat. The hybridization of American and European Burmese cars is forbidden by CFA.

Having gained the hearts of cat fanciers in England and Europe, Burmese cats entered Australia in the beginning of 1950s, where they became the most popular breed among all short-haired. Australian breeders used American, as well as European animals in their breeding programs; as a result, Australian Burmese cats got the appearance of stocky and heavy animals with round head and smooth round lines in the whole look. Finally, the appearance of Australian Burmese cats was assigned in the standards of this breed, which were approved in 1970s by leading phelinological organizations of this country: ACF (Australian Cat Federation), CCCA (Coordinating Cat Council of Australia), NZCF (New Zealand Cat Fancy).

In 1958 the Organization of United Burmese Cat Fanciers (UBCF) was founded in the USA. This organization exists till nowadays and is fully engaged in development and promotion of the Burmese breed.
In 1959 CFA accepted a new standard of Burmese cat breed, developed by the United Burmese Cat Fanciers. Since then this standard has been almost unchangeable. The standard demanded round head with short neb, round eyes and tight body. This was the first step, which assigned the difference between Burmese cats of the USA and the rest world. The black color of Burmese cats was the first officially registered color of this breed. The first standard of black color of Burmese cats was approved by CFA. It was named sable for the similarity with the luxurious sparkling sable fur. In 1979 CFA makes a decision to detach Burmese cats of blue, lilac and chocolate color in a separate breed, which was named Malayans. This breed had existed in CFA till 1984, when Malayans cats were again united with Burmese, by making a special division of light colors of Burmese cats, called Burmese Dilutes.
Nowadays, there are 4 colors of Burmese cats, approved in CFA. The same spectrum of colors of Burmese cats is approved by another American Association - ACFA (American Cat Fanciers Federation).
The wider color range is approved in TICA (The International Cat Association). In the process of breeding Burmese, breeders of this Association used Siamese cats of red and off-white colors, as well as rare colors, such as cinnamonic and faunus. As a result, the Burmese colors in TICA were complemented with red, off-white, cinnamonic and faunus, as well as tortoiseshell versions of all these colors. In order to emphasize the unique distribution of color intensity at Burmese cats, TICA approved the special term, which describes the Burmese color – “sepia”. Therefore, the black Burmese color in TICA is named “seal sepia”, blue – “blue sepia”, lilac – “lilac sepia” and so on.

European Burmese cats also have colors, which include red, off-white and tortoiseshell versions. English breeders inserted red gene into the population of Burmese cats in the middle of 1960s and in 1977 English Association of Cat Fanciers (GCCF) officially registered these colors. The common requirements for Burmese colors in all international organizations are: the absence of white spots or of a large number of white hair along the body, and of residual signs of tabbies on the body, extremities and tail. The exclusions are red and off-white colors, in which the residual spots on the body and extremities are not a serious disadvantage, however, it can be taken into consideration during judgment of an animal in high exhibition rates. Light spots are allowed only for kittens aged 7-9 months. The presence of all mentioned above disadvantages leads to disqualification of an animal because of the color. Besides the difference in registration of the colors, there are significant differences in registration of the breed itself and in the standards of Burmese cats in various phelinological organizations.
All current standards of Burmese breed can be divided into two groups, each one of them describes a definite type. The first group includes standards, which describe the so called American type of a Burmese cat; the second group includes standards, which describe the European type of a Burmese cat. Such division reflects not only morphological differences between two types, but also the history of development of the breed.

For instance, the Burmese breed is registered in the following phelinological organizations, which are the members of WCC (World Cat Congress):
ACF (Australian Cat Federation)
FIFE (Federation International Feline)
NZCF (New Zealand Cat Fancy)
TICA (The International Cat Association)
GCCF (Governing Council of the Cat Fancy)
SACC (Southern African Cat Council)
WCF (World Cat Federation)

The same as only one breed is registered in ACFA (American Cat Fanciers Federation) (the organization is not a member of WCC), there are two breeds, which are registered in CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association): Burmese and European Burmese. In CCCA (Coordinating Cat Council of Australia) there are also two registered breeds: Burmese and American Burmese.
http://www.cfa.org/breeds.html CCCA (Coordinating Cat Council of Australia) has also registered 2 breeds: Burmese and American Burmese.
http://cccofa.asn.au/standard.htm Respectively, in each system there is a peculiar standard for registered breeds. In some systems they are alike, in others – they have significant differences. However, nowadays there are no other officially approved divisions of the breed, besides those mentioned in these references.

Therefore, the American Burmese breed is registered only in the standard of CCCA (Coordinating Cat Council of Australia). In all the other cases American Burmese is the name for the cats, which follow the standards, approved in American organizations CFA, TICA, ACFA and which have in their ancestries Burmese of the American type, registered in these organizations.
The current division of the American Burmese into modern and traditional is conventional. It is accepted only among the breeders. While judging American Burmese, experts do not divide it upon breeding lines. An expert follows only the standards of the system of the exhibition, he works at.

Burmese astonishes not only by its unique appearance and magic character, but also by its variety. The history shows that its formation and development took place in different time, in different continents, according to different programs of various phelinological systems. Many differences in Burmese appearance have been formed historically; the others were defined by breeders artificially.
In any case, each direction in development of the breed is worth attention and respect.

It is not fully correct to call Burmese of mixed origins those, which were obtained by hybridization of animals of different origin, as they do not have any other ancestors, besides Burmese.

It is possible to talk about the variety of breeds, only if to consider this question within only one American phelinological system - CFA, which has 2 standards for Burmese and European Burmese. And within Australian CCCF, which also has two Burmese standards, however, it is less important for us. Within CFA it is prohibited to mate animals of these two breeds.
Other phelinological organizations of Europe and America have the same standard for one breed – Burmese. In brief, the main differences in standards are mostly in description of a head of an animal. As for the rest, all of them describe Burmese as a cat of a middle size with well-developed muscles (a brick, covered with silk) and with unique silky structure of the hair, which tightly fit the body. In all the standards there are almost the same disqualifying signs of the color. In FIFE, for instance, this is the green color of eyes, in all the rest cases – yellow. For further detailed information on the standards of different systems you may refer to the Section “Standards”.

If we look back at the history of formation and development of the breed, it becomes obvious that the livestock of Burmese wasn’t large. In America in 11 years after the approval of the breed, it was prohibited to mate them with other breeds. It definitely helped to keep the breed unicity, but it also complicated work with it, because of the limited number of animals, suitable for breeding. The Europeans, who also had no opportunities to work with a large number of imported Burmese animals, used the representatives of other breeds much longer in their program As a result, they obtained a wider color scale and the type, which differed from the original, approved in the USA.

Each organization assigned its type in its standards. However, breeders in various continents had one similar problem: the paucity of the breed despite its popularity. Almost all animals, being limited by the geographical space, were more or less relatives. Frequent and close inbreeding not only consolidated the desired signs, but also kept undesirable aspects across the generations. The less number of breed representatives were present in a concrete region, the closer was the inbreeding. The only way-out from this situation was hybridization with new breeds.

It is not possible to find out the exact time when the first Burmese appeared in the former Soviet Union. It is supposed that it appeared earlier in Baltic countries and Ukraine (approximately, in 1994-1997). These were European Burmese. Their ancestries included Finnish, Dutch and Swedish nurseries. A little later European Burmese appeared in Moscow. The first Burmese was brought to Minsk in 2000 from Ukraine. In each country a few nurseries were involved in breeding.
In 1998 the modern Burmese HILLTOWN'S MARITN OF ALDIS was imported from the USA to Moscow by Elena and Andrei Surinov. This was the beginning of a long-term decent representation of the breed in exhibitions and everyday life.
This modern American cat was mated with many cats of different breeding lines. For instance, the first classical mixes with 50/50 American and European cats, originated from Martin. Even then breeders were tried to improve the type, which was getting older and older. Everyone was trying to get more American kittens, which meant rounder and heavier. The first broods were quite various. But afterwards, in case of correct pair selection, broods were getting more equal. Moreover, several other animals were brought from the USA to Moscow, which were mated with Martin’s children and great children.

However, as the lines in different regions differed in their origins, the results of breeding projects greatly differed regionally.
The interest in the breed had risen greatly at that period.
Since the year 2000, a seldom exhibition was held without the participation of Burmese, where they became winners many times.
At that moment animal import from other countries was quite problematic. Not trusting young Russian phelinology, foreign breeders preferred not to share their breeding material.
Generally, Burmese of mixed type, so called mixes, were exhibited according to WCF and FIFE systems. The clubs of these systems also registered broods.
It should be particularly admitted that the systems WCF, FIFE and TICA have no division in different Burmese breeds. Therefore, there can be no prohibition of such hybridization of cats of different origins within one breed.
Just due to the fact that at the moment these systems turned out to be the most popular in Eastern Europe, breeders worked according to their standards. Because of the frequent exhibitions, held within these systems, and of permanent participation of Burmese animals, the breed became known to the visitors and loved by the experts.

These cats became the workhorse of the breed for many years. And they still remain the same.
While the breeders, who were for the purity of lines before Wong Mau, were arguing about the worthwhileness of line hybridization, breeders and owners of such Burmese exhibited them within various systems, gaining one-breed rings in different cities. If there were no mixed Burmese, who could have represented the breed during 10 years, kept the permanent interest, and made many fans fall in love with them, it would be unknown, whether this breed would be popular and known nowadays.
Probably, now it would take 3-5 years to promote a breed. Moreover, animals of mixed type could have kept and assigned many breed qualities, which had been lost by the “pure” breed representatives, such as hair (color and structure), eye color, animal size, character. A thoughtful breeding program, individual for each nursery, let everyone gain animals, which properly represent in exhibitions within American systems TICA и CFA. Probably, that is the reason of dislike and disgrace of Burmese of mixed origin on the part of several breeders. Probably that is the reason of dislike and disgrace of Burmese on the side of some breeders.

You can’t refuse that it is irrational to exclude this Burmese, which has such a potential for keeping and development of the breed.
The European Burmese and the history of its approval should be considered separately. It turned out, historically, that formation of the breed in various continents involved different animals, which led to the differences in phenotype. Each phelinological organization approved its own standard, based on its breeding programs and its livestock.
In the beginning of 1990s representatives of the International Unit of CFA paid attention, that in Europe a small amount of Burmese cats takes part in this Organization’s exhibition. Breeders did not exhibit their animals within CFA because of the large difference between American and European (FIFe) Burmese.
In June 1993 at the administration meeting of CFA it was proposed to approve the type of Burmese cats, which corresponds the standards of FIFe, GCCF (Great Britain) and АСА (Australia). This suggestion was made in aid of promotion of CFA in Europe. At that time Burmese cats, which corresponded FIFe standard, were called Foreign Burmese.
At the next meeting of CFA administration in October 1993 Bill Lee (CFA judge) suggested giving Foreign Burmese cats a competitive status in the International division and non-competetive in the USA since May 1994. The suggestion was approved. Kim Everet (CFA judge) suggested changing the breed name to “European Burmese”, which was also approved.  It was necessary to develop a standard for European Burmese in CFA. Wane Trevatane (CFA judge) was charged to prepare a standard, based on the FIFe, GCCF and Australia standards.

Since May 1994 till April 2000 European Burmese had participated in CFA exhibitions within Class Miscellaneous, where judges estimated cats, but didn’t give them ribbons and didn’t place them. The next step was the approval of European breed as a Provisional breed. Such application can be sent to the CFA Committee after not less than 100 cats of a new breed had taken part in exhibitions during 5 years, plus, there should be not less than 25 active breeders.

In February 2000 at the CFA administration meeting European Burmese breeders applied with the request on giving a new status to the breed, which was approved by administration. Since then cats of the breed had an opportunity to participate in the Class Provisional exhibitions (since May 2000), but still they had a non-competed status. The judges estimated cats and placed them as in a competitive class, but gave them no titles. Judges also filled assessment sheets in order to find out cat’s quality, whether they suit standards and so on. These sheets were sent to the CFA office and were used later for making decision on giving a competitive status. After that, it was enough to have 25 various cats, which participated in exhibitions in all CFA regions, and then a breed would get a competitive status.

In February 2002 the Board of Directors of CFA approved the long-expected for European Burmese breeders decision on giving the Americane competitive status to the European breed in the USA since May 2002.

Due to this decision, nowadays, CFA exhibitions are enriched by two magnificent breeds: Burmese and European Burmese.