Burmese Cat

This page is educational reference material for preparing questions. A licensed veterinarian examines the animal, makes the diagnosis, and sets the treatment.

A lap cat with a metabolic file

Burmese cats are medium, males often 10 to 12 pounds and females a bit less, with a lifespan commonly 15 to 18 years. They are social, playful, and unhappy as an ignored ornament. The coat is short and satin. Shedding is real and manageable. They often want to be in the same room, on the same blanket, and in the same conversation.

Children and other pets usually work. A Burmese that is boarded alone for two weeks may stop eating. Plan for that if you travel. The breed is a poor choice if you wanted a cat that entertains itself in a closed bedroom.

Sugar, potassium, and the head

Diabetes mellitus is common enough to keep this breed lean on purpose. Hypokalemia shows up as muscle weakness and that tucked neck. A craniofacial defect in some lines is a DNA conversation for breeders, because severe cases are lethal in kittens. Merck covers feline diabetes. Drinking more and losing weight is the urinary and thirst page as a start, then a clinic.

Burmese cat questions

Is this the same as a Burmese python?

No. This is a cat. The snake has its own page. A Burmese cat is a social, satin-coated companion of about 8 to 12 pounds.

What does low potassium look like?

Hypokalemic polymyopathy. The cat may walk with a ventroflexed neck, chin toward the chest, and weak legs. That is a vet visit, not a quirk of a cuddly breed.

Are Burmese prone to diabetes?

Yes, more than a random domestic cat. Weight control is not optional. A cat that drinks and urinates more, and loses weight while eating, needs blood glucose, not a bigger bowl.