CFA Breed Standards


Abyssinian
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RagaMuffin
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Turkish Van


Related Links

  • What is a Breed Standard?
  • What is Condition?
  • An Important Note on Feline Structure
  • Feline Structure: Recognizing Normal and Abnormal
  • Identifying the Parts of a Cat


    CFA Breed Profiles

    Abyssinian
    American Bobtail
    American Curl
    American Shorthair
    American Wirehair
    Balinese
    Birman
    Bombay
    British Shorthair
    Burmese
    Chartreux
    Colorpoint Shorthair
    Cornish Rex
    Devon Rex
    Egyptian Mau
    European Burmese
    Exotic
    Havana Brown
    Japanese Bobtail
    Javanese
    Korat
    LaPerm
    Maine Coon
    Manx
    Norwegian Forest Cat
    Ocicat
    Oriental
    Persian
    RagaMuffin
    Ragdoll
    Russian Blue
    Scottish Fold
    Selkirk Rex
    Siamese
    Siberian
    Singapura
    Somali
    Sphynx
    Tonkinese
    Turkish Angora
    Turkish Van

  •  

    Breed Standard: Burmese


    Black line denotes updated section.
    Updated: 4/30/2006
    Printer friendly version

    POINT SCORE

    HEAD, EARS, and EYES (30)
    	 7 .. Roundness of head	   
    	 6 .. Breadth between eyes and Full face	
    	 6 .. Proper profile (includes Chin)
    	 6 .. Ear set, placement, and size 
    	 5 .. Eye placement and shape	
    BODY, LEGS, FEET, and TAIL (30)
    	15 .. Torso 	 
    	 5 .. Muscle tone 	
    	 5 .. Legs and Feet	
    	 5 .. Tail	
    COAT (10)
    	 4 .. Short 	   
    	 4 .. Texture 	   
    	 2 .. Close lying	
    COLOR (30)
    	25 .. Body color
    	 5 .. Eye color
    

    GENERAL: the overall impression of the ideal Burmese would be a cat of medium size with substantial bone structure, good muscular development and a surprising weight for its size. This together with a rounded head, expressive eyes and a sweet expression presents a totally distinctive cat which is comparable to no other breed. Perfect physical condition, with excellent muscle tone. There should be no evidence of obesity, paunchiness, weakness, or apathy.

    HEAD, EARS, and EYES: head pleasingly rounded without flat planes whether viewed from the front or side. The face is full with considerable breadth between the eyes and blends gently into a broad, well-developed short muzzle that maintains the rounded contours of the head. In profile there is a visible nose break. The chin is firmly rounded, reflecting a proper bite. The head sits on a well-developed neck. The ears are medium in size, set well apart, broad at the base and rounded at the tips. Tilting slightly forward, the ears contribute to an alert appearance. The eyes are large, set far apart, with rounded aperture.

    BODY: medium in size, muscular in development, and presenting a compact appearance. Allowance to be made for larger size in males. An ample, rounded chest, with back level from shoulder to tail.

    LEGS: well proportioned to body.

    PAWS: round. Toes: five in front and four behind.

    TAIL: straight, medium in length.

    COAT: fine, glossy, satin-like texture; short and very close lying.

    PENALIZE: distinct barring on either the front or rear outer legs. Trace (faint) barring permitted in kittens and young adults. Elongated muzzle with severe narrowing, resulting in a wedge-shaped head which detracts from the rounded contours of the head. Green eyes.

    DISQUALIFY: kinked or abnormal tail, lockets or spots. Blue eyes. Crossed eyes. Incorrect nose leather or paw pad color. Malocclusion of the jaw that results in a severe underbite or overbite that visually prohibits the described profile and/or malformation that results in protruding teeth or a wry face or jaw. Distinct barring on the torso. Any color other than the four accepted colors of sable, champagne, blue and platinum.

    BURMESE COLORS

    SABLE: the mature specimen is a rich, warm, sable brown; shading almost imperceptibly to a slightly lighter hue on the underparts but otherwise without shadings, barring, or markings of any kind. (Kittens are often lighter in color.) Nose leather and paw pads: brown. Eye color: ranges from gold to yellow, the greater the depth and brilliance the better.

    CHAMPAGNE: the mature specimen should be a warm honey beige, shading to a pale gold tan underside. Slight darkening on ears and face permissible but lesser shading preferred. A slight darkening in older specimens allowed, the emphasis being on eveness of color. Nose leather: light warm brown. Paw pads: warm pinkish tan. Eye color: ranging from yellow to gold, the greater the depth and brilliance the better.

    BLUE: the mature specimen should be a medium blue with warm fawn undertones, shading almost imperceptibly to a slightly lighter hue on the underparts, but otherwise without shadings, barring or markings of any kind. Nose leather and paw pads: slate gray. Paw pads: ranging from slate gray to warm pinkish blue. Eye color: ranging from yellow to gold, the greater the depth and brilliance the better.

    PLATINUM: the mature specimen should be a pale, silvery gray with pale fawn undertones, shading almost imperceptibly to a slightly lighter hue on the underparts, but otherwise without shadings, barring or markings of any kind. Nose leather and paw pads: lavender-pink. Eye color: ranging from yellow to gold, the greater the depth and brilliance the better.

    The following information is for reference purposes only and not an official part of the CFA Show Standard.

    Burmese Color Class Numbers
    
    Sable Division
    Sable		0400	0401
    
    Dilute Division
    Dilute Colors		0402	0403
      (Blue, Champagne, Platinum)
    
    AOV - All Divisions		None	None
    
    NOTE: a cat registered as a Malayan is eligible 
    for entry in the appropriate Burmese color class.
    

    Burmese allowable outcross breeds: none.


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