Background of the Purebred Burmese Cats Alliance

The Purebred Burmese Cats Alliance is a joint venture between many Burmese breeders from Europe as well as other continents. It is our focus to breed and maintain Burmese in their original colour.

It was observed before (within other cat breeds) that different breeds were crossed in several times in order to create new colours. Due to long and extensive breeding practice it was proven that this had no positive effects. Many distinguishing marks resulting from selective breeding got lost and most of the breeders started to strictly breed silver and solid colours apart from each other. Especially breeders of the original standard colours avoided to use new colours such as silver, in their breeding programmes. The Burmese cat has always been bred without barring and in solid colours. It is a cat that has its own genetic make-up and that is no hybrid breed. The Burmese have been a purebred cat for many decades and did not need other breeds for their existence.

In Germany efforts were made lately to establish new colour varieties in silver, ticked, tabby and smoke by crossing in other breeds. Cats that result from matings between Burmese and various other breeds and which are similar to Burmese are considered as Asians within GCCF (umbrella organization in England). The Asian cat has its own standard. In the US (Burmese country of origin), Europe and other countries these new colours are not acknowledged.

In FIFe - Europe's largest breeder's organization - there is a strong reglementation -
Quotation FIFe Breeding & Registration Rules:
"6.5 BUR (Burmese)
The FIFe shall only recognise the following EMS codes in Burmese: n, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, j. The FIFe will not encourage any person or federation to produce Burmese in any other colour varieties than those listed above. When breeding Burmese:
• Silver and/or agouti varieties and/or piebald spotting are not allowed for breeding
• Offspring in a non recognised colour variety shall be registered as XSH" - They are no Burmese.

The only exception is New Zealand – but even there solid Burmese are bred separately from their relatives.

By introducing the silver and the agouti genes all the recognised colours, that is the 10 traditional colours, face immense problems. This will change these colours of the Burmese as we know them now, they will have a cold look about them. All ten colours will appear only on the tip of the fur and the rest of the fur will be an ash grey colour. Another problem is the tabby-markings. Whereas most breeders have now successfully eliminated these markings from their breeding programme, introducing the silver and agouti genes bring these markings back.

In order to avoid changes within these beautiful unique colour varieties Burmese breeders founded the Purebred Burmese Cats Alliance. All 10 traditional colours are bred and maintained professionally in their original appearance. It is most important to maintain the unique Burmese nature as well as health as these are about to change due to crossing in other breeds such as Singapura or silver moggies.

The Purebred Burmese Cats Alliance does not approve of the new colour varieties.