History of the European Burmese in CFA
1930 - Wong Mau was the first Burmese who was imported to United States from Rangoon, Burma. Dr. Joseph Thompson, who imported her, was impressed by her look and developed a breeding program along with other well-known breeders. The Siamese were considered to be the closest in appearance and was used in the breeding program. During the next couple of years the breeders had created a unique breed.
1934 - Proposition to CFA to recognize the Burmese as a unique breed in CFA.
1936 – The Burmese is approved by CFA as a breed. At this time sable (brown) is the only color accepted in CFA. The Burmese at this point is a moderate breed when it comes to body shape and head type. The breeders continued using Siamese in their breeding programs due to the limited breeding stock.
1947 – CFA suspended registration of the breed until the breeders stopped using the Siamese in their breeding programs. There had to be three generations of pure Burmese in the pedigree to be registered as a Burmese in CFA.
1949 – The first Burmese cats (brown) were exported from United States to England.
1952 – The Burmese breed is recognized by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in England (GCCF).
1955 – The first blue Burmese was born in England (and in the world).
1957 – CFA resumed registration of the Burmese. Sable (brown) is still the only color accepted in CFA. Australia’s first Burmese arrives from England.
1959 – CFA accepts a new standard for the Burmese developed by United Burmese Cat Fanciers. This standard has stood essentially unchanged since then in CFA. The standard asked for a Burmese with a head that was round with a short muzzle, round eyes and a compact body. This is the first step towards the difference between the Burmese type in United States and the rest of the world.
1960 - GCCF approves the blue Burmese for Championship status.
1963 – In England a blue Burmese female managed to escape while in heat and was mated by a red tabby shorthaired cat. A black tortie kitten from this breeding is kept and used in the breeding program. A planned breeding in England occurs between a blue Burmese female and a red Siamese. From this litter a blue tortie female was kept and this was the beginning of the new colors (red, cream and the four tortie colors). At the end of the 60’s they had six colors of Burmese in England, brown, blue, red, cream, brown tortie and blue tortie. A few more additional cats were imported from United States at this point to acquire the chocolate gene.
1970’s – A consistently rounder-headed style of Burmese was produced in United States, which some breeders call the Contemporary look.
1973 – Cream and red Burmese is recognized by GCCF. First lilac tortie is born in England.
1977 - GCCF recognizes the last four colors (torties).
1979 – CFA accepts the three additional colors blue, platinum (lilac) and champagne (chocolate). They are accepted as a separate group called “Malayans”.
1984 – CFA acknowledges that the “Malayans” are truly Burmese and they are since then registered as “Burmese Dilutes” and compete since then in their own division in CFA.
1993 – At the CFA board meeting on June 24th, Vaughn Barber (Head of the CFA International division at that time) raised the issue regarding CFA lacking Burmese exhibitors at their shows in Europe. These exhibitors were not showing in CFA due to the difference in type between the CFA Burmese and the FiFe Burmese. A suggestion was made to accept the type of Burmese that was shown in FiFe, GCCF and the Australian cat associations for competition in CFA with a different standard for these cats. This suggestion was made as an attempt to boost the CFA registrations in Europe. At this time they referred to the FiFe Burmese as Foreign Burmese.
At the next CFA board meeting in October of 1993 Bill Lee (CFA judge) motioned to put the Foreign Burmese in competitive status in the CFA International division and in the Miscellaneous class (non-competitive) in United States starting in May of 1994. The motion passed. Kim Everett (CFA judge) proposed a change of the name from Foreign Burmese to European Burmese, which was approved by the other board members. At this time a standard had to be developed for the European Burmese in CFA. Wayne Trevathan (CFA judge) was involved in putting together a standard based upon the standards used in FiFe, GCCF and Australia.
From May of 1994 until April of 2000 the European Burmese was shown in United States in the Miscellaneous class in CFA. The judges handle the cats shown in Miscellaneous class but they do not give any ribbons or placements. The next step is to ask for recognition as a Provisional breed. The request may be made to the CFA Executive Board after not less than 100 individual specimens of the new breed have been registered with CFA over a period of not less than five years. The current breeder list must include 25 active breeders.
February 2000 – CFA board meeting. The European Burmese breeders ask for advancement to Provisional status, which is approved by the CFA board of directors. The breed is now shown in Provisional class (from May of 2000) which means that they are still in non-competitive status. The judges handle the cats shown and places them just like they would be in competitive status with the difference being that no titles or finals can be awarded. The judge also fills out a judging sheet with questions regarding the quality of the cats, if they fit the standard etc. These sheets are then sent to the CFA office and will later be used when deciding if the breed should be advanced to Championship status. At this point proof that at least 25 different cats have been shown throughout all the regions in CFA is needed to be advanced to Championship.
February 2002 – The CFA board of Directors approves the advancement of the European Burmese to Championship status in United States starting May of 2002!
Written by/Copyright Ann-Louise De Voe
1934 - Proposition to CFA to recognize the Burmese as a unique breed in CFA.
1936 – The Burmese is approved by CFA as a breed. At this time sable (brown) is the only color accepted in CFA. The Burmese at this point is a moderate breed when it comes to body shape and head type. The breeders continued using Siamese in their breeding programs due to the limited breeding stock.
1947 – CFA suspended registration of the breed until the breeders stopped using the Siamese in their breeding programs. There had to be three generations of pure Burmese in the pedigree to be registered as a Burmese in CFA.
1949 – The first Burmese cats (brown) were exported from United States to England.
1952 – The Burmese breed is recognized by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in England (GCCF).
1955 – The first blue Burmese was born in England (and in the world).
1957 – CFA resumed registration of the Burmese. Sable (brown) is still the only color accepted in CFA. Australia’s first Burmese arrives from England.
1959 – CFA accepts a new standard for the Burmese developed by United Burmese Cat Fanciers. This standard has stood essentially unchanged since then in CFA. The standard asked for a Burmese with a head that was round with a short muzzle, round eyes and a compact body. This is the first step towards the difference between the Burmese type in United States and the rest of the world.
1960 - GCCF approves the blue Burmese for Championship status.
1963 – In England a blue Burmese female managed to escape while in heat and was mated by a red tabby shorthaired cat. A black tortie kitten from this breeding is kept and used in the breeding program. A planned breeding in England occurs between a blue Burmese female and a red Siamese. From this litter a blue tortie female was kept and this was the beginning of the new colors (red, cream and the four tortie colors). At the end of the 60’s they had six colors of Burmese in England, brown, blue, red, cream, brown tortie and blue tortie. A few more additional cats were imported from United States at this point to acquire the chocolate gene.
1970’s – A consistently rounder-headed style of Burmese was produced in United States, which some breeders call the Contemporary look.
1973 – Cream and red Burmese is recognized by GCCF. First lilac tortie is born in England.
1977 - GCCF recognizes the last four colors (torties).
1979 – CFA accepts the three additional colors blue, platinum (lilac) and champagne (chocolate). They are accepted as a separate group called “Malayans”.
1984 – CFA acknowledges that the “Malayans” are truly Burmese and they are since then registered as “Burmese Dilutes” and compete since then in their own division in CFA.
1993 – At the CFA board meeting on June 24th, Vaughn Barber (Head of the CFA International division at that time) raised the issue regarding CFA lacking Burmese exhibitors at their shows in Europe. These exhibitors were not showing in CFA due to the difference in type between the CFA Burmese and the FiFe Burmese. A suggestion was made to accept the type of Burmese that was shown in FiFe, GCCF and the Australian cat associations for competition in CFA with a different standard for these cats. This suggestion was made as an attempt to boost the CFA registrations in Europe. At this time they referred to the FiFe Burmese as Foreign Burmese.
At the next CFA board meeting in October of 1993 Bill Lee (CFA judge) motioned to put the Foreign Burmese in competitive status in the CFA International division and in the Miscellaneous class (non-competitive) in United States starting in May of 1994. The motion passed. Kim Everett (CFA judge) proposed a change of the name from Foreign Burmese to European Burmese, which was approved by the other board members. At this time a standard had to be developed for the European Burmese in CFA. Wayne Trevathan (CFA judge) was involved in putting together a standard based upon the standards used in FiFe, GCCF and Australia.
From May of 1994 until April of 2000 the European Burmese was shown in United States in the Miscellaneous class in CFA. The judges handle the cats shown in Miscellaneous class but they do not give any ribbons or placements. The next step is to ask for recognition as a Provisional breed. The request may be made to the CFA Executive Board after not less than 100 individual specimens of the new breed have been registered with CFA over a period of not less than five years. The current breeder list must include 25 active breeders.
February 2000 – CFA board meeting. The European Burmese breeders ask for advancement to Provisional status, which is approved by the CFA board of directors. The breed is now shown in Provisional class (from May of 2000) which means that they are still in non-competitive status. The judges handle the cats shown and places them just like they would be in competitive status with the difference being that no titles or finals can be awarded. The judge also fills out a judging sheet with questions regarding the quality of the cats, if they fit the standard etc. These sheets are then sent to the CFA office and will later be used when deciding if the breed should be advanced to Championship status. At this point proof that at least 25 different cats have been shown throughout all the regions in CFA is needed to be advanced to Championship.
February 2002 – The CFA board of Directors approves the advancement of the European Burmese to Championship status in United States starting May of 2002!
Written by/Copyright Ann-Louise De Voe