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The unique, yellow-eyed Burmese cat has developed over time into a charming, instantly recognizable breed. The ones you see today have quite a different appearance from their ancestors in Burma.
While the Cat Fanciers’ Association only recognizes four separate coat colors, breeders have developed a style all their own when it comes to these creatures. There are tons of tones and variations, let’s take a closer look at just how many there are.
Cat Fanciers’ Association 4 Accepted Burmese Colors
Burmese cats come in many interesting shades, but the Cat Fanciers’ Association only recognizes four. Let’s start with those first!
1. Sable
Sable Burmese cats have a lovely deep-colored coat that has various tones of chocolate color. Most sable coats are darker along the back flanks and tail, fading into a shimmery coffee color around the neck and underbelly. Paw pads and nose stay brown.
A sable Burmese kitten may appear to be a bit lighter initially, but they darken as they grow.
2. Champagne
Champagne Burmese cats have a creamy honey-colored coat that bleeds into darker shades of ashy brown. The face, paws, ears, and tail are the darkest, with the lightest color on their underbelly and chest.
Burmese kittens may appear extremely light, but their faces and paws darken in color as they get older.
3. Blue
Blue is arguably the most sought-after of all the Burmese cat colors—which is not all that surprising. The blue color varies between dusty grey and deep, vibrant periwinkle. Most blues have sensational green eyes, though they can vary.
Unlike some other Burmese coats, the blue color tends to be more evenly distributed, though it can darken at the tail tips.
4. Platinum
As you might guess by the name, Platinum is the lightest of all Burmese colors. Like the champagne, platinum-coated Burmese cats tend to be lighter on their underbelly and chest. However, their face isn’t as defined by dark tones.
The 7 Other Burmese Cat Coat Types
While the Cat Fanciers’ Association may not recognize these cats as having different coats, there is more to admire. Breeders advertise their kittens in terms of more specific colors than just the four we saw. Let’s take a look at the sensational variety among them.
5. Lilac
Lilac Burmese cats technically fall under the blue category but with a slightly purplish hue on the face, paws, and tail. Lilac Burmese kittens may display a brownish tint to the face that lightens and softens over time.
6. Fawn
Fawn Burmese cats fall into the champagne range but with a slightly different look. Not all have a classically dark mask, but most do. Their masks are usually chocolate or coffee-colored, noticeably darker than the rest of their fur.
7. Red
The beautiful red-colored Burmese cat is not exactly “red”, but rusty. They have lighter tones on the underbelly and chest which blend into a copper color on their back, ears, tail, and paws. They usually have a pronounced dark orange marking on their foreheads.
Like many other Burmese cats, the red becomes more prominent as they age.
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8. Cream
The cream Burmese cat would fall into the platinum category. They are very blonde in color with pink noses. They also have distinct lined markings of darker color on their head and bordering their eyes.
Cream tends to be a slightly softer color than fully platinum cats. Even though they technically fall into the same category, there are noticeable differences.
9. Chocolate
Who wouldn’t want a beautiful little mocha-colored Burmese cat? The gorgeous ash-brown color contrasts their penetrating eyes. Their noses stay roughly the same shade as their coat but may be slightly lighter or darker—depending on the cat.
The smooth color pattern gently darkens around the back, tail, paws, and face.
10. Cinnamon
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The lovely cinnamon-colored Burmese cat falls into the sable category but with a rusty peppered zest to their fur. They have a creamy pale color with soft pink noses.
This coloring has very distinctive lines on the forehead, darkening into a sandy beige color.
11. Tortoiseshell
Tortoiseshells, or torties, are the only Burmese coat color on the list that combines multiple colors in their fur. This coat pattern combines patches of red, black, and various hues therein. However, unlike the calico patterns, torties never sport white in their coats.
Torties are almost exclusively female cats. If you ever end up with a male, you’ll have one of the rarest possibilities, accounting for only 0.1% of all tortoiseshell cats across the board. They’re usually sterile (and probably worth a lot of money).
Final Thoughts
The beautiful Burmese cat has such a brilliant array of soft colors. From nearly white to deep chocolate, they have unique shades of fading hues. Of all these lovely shades, which of the 11 color schemes is your favorite?
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Featured Image Credit: Seregraff, Shutterstock
