In the early 1930's, Dr. Joseph Thompson of San Francisco acquired an attractive walnut brown female from Bruma which he named Wong Mau.  Through selective breeding to Siamese, it was established that the Burmese is a distinct breed.  Lighter colored kittens were occasionally produced and eventually the American breeders requested recognition from CFA for these "dilute" colors; first, as another breed named Malayan, then later as a dilute version of Burmese.  The four colors recognized by CFA are:  sable, champagne, blue, and platinum.
     Burmese carry surprising weight for their size and have often been descrived as "bricks wrapped in silk."  Their coats are very short, satin-like in texture, and generally require little grooming other than daily petting.  As kittens, Brumese are quite lively.  They often seem clumsy when they attempt feats beyond their capabilities and land on their rears with solid little thumps.  They will be playful well into adulthood.  As Burmese grow, their high intelligence emergence and their own individual personalities start to unfold.  They mature into charming, resolute executives who move in and take over a household, running it efficiently with those big eyes and a velvet paw.  If encouraged, many Burmese converse with their humans, using soft, sweet voices (they are neither lough nor raucous).  They are good with children, will tolerate the family dog, and if introduced to it at an early age as something pleasant, most will enjoy traveling in a car.  Burmese are extremely people-oriented; their personalities are almost dog-like in a tendency to shadow their owners and in a desire to give and receive affection.
     Burmese should never be let outdoors as they are entirely too trusting and have little, if any survival instinct.