Burmese owners advice please!

[MHarts]

Hello

I am new to burmese, but I have had a tonkinese before. He was the most loving cat, but he was an adult when he came to us so doesn’t help on the kitten front!

We bought a lovely blue Burmese girl home 4 weeks ago, and I’m just wondering if this is normal for burms (or kittens in general?) as the reason we chose this breed was because of their love of people, and I’m feeling a tad deflated at the moment. Please be gentle!

Burms are meant to be super cuddly but my girl isn’t that cuddly.. she will sort of sit with us and she loves being picked up but she’s not a lap cat. I am aware this could be to do with age! She is 5 months.

She meows all night and won’t settle, but she’s not like that during the day. The door is open for her but she doesn’t seem to sleep during the night. We play with her a lot and she gets a lot of stimulation throughout the day. I don’t want to shut her out but I haven’t slept in 4 weeks! She attacks our hands/feet that are under the covers, I think that is normal but she won’t stop no matter how many times we remove her from the bed. I am covered in scratches as she gets quite vicious when she’s in this mode.

Extra info, she’s not yet spayed and she has been to the vets a few times and there doesn’t seem to be a problem

Please tell me that this is normal and she will settle down!

[Sniper1]

Firstly I would say you need sleep she won't come to any harm if you shut her out and it may help break her disturbing habits.As a previous owner of 3 Burmese all girls who arrived as adult rescues I found them all to be fairly independent cats and much less people orientated than Siamese all were affectionate on their own terms but not what I call cuddly cats although all personalities are different and upbringingl can have influence whatever your little one turns out to be am sure she will bring you a lot of joy and you will love her for being her

[Sniper1]

One thing I forgot to mention I also found all 3 of them to be avid hunters who would take on any prey ,large birds,big rats even Bunny's if your girl has the same instinct that may explain some of her behaviour

[Lilith]

Hi and welcome - don't worry, we keep our claws in on this forum

I'm not sure if I'm qualified to advise, but for some years I bred Siamese who are just as manic and eccentric (but then so am I lol) and I THINK that my youngest cat, Molly, is part Burmese, I know little of her background and she's a ginger mog (not avatar cat, that's my Emily) - but with the unmistakeable Burmese sawn-off wedge shaped face, and the voice - 'Yap ...yap...prrrou...rrrrou', talks all the time and yes, she's a right pain in the burm!

Sniper sums it up with the words 'on their own terms' - the hapless humans have to adapt to these cats, but like all orientals, as you'll have found out with your Tonkinese, they are a joy ... well, shall we say a headache, as the song puts it, but never a bore ...

Where's the breeder in all this - will they continue to advise? (Though we'll do our best.) DON'T let your girl get away with that dratted hand and foot attacking. You don't need to shout but a hissed 'no!' and withdrawal of attention can often work wonders. They're sensitive and intelligent; they soon get the message. And then lots of love and praise as soon as they calm down; they need ten times as much reassurance and praise as scolding. I've never played any games with Moll that involve my skin - cats just don't realise that it's not covered with protective fur.

I can't personally forbid my cats the bedroom, but my patience is sometimes sorely tried by Molly arriving while I'm in my deepest sleep, for a chat and a little trampolining, on me of course ... there are differing opinions on this. I once knew a breeder with wall to wall cats who at bedtime would say, bedtime, and all the cats trotted upstairs to 'their' room without complaint.

I think, in the end, they make their own rules - Molly certainly does; she craves attention and companionship but if you stroke the wrong ear, she'll have you! But I wouldn't be without her. Oh boy but they're hard work aren't they?

Congrats on your girl, please keep in touch and let us know how it goes

[RubyChaCha]

Hi
I've had Burmese cats for 20 years, and currently have four. They have a 'reputation' for certain characteristics but they are all different. My latest female was similar to yours, friendly but not overly affectionate, but now she's 10 months old she is a lot more cuddly. So I wouldn't worry too much about what she is like at the moment, she's still a baby and developing her personality.

Re the crying/high jinks at night, I guess she is on her own, no other cats? My Burmese sleep downstairs together, I've never let them in my bedroom - I'd get no sleep! You are right that what she is doing is natural behaviour but it isn't something you want to experience at night and you will simply have to shut her out of the room. Find her a cosy safe room away from you and make that her 'bedroom'.

I had a similar problem with hand/foot attacks from a male kitten (during the day) and realised it was because my other cats were older and reluctant to play so he was under-stimulated (there is only so much entertainment to be got from games with a human). I got him a kitten companion and he directed his energies towards her and they had a great time. At the moment, YOU are that companion!

By the way I would get her neutered asap, they tend to be 'precocious' and believe me you do not want a Burmese on heat.

[Lilith]

Hey Ruby and welcome - you sound like a purrson after our own hearts

Good advice - my Moll, known as 'strange little girl' or this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvQWAByuHPU the 'strayaway child' as I first met her bawling in the street, first owners were at wits end with her.

She was maybe 8 months when she moved in with me, booked in for spaying and already flirting with Uncle Finn (ginger tom, sadly missed) who loved her - and damn me, the night before she went into call ... what a performance! YESSSS, they ARE precocious!

But what darlings!