Burmese kitten

[Zog14]

We are looking to purchase 1 or 2 kittens. Looking for a child friendly breed (child is 10). Have been recommended Burmese as having laid back but playful temperament. Any thoughts on this breed in general?
Been quoted £1000 from a breeder for a kitten. I have only had rescue cats before. Is this a reasonable price?

For a Burm from a reliable breeder? It's on the high side but not extortionate.

Burmese would be a good choice as would Tonkinese (half siamese, half Burmese originally). They are fun cats - inquisitive, intelligent, love to play but are also friendly and loving.

All the above is true as long as they have been socialised and not bred in a shed somewhere. Do your homework about the breeder and think carefully about the surroundings the kittens are in when you visit and how they interact with you.

DBro & DSil have had Burmese for many years (indoor only). THey are fun, entertaining and affectionate. Was talking to SiL on the phone this morning & she was nealy drowned out by the purring coming from her lap.

I grew up with Burmese, here are my thoughts

1. Get two, they are very needy and you may feel guilty at leaving one alone.

2. They are very vocal. Miaows sound a bit like a baby. Consider whether you will find this charming, or annoying!

3. They are have no road sense. Two of ours got run over, on a fairly quiet road. Some breeders want them kept as indoor cats for this reason (also like any expensive breed, they sometimes get nicked). If you want a cat that goes outdoors and live on a busy road, I’d say not a Burmese.

4. They are super affectionate, people loving cats. They will follow you round, sit on your lap (whether you want them to or not!), run up the stairs and roll over etc. Basically cats that think they are dogs. Fabulous family pets. I adored ours.

Thanks for the feedback. I am erring towards 2, just slightly stunned at the price. But then my last cat was £75 from a rescue centre, so not a like for like comparison.

We are a household of 2 adults working from home permanently and one 10 year old. We have a 9 year old male rescue, who is firmly attached to me but nervous around children. So won’t interact with my 10 year old at all.

Thinking of this scenario do you think males or females ( or a mixture) might be better?

We are planning on them being indoor cats (with lots of interaction).

Hmm if you already have a cat then maybe just one. Although I have to say I can see a burmese kitten really annoying a nervous older cat!!

Would you consider another rescue, a young adult maybe so you know its personality? You can find very friendly lap cats in rescues - it might take a bit more waiting and careful looking but they do exist. I wonder if that might work better for your existing cat?

@Zog14, if you are getting a pair from a breeder, see if you can get a bonded pair rather than specifying sex. Or ask the breeder what they suggest as a good breeder should be able to advise on each cat's personality.

Yes, I take your point on this and it is an important consideration, how the kittens would interact with existing cat.

A bonded pair is a good suggestion. As is a friendly rescue. Unfortunately we were told our existing cat was ideal for children by the rescue, and it has been far from the case. I am totally in love with him but he is not a “family cat”.

You must have got your rescue when your child was 1? So the rescue knew him first as a noisy and unpredictable baby/toddler ? I think a 10 yr old is a very very different prospect for a cat vs a baby/toddler.

It is true though that Burmese have a pretty much guaranteed friendly temperament whereas a rescue is always more unknown.

I'm 40 and we had Burmese cats my entire time growing up. I love them so much that I have two of my own, who are 9.

They are very gentle and friendly, they just love human company. Some friends that have visited have described them as dog like in their personality. Mine are house cats for the reasons mentioned on previous posts.

Keep us updated, would love to see pics, hear names etc...

I have a brown boy, Harvey and a chocolate girl, Jasmine. I love getting home as they're always waiting for me and love cuddles.

As mentioned above, Burmese are lovely but vocal and needy. British shorthair fall more into the laid back but playful category imo.