Your guide to finding and caring for a Burmese in Seattle
A Burmese suits Seattle's apartment buildings well, since it wants company far more than square footage. In Belltown or South Lake Union, a window perch above the street can keep a Burmese entertained while you're home, and the short satin coat needs almost no brushing. These cats follow you from room to room and love games, so they fit best with people who work from home or have another pet around. On a rainy afternoon, a wand toy by the window goes a long way.
Find your Burmese
While we don't have enough cats near Seattle, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
F, 3 mo., 93 miles
Burmese, Oriental Short Hair
M, 5 y., 1769 miles
Burmese
F, 3-7 y., 1772 miles
Burmese, Siamese
M, 3-7 y., 2047 miles
Burmese
F, 5 y., 872 miles
Burmese
M, 3-7 y., 951 miles
Tuxedo, Burmese
M, 3-7 y., 956 miles
Burmese, Domestic Short Hair
F, 1 y., 1454 miles
Burmese, Domestic Short Hair
F, 3-7 y., 1698 miles
Burmese, Domestic Short Hair
M, 8 y. +, 1733 miles
Burmese, American Shorthair
Nearly every Burmese in America descends from Wong Mau, a walnut-brown cat brought from Southeast Asia to San Francisco in 1930. The breed is compact and muscular, and heavier than it looks, usually 8 to 13 pounds, with a glossy satin coat and big gold eyes. Sable brown is the classic color, but champagne, blue and platinum turn up too.
Burmese are people cats, playful well into adulthood and happy to join whatever the household is doing. In Seattle's apartments and townhomes that devotion is easy to satisfy if someone is home often or another pet keeps them company. The breed also carries a few inherited conditions, including diabetes, so a good veterinarian matters. Every Burmese is different, and adult cats are often calmer than the breed's reputation suggests.
Having a Burmese in Seattle
Burmese pair a dense, satin-coated body with a big appetite for attention. Their need for company, lifelong playfulness, easy grooming and a few breed-linked health risks all shape how well one fits your schedule in a Seattle home.
Burmese are affectionate, curious and often called dog-like, following people around and picking up games. Most spread their love across the whole household and get along with respectful kids and cat-friendly dogs. In a Seattle apartment, that means a cat who wants a seat in your evening routine. Personalities still vary, especially in adult cats.
Plan on daily interactive play. Wand toys, fetch and puzzle feeders keep a Burmese lean and busy, which matters during Seattle's long rainy stretches when outdoor time is limited. A sturdy cat tree or wall shelves near a window give a muscular jumper somewhere to climb and watch the street, and short clicker sessions add mental work.
Burmese can be prone to diabetes, low potassium, orofacial pain syndrome and, in some lines, a severe head defect in kittens. Keep a Burmese lean, watch for extra thirst or weakness, and schedule regular checkups with blood work as it ages. A veterinarian can check an adopted cat for these conditions and help you plan.
Burmese adapt well to Seattle's many apartments and condos if they have company and vertical space. Window perches suit them, and most do best indoors, with a secure catio for fresh air. Coyotes live in the city's larger green spaces, another reason to keep cats inside. Long days alone are hard on many, so a second compatible pet can help.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $30 to $60 per month | $360 to $720 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $480 to $1,180 per year | $480 to $1,180 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,290 to $2,850 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* The $30 Seattle cat license for a spayed or neutered cat, litter, flea prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and climbing furniture, and minimal grooming for the short coat.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Seattle.
Seattle's cats find homes through shelters and nonprofit rescues, and the ones listed here serve the Seattle area. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Seattle area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Burmese is coming in.
Yes, a Burmese can do well in a Seattle apartment. Square footage matters less than company and climbing space, so a tall cat tree, a window perch and daily play count for more. Read your lease for pet rules before adopting, and keep window and balcony screens secure, since a Burmese is a strong jumper.
A Burmese is a good fit for Seattle if you're home often or have another pet. The gray, rainy months suit an indoor cat that wants lap time and games, and compact apartments are no problem. It's a tougher match if you travel a lot or work long days away, since Burmese tend to dislike long stretches alone.
Yes, you can. Seattle has no breed bans, and Washington law limits them statewide, so a Burmese faces no breed-specific rule. The practical questions are whether your lease and schedule fit a people-loving cat. Burmese come up only occasionally, so watch the listings on this page or save a search to hear about new cats.
Yes, as long as your Burmese is in a carrier. Sound Transit allows pets in small containers on Link light rail and buses, and Metro requires pets other than dogs to ride in a carrier, with no fare. The Water Taxi wants cats in an enclosed carrier, and state ferries ask for a crate or carrier.
Very little. A Burmese's short, satin coat needs only a weekly rub with a rubber brush, and shedding is low. Seattle's damp weather matters less for an indoor cat, so the extras are towel-drying if your cat gets wet, plus nail trims and dental care. Grooming costs are minimal and already counted in the yearly Other costs.
A Burmese is a medium-sized, muscular shorthaired cat known for a glossy, satin-like coat, gold eyes and a famously people-oriented personality. Most American Burmese trace back to a single brown cat, Wong Mau, brought to San Francisco in 1930. They are playful, social and affectionate, and they come in sable, champagne, blue, platinum and other colors.
The name Burmese simply means from Burma, the country now called Myanmar. It refers to where the breed's foundation cat, Wong Mau, was believed to come from, in the region near the border between Burma and Thailand. Brown cats resembling the Burmese are thought to appear in old Thai cat manuscripts, long before the modern breed was developed in America.
Burmese cats are moderately vocal. They usually speak up when they want attention, food or company, but they are generally quieter than their Siamese relatives, with softer, sweeter voices. Many hold chatty conversations with their people and greet them at the door. Individual cats vary, and some are quite talkative while others rarely meow.
Burmese cats are safest kept indoors, with outdoor time limited to a secure catio, an enclosed garden or a harness and leash. Their trusting, people-loving nature can lead them to approach strangers, cars or other animals. Indoor living also lowers risks from traffic, disease and parasites. Window perches and play help satisfy their curiosity.
Expect about $25 to $50 a month for food and $30 to $60 for insurance, plus $150 to $350 a year for routine vet care. Other yearly costs, including litter, the cat license, flea prevention and dental care, run roughly $480 to $1,180. That puts a typical year at about $1,290 to $2,850.
Expand your search to find Burmese available for adoption near Seattle.
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