Bombay-Breizh

BURMESE-BOMBAY-TONKINESE-BURMILLA-ASIAN The best way to discover the origins of our lovely Bombays is a trip back in time... ONCE UPON A TIME: there appeared, in the Far East of Earth, marvellous breeds of cats. The blue Korat. The Siamese, with a pale body and dark points. And a Dark Brown Cat: the Burmese 1347-1767: The Ayuthya Period in Thai History gave us the Book of Poems about Cats. There, beside Siamese and Korat, the Burmese appears under the name of Thong Daeng (Copper Cat) 1871: two Siameses are shown at the Crystal Palace, London. Then begins the introduction of the Siameses in the Western World. Tonkineses and Burmeses arrived undercover at the same period. Burmeses were then considered as dark siameses (chocolate siamese) and the breed was neglected. 1930: a US Navy physician, Dr Joseph Thompson, brought from Rangoon a young Burmese dam: Wong Mau 1932: Thompson married Wong Mau to his Siamese sire, Taï. Thus, he obtained Tonkineses (Burmese x Siamese). It appeared that Wong Mau was in fact a Tonkinese. 1932-1936: a few matings later, the purity of the Burmese breed is re-established. 1936: Burmese breed is recognized in USA 1936-1942: Dr. Thompson and a dozen followers breed Burmeses. New cats are imported from Burma to bring new blood 1942-1945: 2nd World War. Conflict between USA and Japan. Japanese invasion of Burma. Interruption of Burmese importations 1947: CFA (Cat Fanciers of America) cancels recognition of the Burmese breed. 1949: First importations of Burmeses from USA to Great Britain. 1947-1953: Friends of Burmeses work for their breed. Creation of the "Burmese Cat Society of America" that establishes the first standard of the breed. 1952: The Burmese breed is recognized in Great Britain. Its standard is based on the American standard. 1955: First Blue Burmese: Sealcoat Blue Surprise (in Great Britain) 1956: First Burmese imported in France from Great Britain 1959: In USA, the Burmese standard is changed. It remains unchanged in Great Britain 1963: There occured a chance mating between a Burmese and a red cat. That will be the starting point of the introduction of red colour in the breed (and thus cream and tortie...) 1966: Creation of the Bombay: Burmese x Black American Shorthair (Nikki Horner, USA) 1970: Bombay breed is recognize by the CFA 1976: Bombay breed can compete in championship. The first Bombay standard is established. 1981: in Great Britain, in the cattery of Baroness Miranda von Kirshberg, a Chinchilla Persian (male) and a Lilac Burmese (female) mate and give birth to Burmillas. 1981-1983: First Burmillas are married to Burmeses. Birth of first Asian Cats. 1989: the term "Asian Group" is used to classifiy cats with a Burmese morphology and various fur patterns: Burmillas (shaded and tipped), Asian Smoke, Asian Tabby (blotched, spotted and mackerel), Asian Tiffanies (long hair), Asian Cats (with self and tortie colours, black self being Asian Bombay). 1990: Burmilla is recognized by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (New Breed and Colour. 1997: Asian Burmillas, Smoke and Tabbys, can compete in championship. 2000: Self-colour Asian Cats (including Asian Bombays) can compete in championship TOP