Burmese vs Bombay
The Bombay was created from the Burmese, so they share a muscular build, big personalities and a love of laps. The Bombay is black only, while the Burmese comes in several colours.
Side by side
| Burmese | Bombay | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Burma (Myanmar), developed in the USA and Britain | Kentucky, USA (and a different British type) |
| Size | Medium | Medium |
| Weight | Usually 3.5 to 5.5 kg | Usually 3 to 5.5 kg |
| Lifespan | Often 12 to 16 years | Often 12 to 16 years |
| Coat | Short, fine, glossy and close-lying | Short, fine and glossy, like patent leather |
| Energy | 4 out of 5 | 4 out of 5 |
| Affection | 5 out of 5 | 5 out of 5 |
| Chattiness | 3 out of 5 | 3 out of 5 |
| Grooming needed | 1 out of 5 | 1 out of 5 |
| Good with children | 5 out of 5 | 4 out of 5 |
| Good with other pets | 4 out of 5 | 4 out of 5 |
Scores are our own rough guide. Every cat is different.
The main differences
- Colour: the Bombay is jet black only, with copper eyes, while the Burmese is sable brown or one of several other colours, with gold eyes.
- Ancestry: the American Bombay is a Burmese crossed with a black American Shorthair, while the British Bombay is essentially a black Burmese.
- Personality: both are affectionate, clingy and playful.
- Health: the Burmese can be prone to diabetes, and both can carry the contemporary Burmese craniofacial defect in some lines.
Choose a Burmese if
- You want a warm sable or other colours
- You want a chatty, people-focused cat
- You want the more established breed
Choose a Bombay if
- You want the black panther look
- You want a sweet, clingy lap cat
- You love copper eyes and a glossy coat
Our verdict
Pick on colour. Both need company and are happier with someone at home, and both need breeders who health-test and choose moderate faces.
Read the full guides: Burmese and Bombay. Or see more cat breeds. This is a friendly overview, not veterinary advice.
Questions people ask
Are Bombays and Burmese the same?
No. They are related, but the Bombay is black only and was bred from a Burmese crossed with a black American Shorthair.
Which is more clingy, a Burmese or a Bombay?
Both are very people-focused.
