breed of domestic cat (cat, domestic), presumably of Asian origin. The Burmese is a compactly built cat with a small, rounded head and wide-set, round, yellow or golden eyes. The short, finely textured, and glossy coat darkens from a milk-chocolate colour in the kitten to a rich sable brown in the adult. The underside is paler than the coat; the ears, face, legs, and tail may be darker. The tail is tapered and may be either straight or kinked near the tip.