Cats - Birmans

The Sacred Cat of Burma

Gazing lazily from a dark, smoky face are two brilliant blue orbs in a gentle face.  Snow white coat melting into light and then dark chocolate at the feet, face and tail, this gentle creature has been revered and pampered by kings and priests alike.

The Birman cat breed is one of the most distinctive of the Medium Longhair cat breeds.  It’s soft white or ivory coloured coat contrasts with the darker coloured face, tail, legs and ears, known as `points’. 

The Birman is quite a fashionable cat.  In maturity, it has a fur ruff around its neck, resembling a cosy scarf.  The tail is plume shaped and the back legs are covered in silky `breeches’.

Legend has it that these cats lived in an ancient temple in Burma in the 9^th Century and belonged to the priests.  Ten centuries later, when the temple was under threat, two Europeans, Major Russell-Gordon , a British army officer and a French explorer, Auguste Pavie, offered to help the priests.  When they returned to Europe in 1919 the priests gave them a pair of sacred cats out of gratitude.  Sadly, the male died on the voyage, but shortly after her arrival in Europe, the female had kittens and so the Sacred Cat of Burma arrived in Europe.

The breed has had an uphill battle for survival, which, thankfully, it has won.  In 1925 the French cat registry recorded the first Birmans.  During World War II, however, they almost died out.  After twenty years of dedicated breeding and nurturing, the breed was re-established and gained recognition in the UK and USA in the mid 1960s. 

Not long after that, the Birmans arrived in South Africa, but only became well known in the 1990’s.  Since then, however, breeders have imported new bloodlines from all over Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. 

Kittens are born pure white, which melts into deeper colour as they grow older.  Points range from seal brown to the palest lilac. 

Birmans come in more than twenty colours, including tabby and tortie points.  Their most dramatic feature is four snow white paws, resembling gloves on their front paws and gauntlets covering the entire paw and tapering half way up the back legs.

Care of these beautiful creatures is not an arduous task.  Regular baths and brushing is required but their soft fur consists of a special kind of hair that does not knot easily.

Birmans make ideal family pets.  They are extremely playful as kittens and need company and plenty of room to play.  They love people and are gentle and polite in nature.  These creatures are highly sensitive to their owner’s moods and can sense when some affection is needed.  As far as other pets go, they will make do with another cat, if necessary, but generally can be rather possessive of their owners.

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