About the Birman
The Birman, also called the "Sacred Temple Cat” of Burma is a long-haired, colorpointed cat distinguished by a silky coat, blue eyes and the trademark contrasting white "gloves" on each paw.
Birmans have a long, stocky, rectangular body with Medium length heavy legs, large, round paws and a medium length tail.
The distinctive head includes a skull that is strong, broad and rounded with a medium length Roman nose, full cheeks, and a strong, well-developed chin. The ears are wide set and the dark sapphire blue eyes are “almost” round.
The Birman’s medium length silky fur has no undercoat, and as a result they are much less prone to matting than some other long haired breeds. Coat colour is always pointed, and recognised point colours are seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red and cream, with tabby and tortie point patterns also possible.
Birmans make charming companions with a sweet, gentle temperament to match their beautiful appearance, being intelligent, faithful, friendly, loving and playful. Birmans adapt well to life inside the home and can be easily trained to walk on a harness with their owners. They speak with a small voice and walk with a majestic, tiger-like gait.
Birmans are good with children as well as other pets.
Birmans have a long, stocky, rectangular body with Medium length heavy legs, large, round paws and a medium length tail.
The distinctive head includes a skull that is strong, broad and rounded with a medium length Roman nose, full cheeks, and a strong, well-developed chin. The ears are wide set and the dark sapphire blue eyes are “almost” round.
The Birman’s medium length silky fur has no undercoat, and as a result they are much less prone to matting than some other long haired breeds. Coat colour is always pointed, and recognised point colours are seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red and cream, with tabby and tortie point patterns also possible.
Birmans make charming companions with a sweet, gentle temperament to match their beautiful appearance, being intelligent, faithful, friendly, loving and playful. Birmans adapt well to life inside the home and can be easily trained to walk on a harness with their owners. They speak with a small voice and walk with a majestic, tiger-like gait.
Birmans are good with children as well as other pets.
Birman History
There is no
clear record of the breed's origin, however they are most commonly believed to
have originated as the companions of temple priests in Northern Burma at the
Mount of Lugh. There are a couple of conflicting stories of how the first
temple cats left Burma, but whichever story is true the fact is that a single
pregnant female arrived in France in 1919, her mate having unfortunately died
on the voyage.
The breed name is derived from Birmanie, the French form of Burma and the Birman breed was first recognized in France by the Cat Club de France in 1925.
Birmans were almost wiped out as a breed during World War II. Only two cats were alive in Europe at the end of the war.
From France, the Birman spread across Europe. 1966 saw the first Birman imports into Britain, 1967 the arrival of the first Birmans into Australia, and it was in the early 1970’s that these beautiful cats found their way across the Tasman to New Zealand.
The breed name is derived from Birmanie, the French form of Burma and the Birman breed was first recognized in France by the Cat Club de France in 1925.
Birmans were almost wiped out as a breed during World War II. Only two cats were alive in Europe at the end of the war.
From France, the Birman spread across Europe. 1966 saw the first Birman imports into Britain, 1967 the arrival of the first Birmans into Australia, and it was in the early 1970’s that these beautiful cats found their way across the Tasman to New Zealand.
Birman Legend (The Story)
The Birman legend is an elaborate one which can be better appreciated if you understand the ancient land of Burma with its many beautiful temples and thousands of idols that are central to the deeply religious culture of the Burmese people. Their belief is reincarnation of the soul and their love and deep respect for the priests, provides a rich setting for a legend that predates the birth of Buddha.
Before the birth of Buddha the Khmer people of Asia built beautiful temples of worship to pay homage to their Gods. The temple of Lao-Tsun housed the sapphire-eyed, golden Goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse who watched over the transmigration of souls from Earth to Nirvana.
Also in the temple of Lao-Tsun lived one hundred yellow-eyed, long-haired white cats who guarded both the temple and Tsun-Kyan-Kse, and it was believed that the Priests were returned in the form of the Sacred Cats of Burma after death. The head priest named Mun-Ha often knelt in meditation before the golden Goddess. His faithful white temple cat, Sinh, was always at his side sharing his meditations, and as the holy priest prayed the sacred cat would gaze at the brilliant Goddess.One night, as the moon rose, and Mun-Ha knelt at the altar of the Goddess, a band of raiders attacked the temple killing the old priest. As Mun Ha died Sinh placed his feet upon his fallen master and faced the golden goddess. Immediately the hairs of his white body were as golden as the light radiating from the beautiful golden Goddess, her beautiful blue eyes became his very own, and his four white legs shaded downwards to a velvety brown (representing the earth); but where his feet rested gently on his dead master, his feet remained white, thus denoting their purity.
Sinh, the golden cat of Burma, never left the throne of Tsun-Kyan-Kse after his master’s death and on the seventh day Sinh also died, carrying with him the perfect soul of his beloved master Mun-Ha to the goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse. Seven days later as peace returned, the remaining priests gathered before the statue of the Goddess to decide who would become the successor, and were amazed to see that the one hundred white temple cats had all taken on the same colouring of Sinh. In complete silence the cats now surrounded the youngest priest, thereby indicating the will of their reincarnated ancestors and the goddess. From that time onwards, when a priest died, his soul was transmigrated into the body of one of the temple cats and upon the death of the cat the transmutation of the priest became complete.
Since that time, the followers of Buddhism guard very carefully and gently the sacred ones within whose bodies live their beloved priests. Only a few (and they must be worthy in deed and manner) are permitted to possess one of these beautiful creatures.
Before the birth of Buddha the Khmer people of Asia built beautiful temples of worship to pay homage to their Gods. The temple of Lao-Tsun housed the sapphire-eyed, golden Goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse who watched over the transmigration of souls from Earth to Nirvana.
Also in the temple of Lao-Tsun lived one hundred yellow-eyed, long-haired white cats who guarded both the temple and Tsun-Kyan-Kse, and it was believed that the Priests were returned in the form of the Sacred Cats of Burma after death. The head priest named Mun-Ha often knelt in meditation before the golden Goddess. His faithful white temple cat, Sinh, was always at his side sharing his meditations, and as the holy priest prayed the sacred cat would gaze at the brilliant Goddess.One night, as the moon rose, and Mun-Ha knelt at the altar of the Goddess, a band of raiders attacked the temple killing the old priest. As Mun Ha died Sinh placed his feet upon his fallen master and faced the golden goddess. Immediately the hairs of his white body were as golden as the light radiating from the beautiful golden Goddess, her beautiful blue eyes became his very own, and his four white legs shaded downwards to a velvety brown (representing the earth); but where his feet rested gently on his dead master, his feet remained white, thus denoting their purity.
Sinh, the golden cat of Burma, never left the throne of Tsun-Kyan-Kse after his master’s death and on the seventh day Sinh also died, carrying with him the perfect soul of his beloved master Mun-Ha to the goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse. Seven days later as peace returned, the remaining priests gathered before the statue of the Goddess to decide who would become the successor, and were amazed to see that the one hundred white temple cats had all taken on the same colouring of Sinh. In complete silence the cats now surrounded the youngest priest, thereby indicating the will of their reincarnated ancestors and the goddess. From that time onwards, when a priest died, his soul was transmigrated into the body of one of the temple cats and upon the death of the cat the transmutation of the priest became complete.
Since that time, the followers of Buddhism guard very carefully and gently the sacred ones within whose bodies live their beloved priests. Only a few (and they must be worthy in deed and manner) are permitted to possess one of these beautiful creatures.