Birman Breeders

Early Birman breeders of Burma and Thailand who created this breed believed that these golden cats with clear blue eyes were linked to the Goddess of transmutation. For many centuries, these cats lived in temples and were worshiped as sacred creatures. Birman cats were believed to be living incarnations of the dead priests.

First European Birman owners were French military men who were presented with a pair of sacred cats for saving the Khmer priests from decimation by the Brahmins. On the way to Europe, the male cat died and the female gave birth to several kittens. First European Birman breeders had no other Birman cats available and had to cross these cats with the Siamese and other colorpoint breeds to preserve the basic breed characteristics. The first official registration of the breed was in 1925.

During World War II, many Birman cats were lost or killed; only a single pair of purebred Birmans survived in France. Birman breeders again had to crossbreed the offspring of that pair with other long-hair and colorpoint breeds to restore the unique characteristics of the Birmans. For many years, these cats were rare outside France. The first Birman cat was exported to America in 1959; in Great Britain, these cats appeared in 1965. Nowadays, the Birman cat is the third most popular breed among long-hairs in America. This breed is registered by all major associations and clubs: CFA, FIFe, TICA, ACFA, ACF, and CCA. The breed standard adopted by these clubs may differ.

Purebred Birmans are kept both as family pets and show animals. Their intelligence, friendliness, quiet nature, and attractive appearance make them suited for the both roles. The fur of the Birman cat is semi-long and fluffy. The body is creamy-white or golden; the points are seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, or cream. The eyes of these cats are clear blue. What makes Birman cats different from other colorpoint breeds is their pure white gloves on all paws. Show quality cats of this breed should be obtained from trustworthy and responsible Birman breeders, because the kittens are born pure white and develop their full color only at the age of 1.5-2 years.