THE BIRMAN CAT
There is an intriguing legend to explain the origin of the Birman cat, still known in many countries as the Sacred Cat of Burma.
The legend states that many years ago before the birth of Buddha the Kymer people of Burma who were very devout, built wonderful temples to their Goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse. The most beautiful of these temples at Lao-Tsan contained a solid gold statue of the Goddess, with sapphire eyes. The priests of the temple also kept one hundred pure white cats as companions and temple guardians. The elderly head priest Mun-Ha had an especially devoted friend in his cat Sinh.
One stormy night, raiders attacked the temple, killing the priest Mun-Ha. Immediately the cat Sinh leapt to assist his master, and as he stood on Mun-Has dying body before the golden Goddess the priests soul entered into Sinh and his appearance was changed to one of great beauty, that of a seal-point Birman complete with golden tipped coat and sapphire eyes. Inspired by this sign from the Goddess the other priests drove out the raiders and saved the temple.
Sinh lived for seven more days without either food or water, before dying and taking his and Mun-Has souls into Paradise. Next day the remaining ninety nine temple cats were found to be transformed like Sinh, and from then onwards they were regarded as Sacred Cats, and thought to contain the souls of pious priests on their way to heaven.
There is evidence to suggest that The Birman Cat has been around in Burma since the early 1900’s with the first cats being imported into Europe in 1919. It was not until around the 1960’s that the first Sacred Cats of Birma were first imported into Australia.
Birman cats of today are delightful and enchanting cats to own, both in appearance and personality. They have the distinctive pointed coat pattern of the Siamese, but with uniquely contrasting white feet. They come in many colours, and even with tabby and tortieshell points.
Their semi-longhaired coat is of a silky texture that rarely not mats, but they still require some grooming (although not as often as a Persian or other longhaired breeds of cat).
They are a medium sized cat, that is a little longer in the body and tail and less stocky than the Persian. The sapphire blue eyes of the Birman, rounded ears, Roman nose, rounded muzzle and sweet expression all add to the Birman’s appeal.
The Birman is an intelligent breed, more active than the Persian but not as demanding or noisy as the Siamese or Burmese. They communicate with their owners by making different sounds for different reasons, and an astute owner can soon learn the different meanings and answer appropriately. They form very close bonds with their owners and love to play. They make ideal indoor only pets and are excellent with children and other animals. While the Birman cat is happy to be an inside only pet but if a safe and enclosed outdoor area can be provided they will enjoy to run around outside, eat a bit of grass, chase a few bugs etc. They do not have survival skills for surviving outdoors unprotected so if you want your cat to roam outside they may not be the best breed for you.
Grooming & Eye Care
The silky texture and medium length of the Birman’s coat make them very easy to care for. Because the coat rarely mats, a good brush once a week is enough to maintain it in good condition. However, daily grooming is beneficial as it helps with bonding, helps bring out a shine, reduces shedding deposits and is enjoyable for the cat.
Very little eye care is required for a Birman. The removal of a little bit of “sleep” in the corner is usually all that is needed, which is done with a quick wipe with your finger.
Overall, the Birman is a very easy going cat, not too demanding, active or vocal and they can live to around 18 years of age when kept safe and well cared for.