Birman

Coat length	Semi-longhair
Weight	Male: Ø 4.5-6 kg Female: Ø 3-5 kg
Coat colours:	Colourpoint, including tortie seal blue chocolate lilac red, cream With or without tabby markings in the points
Activity / playfulness
Grooming needs

The Birman, also known as the Sacred Birman, is a domestic cat breed with a semi-long coat. Birmans are colourpoint cats: their bodies have pale, soft fur, while darker markings develop on cooler parts of the body, including the face, ears, tail and legs. Their eyes are blue. Another characteristic is their pure white feet. On the backs of the hind legs, the white should extend upwards in an inverted V, known as the gauntlets.

The Birman is often described as a middle ground between the Siamese and Persian, including in temperament. It combines an affectionate, moderately active nature with a calm and gentle disposition. Birmans are sociable and generally benefit from compatible feline company, including cats of other breeds. The Birman should not be confused with the Burmese, which is a separate breed. Their similar English names and the historical names for Myanmar can cause confusion.

Breeding history

The Birman breed developed through a breeding programme in France at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was recognised there in 1925, and breeding records trace its origins back to 1915. Recognition in Britain followed in 1966 and in the United States in 1967.

There are different accounts of its origins. From its earliest appearances in publications, the breed was called the Sacred Birman. One story says that a Mr Vanderbilt, of the American industrial family, brought a pair back from a journey to Asia around 1919. The male died during the crossing. What happened next is unclear, although subsequent breeding apparently involved Siamese cats or Siamese–Persian crosses. Attempts to trace the early lines lead back to the French cattery name “de Madalapour”.

The first documented Sacred Birman in Germany was the male “Timour de Madalapour”, whose photograph appeared in 1933. Breeding also flourished in Germany during the 1930s, but the Second World War brought the breed close to extinction.

Breeding resumed after the war, and by 1955 the French population had been secured. In the following years, breeders in the United States and continental Europe mainly worked with the traditional seal-point and blue-point colours. British breeders were already developing chocolate-point and lilac-point cats.

In Germany, Anneliese Hackmann and her “von Assindia” cattery played an important role in the breed’s success. In the 1960s she brought the female “Nadine de Khlaramour” from France to Germany. Nadine’s descendants were subsequently distributed around the world.

Red-point and cream-point were added later. Tabby and tortie versions are also bred, particularly in Europe. Tabby markings are often called “lynx” in North American terminology; recognition of individual colours and patterns depends on the association.

Breed standard

Standards are set by the individual cat registries. FIFe uses the breed code SBI, for Sacred Birman.

• Body: elongated and medium in weight, with short, sturdy legs.
• Head: a strong skull, pronounced chin and full, rounded cheeks.
• Eyes: round and deep blue.
• Coat: long on the back, sides and ruff, semi-long elsewhere, short on the face and bushy on the tail.
• Colour: a pale, eggshell-coloured body, traditionally described with golden-beige shading on the back. The legs and tail are darker, with contrasting facial points and dark ears. The pure white feet, or “gloves”, should have clearly defined edges.

Living with a Birman and grooming

The Birman’s calm, gentle nature can make it well suited to indoor family life. These cats are affectionate and strongly attached to their household. People who are away at work for long periods should take their need for company into account rather than assuming a Birman will be content alone.

The coat has little undercoat and is relatively easy to maintain, although regular gentle brushing helps remove loose hair and prevent tangles. The breed’s trusting attitude towards people is also a reason to consider secure outdoor access rather than unrestricted roaming: many Birmans readily approach strangers and allow themselves to be picked up.

Trivia

The breed is named after Burma, officially called Myanmar since 1989. A legend places its origins there.

The legend

Note: The following story is often told about the Sacred Birman in this or a similar form. It is a legend, not an account supported by established historical or scientific evidence.

The legend of the “Sacred Cat of Burma” also explains the breed’s name. Long ago, Mun Ha, the venerable abbot of the Kittha monks, lived in the temple of Lau Tsun at the foot of the Lugh mountains. He had a golden beard, said to have been braided by the god Song-Hio himself. The monks devoted their lives to Tsun-Kyankze, the sapphire-eyed goddess of the transformation of souls.

Mun Ha owned a male cat named Sinh. Sinh had a white body and amber eyes, but his ears, nose, tail, feet and legs were dark like the earth. The monks regarded these dark areas as signs of the dirt and impurity of everything that touched the ground.

Mun Ha died while hostile tribes from Siam were attacking the monks. At this dangerous moment, the Kittha monks were left without a leader. Then a miracle occurred.

Sinh leapt onto the goddess’s altar. As her eyes fell upon him, the dead abbot’s soul entered the cat. Sinh’s eyes became as deep blue as those of the goddess, his coat turned golden, and his feet became pure white as a sign of purity. He lived in the temple for another seven days before dying and taking Mun Ha’s soul with him. The abbot no longer needed to return to this world, having reached perfection.

Seven days later, the monks gathered in prayer before the goddess’s statue, asking for help in choosing Mun Ha’s successor. While they prayed, all the temple cats approached. Every one now resembled Sinh, with blue eyes, golden fur and white feet. Silently, they surrounded the youngest Kittha monk, choosing him as the new abbot.

According to the legend, whenever a sacred cat dies at Lau Tsun, it carries the soul of a deceased Kittha monk into paradise, to remain beside Song Hoi, the god of all things golden. Anyone who kills such a cat is said to suffer a thousand torments until the soul within it grants forgiveness.