Presentation of the Sacred Birman Cats

Have you ever entered a house where Birman cats reside? It is like entering a sanctuary. At first, you would not know they are there, they are so silent. Then, suddenly, they appear! From their aura you feel the calmness and tranquility they inspire, inviting you to meditate like a Buddhist monk. They will caress you with their sapphire eyes, and charm you with their velvet looks, almost as if they could enchant you with the peace and quiet they possess.

These felines have an inner, noble heart. Although they have aristocratic manners, never would they use that superior or condescending attitude towards you, which is unlike certain other breeds we know. Being affectionate creatures, they let you pat them and while you do they may gently kiss or caress you with their gloved paws. Kind and gentle, they adapt to the whole family, and they are totally devoted to their master. Do not be surprised if they gladly go for a walk with the dog, have a ride in the car, or even accompany you in the garden. In fact, they like company so much that one should examine the possibility of providing them with a companion if the master of the house is away very often.

History and Legends about Birman Cats.

There are many legends concerning the creation of Birman cats. The most popular tells about a sacred temple in Burma. This temple was dedicated to the goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse, the sapphire, blue-eyed goddess for the transmigration of the soul. A few centuries ago, a certain holy man took care of one hundred cats in the temple. One day, the temple was attacked by bandits who killed the holy man. His favourite cat jumped over the saint while he was dying and prayed to the goddess to give him back his life. Since she did not have the power to do so, she gave the cat a golden robe and sapphire eyes. Its nose, ears, tail and legs took on the colour of the earth while its four paws which touched the monk's body became white to represent the purity of the monk's soul. The day afterward, the surviving monks noticed that all of the cats in the temple took on the same characteristics.

According to the real story, we speak of a male and female being brought to France in 1919. Unfortunately, during the trip the male died. The female was pregnant and she and her kittens became the ancestors of the Oriental breed. They had very difficult times at first during the World War II disasters, but they finally propagated sufficiently to produce offspring that were taken to America in 1959. The breed was officially recognized for championship roles in 1967.