The Birman cat, also known as the Burmese Sacred Cat, is said to have originally been raised by monks in ancient Burmese temples, regarded as the temple’s guardian cat. It was introduced to Europe in the 18th century where it gradually evolved and stabilized. The Birman cat has a relatively long body, with mainly light golden-yellow fur, while the face, ears, legs, and tail have darker fur, appearing brown or dark gray, and the four paws are white.

　　Colors include seal point, blue, lilac, chocolate, red, cream, and tortoiseshell, and all colors may have lynx points.

　　Introduction

　　It is said that the Birman cat was first kept by Burmese holy monks. However, in fact, the Birman cat was first recognized as a breed in France, followed by registration in the United Kingdom. The Birman cat is a medium-sized cat with only pointed color patterns, muscular build, medium-length limbs, and large round paws. The head is moderately wide and round, with full cheeks and a medium-sized nose. The eyes are almost round, slightly slanted, and sapphire blue. The ears are dark-colored, medium-sized, and curved at the tips. The tail is of medium length. The coat is long, fine, and not prone to matting. The body fur color is light. The fur from the chest to the abdomen is wavy. A distinctive feature of Birman cats is the white coloration on the ends of their limbs, called "walking on snow," giving them a noble appearance. The white on the front limbs is called gloves, and the white on the rear limbs is called laces, which extend quite far. Birman cats are gentle and elegant, very friendly, with a pleasant voice, enjoy companionship, and get along well with other cats.

　　Physical Characteristics

　　Overall

　　The Birman cat’s body is longer than a typical Persian cat’s but with a narrower face. The body fur is pale golden yellow, contrasting with the color on the face, ears, head, and tail. Appearance: medium to large size. The body and head are strong and well-built, with a low center of gravity, giving a solid impression. The ear tips are slightly rounded. The front paws are white to the tips extending to the back of the legs also fully white. Their natural sapphire blue eyes, paws like wearing white gloves, and mysterious origins make the "Burmese Sacred Cat" Birman cat exude a unique charm.

　　Details

　　Head: The front of the head slopes backward and is slightly convex. The cheeks are muscular and round. The face fur is short, but the fur outside the cheeks is longer, with dense whiskers.

　　Ears: Medium length. Large ears stand erect and point forward, with slightly rounded tips. The space between the ear tips is wide, and the distance between ear bases is moderate. The cheeks and ears show a distinct “V” shape, harmonizing well with the head contours. Eyes: Round and large, seemingly expressive, with wide spacing. Eye color is clear blue, with deep blue preferred over light blue.

　　Nose: The nose bridge is high and straight, medium length, with the tip gently sloping down, slightly hooked like an eagle’s beak.

　　Limbs: Limbs are short and thick, with developed bones, muscular and strong; the front limbs stand upright.

　　Paws: Toes are large and round, with strong grip; claws are short and strong, white, like wearing white gloves. The white on the front toes is called “gloves,” and the white on the rear toes is called “laces,” extending to the joints.

　　Tail: Medium length, proportionate to the body, with dense fur.

　　Eyes: Round and large, sapphire blue and aqua-toned.

　　Coat

　　Fur: Medium-long hair, not prone to tangling, easy to groom, long and dense, silky, fine, and glossy; the neck has long ornamental fur, but the shoulder blades’ fur is short; from chest to lower abdomen the fur is slightly wavy; the belly fur is allowed to be slightly curly. The body fur should be solid without stripes, though small amounts of dark color are allowed in seal point and blue point. The contrast between the body fur and points is more desirable if obvious. The spots on the face, ears, limbs, and tail should be of the same color, and fur tips of spots must not mix with white. The four paws must be white.

　　Colors: Seal point, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, and tortoiseshell.

　　Points: On a pointed color base, with or without lynx markings.

　　Fur quality: Glossy, long, dense, enough to cover the whole body.

　　History Origin

　　The Birman cat is said to originate from Myanmar; legend has it that the coloration of Birman cats comes from: the guardian deity of LaoTsum temple was a white long-haired cat with golden eyes, while the temple’s noble goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse had deep blue eyes. The temple’s abbot lived with a cat named Sinh, and upon the abbot’s death in an attack, while Sinh stood on the abbot facing the goddess, a miracle occurred—the white cat’s fur gained a golden hue, its eyes turned blue, and the face, feet, and tail turned an earthy color, but the four paws on the abbot’s body remained white. Sinh died seven days later, taking the abbot’s soul to paradise.

　　In modern history, a pair of Birman cats were first brought from Myanmar to France in 1919. During transportation, the male died, leaving only the female and her unborn kittens. From then on, the Birman cat gradually developed in Europe and was recognized in France in 1925. However, during World War II, only two Birman cats remained in Europe. To save this endangered breed, breeders had to use crossbreeding methods to re-establish it. Since then, registered Birman cats must have at least five generations of purebred ancestry.

　　The Birman cat was recognized in the UK in 1966, and the CFA recognized the breed in 1967.

　　An ideal Birman cat should be medium to large, strong, with a long and fine coat, though not as plush as a Persian. The coat color should be light, appearing as if covered in a layer of golden yellow. Points are on the face, feet, and tail, and the white glove marks on the four paws are unique to Birman cats. The eyes should be round, large, and blue.

　　The Birman cat is gentle and elegant, very friendly, with a pleasant voice. They are docile and crave their owner’s affection, enjoy playing with their owners, and get along well with other cats. Once they feel safe in a new environment, they reveal their sweet and kind nature. They enjoy moving around on the floor, but are not keen jumpers or climbers. They love to play but never demand much from their owners. Clean and content living in a comfortable home, they also like to walk in the yard or garden on sunny days. (Source：PetsZone)