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Birman Cat Breed Profile
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Birman Photos
Birman Breeders
(Australia Only)
Birman Appearance
The Birman has point which
means its face, ears, legs, tail and feet are a different color from the
rest of its body. Kittens are born completely white and begin to show their
points anywhere between 2 days and 2 weeks.
The Birman is a beautiful long hair cat with a medium to heavy body
weight, brilliant blue eyes and a silky coat in a variety of different coloured
points. Birmans have four white gloves on each of their feet.
Birman coats are easy to care for
because they do not mat although they still need regular grooming.
| Birman Colors
Seal Point, Blue Point,
Chocolate Point, Lilac Point, Cream Point, Red Point, Blue Cream, Choc/Lilac
Tortie, Tortie /Tabby,
Lilac Tabby, Red/Cream Tabby, Seal Tabby, BlueTabby
Birman Personality
Birmans are affectionate, intelligent, playful
cats, and are the happiest in family or multi-pet households. Males, in
particular, are often very talkative, but Birmans are known for their very quiet
voices.
The breed is a very hardy, healthy one, and is considered slow to
mature, with most not attaining their full growth until they are 3 years of age. They
are a placid cat and very loyal to their owners. Birmans are gentle and
playful.
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The Birman Legend
The reincarnation of souls and a deep love for priests is the basis for the
legend
of the Sacred Cats of Burma.
Once upon a time, before the days of Buddha, the Khmer people built beautiful
temples to honour their gods - particularly the god Song-Hyo and the Goddess
Tsun-Kyan-Kse. One of these temples was Loa-Tsun, built on the sides of Mount
Lugh. Within the temple was kept a gold figure of the goddess, with her sapphire
eyes and dedicating his life to prayer lived the very holy Kittah Mun-Ha - and
also 100 pure white cats with golden eyes. One of these was Sinh, the companion
of the old priest. One night Thai raiders attacked the temple, killing Mun-Ha as he knelt before
the figure of the Goddess. Immediately the cat Sinh jumped onto the body of his
master and faced the Goddess. The priest's soul entered the cat, and as it did
so the white hair of its body became golden and its eyes became sapphire-blue
like the goddess. Its legs turned brown, except where the feet rested on its
master and they remained white.
The transformation inspired the other priests to drive the raiders away and
saved the temple from profanation and pillage. Seven days later, Sinh also died
carrying with him into paradise the soul of Mun-Ha. And when seven days later,
the assembled priests consulted before the statue to decide on Mun-Ha's
successor, silently all the other white cats ran up, all dressed in gold with
white gloves and with golden eyes transformed to sapphire blue. Transformed just
like Sinh they surrounded the youngest of the Kittahs and thus the reincarnated
ancestors were designated by the will of the Goddess. From then on, the priests
guarded their sacred cats, believing them to have custody of the souls of the
priests. When a priest dies his soul is transmigrated into the body of a cat and
upon the cat's death the priest's soul's transition into heaven has been
accomplished.
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Birman Breeders (Australia Only)
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