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The name of the cat in the picture above is a suitable one for this breed (but see below about names). An outstanding feature is the Birman’s personality, which is balanced and good hearted.
By all accounts this breed has a fine and balanced temperament. In both the picture above of Happy and of Hidden below, the playful and inquisitive nature of this cat is well captured by Helmi.
The Birman is one of the more popular cats. In a cat breed popularity survey (currently running) on this site this breed ranks just outside the top 10 (at early 2008). There are about 70 breeds listed on this site. This cat breed may be more popular in the UK as at one time it was about 4th most popular. Of course popularity is a fickle thing.
The origin of this breed, in the Western World, is from the importation of a female Birman Cat from Burma into France (see below). This cat had kittens, the only survivor of which was a female, who was outcrossed with Siamese, Colourpoints (Himalayans) and White Longhairs. The development of the breed in the West had then begun.
Some, though, argue that the breed has been created after the war through selective breeding of Siamese and black and white longhaired cats (denying the importation story). You make your choice. The origin and history of the cat breeds is not infrequently hazy and sometimes (rarely) lacks a bit of credibility.
The photo above is of ‘Hidden’: © Helmi Flick
The Birman Cat is shrouded in legend going back to pre 653 BC (the birth of Buddha). In outline, the legend is that the coat of a white cat, the companion of a temple priest, turned into the Birman markings we now see when her master was murdered and when she faced the goddess of the temple, Tsun-Kyan-Kse. These are quasi-religious stories, enjoyable but no more than that and certainly no help in establishing the exact origins of this breed.
However, temple cats are very much a part of life in Asia. They are either feral or adopted by priests or I presume people associated with the temple.
The picture opposite evokes, to a certain extent, the image created by the legend of the beginnings of this breed. It is a picture of a white temple cat in Burma and perhaps a young priest studying.
Felonie birmans ate great I had goodgollymissmolly from Mrs mason she was an exquistly beautiful cat sadly she passed over the rainbow last year at 15/1/2yrs one of the most gorgeous cats ever