by Leigh-Ann Andersen

Created on: December 20, 2010   Last Updated: December 21, 2010

The Birman is a fabled breed that is shrouded in mystery and legend. This cat, often referred to as the Sacred Cat of Burma, was honored in Burma because the people there believed that the souls of their departed priests returned in the form of these stunning cats. The greatest legend surrounding this breed comes out of the temple of Lao-Tsun, located in western Burma.

A priest named Mun-Ha lived here, and each night, as he prayed, his sacred cat Sinh was at his side. One dark night, the temple was raided and Mun-Ha was killed. Sinh stood with his paws on his dead master, facing the sacred statue of Tsun-Kyan-Kse, the goddess of the transmutation of souls. Sinh began to transform. His coat, once white, glowed gold. His eyes turned blue, and his legs took on the color of brown velvet. His feet, however, remained a sparkling white, a symbol of the purity of Mun-Ha’s soul.

By morning, all other cats in the temple had completed this same transformation. For seven days, Sinh remained with his master. Finally, on the seventh day, Sinh died, carrying with him the soul of Mun-Ha.

While such a tale is certainly worthy of the Birman, it does nothing to illuminate the true origins of the breed. It is unlikely that anyone will ever discover the true beginnings of this illustrious cat.

The Development of the Birman

The introduction of the Sacred Cat of Burma to Western Europe is also surrounded in doubt. It is likely, however, that a pregnant female was shipped from Burma to France in 1919. Though no one seems to know what became of that cat, or why she was sent to France, it seems reasonable to assume that her kittens, including a beautiful female named Poupee, were the foundation used to establish the breed in France.

By 1925, the Sacred Cat of Burma was established well enough in France to take part in various competitions. The arrival of World War II, however, was hard on the breed. There was a point just after the war when there was only a single pair of these cats left. Concerned breeders used outcrossing to reestablish the breed as best they could.

In 1955, the Sacred Cat of Burma was firmly reestablished in France. Four years later, a breeding pair was imported into the United States. By the mid-1960s, the breed was accepted for competition in North America and England. Around this same time, the name was changed to Burman, and eventually to Birman.

Some Breed Standards for the Birman

The standards for the Birman, as with many other breeds, are quite strict.

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