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Known as the "sacred cat of Burma," there are many legends surrounding the origins of this beautiful breed, including that they are descendants of one hundred yellow-eyed cats with long silken fur that guarded the Buddhist temple of Lao-Tsun. Two other tales include a Frenchman named Auguste Pavie, who supposedly received the first Birman as a gift of gratitude for saving Kittah priests during a religious uprising. One other tale purports that American. Millionaire, Cornelius Vanderbilt, purchased the first Birmans from an unfaithful temple servant while cruising his yacht in the Far East and gave them to one of his guests who was on board.

There is no evidence to support any of these legends, but it is known for sure that Asia is the home of these longhaired beauties and that the first recorded pair of Birmans were given to a Major Russell in 1919 in exchange for his assisting some monks during World War One. The male cat died while in route to France, but the female, named "Sita" lived to produce a litter of kittens, one of which was a perfect Birman female named "Poupee." A Monsieur Baudoin of Crevoisier owned this kitten and subsequently became known as the first Birman breeder.

This one female was bred to a Siamese male and the offspring then bred among themselves. The French registry first recognized the Birman in 1925, but whatever pedigree information had been gathered through the 1920s and 1930s was destroyed during the Second World War. After the war, it is said that only two Birmans remained, a male and a female, and that all Birmans of today are descended from this pair.

These large, stocky cats are very affectionate and thrive on human attention. Their deep blue eyes are striking and round. The soft medium to long coat comes in many colors. Birmans are very laid-back and get along well with children and other pets.

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