Animals

The Birman is said to have originated in western Burma; and certainly cats with similar markings are recorded in documents from ancient Thailand. One story claims that a pair was given as a gift to an Englishman named Major Gordon Russell and his friend August Pavie by the priests of the Khmer people; another that the cats were acquired by an American named Vanderbilt from a servant who had once been at the temple of Lao-Tsun where the cats were kept as sacred animals.

The Sacred Cat of Burmah (Birman) is yet more veiled in obscurity than its supposed descendant the Siamese, and we are indebted to Russell Gordon for the only authentic account of this species that has reached our shores. He gained his information during the Burmese War of 1885 whilst serving as an officer in the English Army occupying Burmah. His position enabled him to protect certain kittahs, or priests, whose lives were in danger, and in return they bestowed on him unprecedented privileges of entry into their secret and sacred places.

Original Legend of Birman cat
“In a temple built at the sides of the Mount of Lugh, lived in prayer the venerable Kittah Mun Ha, Grand Lama, precious among the precious, from which the very god Song Hio braid the golden barb … There was not a minute, not an inking, not a thought of his existence that wasn’t dedicated to the adoration, the contemplation, and the pious service of Tsun Kyankzé, the goddess with the sapphire eyes, the one who presides over souls’ transmutation, the one who allows the Kittahs to reincarnate in the form of a sacred animal in the time of its existence, before returning to a body surrounded with the total and holy perfection of the grand priests. Close by the goddess, Sinh the dear oracle meditated. He was a completely white cat, with yellow eyes, a reflection of both his master’s golden braid and the golden body of the goddess with sky eyes … Sinh, the counselor cat, who’s ears, nose, tail and points were the color of the soil, the mark of stain and impurity for all that touches or can touch the earth. Now, one night, as the malevolent moon illuminated the cursed Phoums, who were coming their way from the loathed Siam to the holy enclosure, the Grand Priest Mun Ha–without stopping to implore the cruel destinies–entered slowly in death, under the anguished eyes of all the devastated kittahs, with his divine cat at his side… When a miracle happened… the unique miracle of instant transmutation: with one jump, Sinh was on the golden throne on his saggy master… He perched himself on his head, heavy with years, and which, for the first time was not looking to his goddess… And as the cat turned straight before the eternal statue, one could see the hairs on his white backbone bristle and suddenly become a golden yellow. And his golden eyes became blue, immense and profound like the eyes of the goddess. And, as he slowly turned his head toward the southern entrance, his four paws, which were touching the venerable crane, became flashing white until the fringe of the sacred silk clothes. Then, as his eyes locked on the southern entrance, the kittahs, obedient to this imperative gaze loaded with hardness and light, hurried to close the heavy bronze door on the first invader… The temple was saved from profanation and looting… Sinh had not left the throne. On the seventh day, without having ever moved, facing the goddess, his eyes on her eyes, he died, mysterious and hieratic, taking Mun Ha’s soul away to Tsun Kianksé, as he was now too perfect for earth … And when seven days later, the priests assembled in front of the statue, and consulted in order to decide Mun Ha’s succession, they saw all the temple’s cats running up together … All the cats were clothed with gold and white gloves and all their yellow eyes had changed to deep sapphire… Then, all of them in silence surrounded the youngest Kittah, who was chosen by the reincarnated ancestors according to the will of the goddess … “And now” proclaimed the storyteller woman, “when a sacred cat dies in the Lao-Tsun temple, a Kittah’s soul replaces it forever in the golden god Song Hio’s paradise.“ “But also”, she said, “woe to the one who hastens the end of one of these marvelous animals. Even, if he didn’t mean to, he will suffer the cruelest torments until the sad soul he disturbed finds peace…”

Appearance of Sacred Cat of Burma
Birmans have semi-long, silky hair, a semi-cobby body and relatively small ears compared to other cat races and a Roman nose. In order to comply with breed standards, the Birman’s body should be of an eggshell colour or golden, depending on the intensity of the markings colour. The markings can be pure seal, chocolate, blue, red, lilac or cream. Tabby variations are also allowed. Tortie cats can be seal, chocolate, blue or lilac. Birmans have sapphire coloured eyes.