Legend has it, "Originally, the guardians of the Temple of LaoTsun were yellow-eyed white cats with long hair. The golden goddess of the temple, Tsun-Kyan-Kse, had deep blue eyes. The head priest, Mun-Ha, had as his companion a beautiful cat named Sinh. One day the temple was attacked and Mun-Ha was killed. At the moment of his death, Sinh placed his feet on his master and faced the goddess. The cat's white fur took on a golden cast, his eyes turned as blue as the eyes of the goddess, and his face, legs and tail became the color of earth. However, his paws, where they touched the priest, remained white as a symbol of purity. All the other temple cats became similarly colored. Seven days later, Sinh died, taking the soul of Mun-Ha to paradise."

Pictured: GC, RW CMCATZ VODKA TONIC, Third Best of Breed Birman, Seal Point Male. Photo: ©

The ideal Birman is a large, long stocky cat with long silky hair - not as thick as that of the Persian - with a texture that doesn't mat. The color of the coat is light, preferably with a golden cast, as if misted with gold. The "points" - face, legs and tail - are darker, similar to the Siamese and colorpointed Persian color patterns of seal point, blue point, chocolate point and lilac point. The almost round eyes are blue, set in a strong face with heavy jaws, full chin and Roman nose with nostrils set low. The very distinctive white feet are ideally symmetrical. The gloves on the front feet, if perfect, go across in an even line, and on the back feet end in a point up the back of the leg, called laces. It is very difficult to breed a cat with four perfect white gloves.

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Coat coloring (excluding the gloves) on the body is even, with subtle shading with a strong contrast between body color and points. The mask covers their entire face, including whisker pads and is connected to the ears by tracings. Faultlessly gloved cats are a rare exception. The gloves ideally match - front matches front, back matches back and the two laces match - front paws have white gloves ending in an even line across the paw; back paws have white gloves that cover all the toes, and may extend up somewhat higher than front gloves; the gloves on the back paws must extend up the back of the hock, and are called laces in this area.

The Birman personality is marvelous - gentle, active, playful, but quiet and unobtrusive if you are busy with other things.

Photo: ©

Seal Point: body even pale fawn to cream, warm in tone, shading gradually to lighter color on the stomach and chest. Points, except for gloves, deep seal brown. Gloves pure white. Noseleather: same color as points. Paw pads: pink. Eye color: blue, the deeper and more violet the better.

Blue Point: body bluish white to pale ivory, shading gradually to almost white on stomach and chest. Points, except for gloves, deep blue. Gloves pure white. Nose leather: slate-color. Paw pads: pink. Eye color: blue, the deeper and more violet the better.

Chocolate Point: body ivory with no shading. Points, except for gloves, milk-chocolate color, warm in tone. Gloves pure white. Nose leather: cinnamon-pink. Paw pads: pink. Eye color: blue, the deeper and more violet the better.

Lilac Point: almost white. Points, except for gloves, frosty grey with pinkish tone. Gloves pure white. Nose leather: lavender-pink. Paw pads: pink. Eye color: blue, the deeper and more violet the better.

To learn more about this beautiful cat, please contact:

CFA
PO Box 1005
Manasquan, NJ 08736-0805

Sacred Cat of Burma Fanciers

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