Birman Cat History

There is no one story agreed upon about the origin of the Birman cat. Some of the stories are mystical and have no scientific evidence to support them. Some are conflicting and have never been proven. The tales abound about this beautiful breed and here are the most popular ones.

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Origin:

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Going back centuries, there is no clear record of the origin of the Birman cat. It is widely believed that they originated in Burma (Myanmar) and were kept as sacred companions to the Kittah temple priests of the Khmer People of ancient Thailand.

Thai legend says that the Birman cat was created the day that the temple of Lao-Tsun was attacked and the head priest, Mun-ha, was killed. On that day, as Mun-ha lay dying, his companion cat, Sinh placed his feet on his master and faced the golden goddess of the temple, Tsun-Kyan-Kse.

The cat's white fur glowed golden and his eyes turned sapphire blue like those of the goddess. His ears, legs and tail took on the color of the earth. His paws stayed white where they were touching his master as a symbol of purity. This transformation extended to all of the other cats of the temple. A more sound scientific theory is that the Birman cat is the result of cross breeding between Siamese and Persian cats.

Arrival in France:

It is agreed that the first Birman cats arrived in France sometime between 1916 and 1919. However, how they got there is in dispute. The following two stories have become the most popular.

The first story states that two Birman cats were given to Major Russell Gordon and his friend, August Pavie as a thank you for their help in saving the Kittah sect from massacre by the Brahmins. The cats were sent to the men, who had already returned to France, via ship. The male cat died on board ship, but the pregnant female survived and she and her offspring became the source of the Birman breed in France.

The second story insists that the arrival of the Birman cat in France is the responsibility of the American millionaire, Mr. Vanderbilt (probably Cornelius III). The story goes that Vanderbilt was traveling in his yacht throughout the Far East and paid an unfaithful temple servant for two of the Birman cats. He gave them as a gift to his friend Mme. Thadde Hadisch in France. This story also states that the male cat died enroute and that pregnant female survived. Whichever story is true, in the early 1900's the Birman cat definitely arrived in France.

WWI Woes:

The breed was officially recognized in France in 1925 only to be almost entirely lost during World War II. Most of the catteries shut down and the circumstances of war itself wiped out the breed in the surrounding countries of Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. At the end of the war, the remaining cats were cross bred with other breeds to rebuild the Birman breed. Finally, in the early 1950's, pure Birman kittens were once again being born.

Beyond France:

In 1959-60, the first Birmans were imported from France into the United States. The Birman first arrived in Australia in 1967. Their exportation continued with their arrival in Britain in the 1960s, and in Australia in 1967. Kittens from the breeding programs in Britain were exported to other countries all over the world. Once only found in France, the Birman cat is now seen world wide.

Birman Cat History

Kermit Mitchell is involved in cat rescue and was very involved with the Great Kitty Rescue. For information on Birman cat rescue and other cat rescue issues, visit The Great Kitty Rescue Blog - http://greatkittyrescueblog.com/birman-cat-rescue.

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