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The Art Technologies,Ltd Birman Page

Birmans

     

The Birman cat is believed to have originated in Burma, where it was considered sacred, the companion cat of the Kittah priests.

The Birman is a cat of legend and mystery in modern times as much as in its legendary origin. What is known for certain is that around 1919, a pair of Birman cats, a male and female was brought from Burma to France. The male cat did not survive the long journey, but the female, Sita, did and was pregnant.

From this small foundation, the Birman became established in the western world with the French recognizing the breed in 1925, in England in 1966 and by The Cat Fanciers' Association in 1967.

Birmans have four white paws which is characteristic, the front paws being white to the first joint and the back feet having white going up to the hind feet to a point, like a gauntlet, ending below the elbow about an inch to the first joint. 

 

The Following was Taken from a Passage in the book Cat in the Mysteries of Religion and Magic (Russell Gordon) and was not altered with the exception of the added (Birman) to clarify.

There have been a lot of questions as to how authentic any of this information is.  Also it was the opinion of Russell Gordon that the Siamese was possibly descended from the Birman, which due to the total lack of evidence astounds us. 

From his account we learn that the Indian Brahmins were the bitter enemies of the people of Khmer and their beloved kittahs.

From the commencement of the eighteenth century they had mercilessly pursued and massacred these priests, who, to escape from their persecuting zeal, fled to North Burmah, where the mountains afforded security from pursuit.

  There, amid chaotic labyrinths and dizzy precipices, the indomitable kittahs founded the marvelous subterranean Temple of Lao-Tsun (the Abode of the Gods), and practiced the secret rites that were closed to all but the higher castes among their own people.

Gordon describes the Temple of Lao-Tsun, as " one of the greatest marvels of the East—situated to the East of Lake Incaougji, between Magaoung and Sembo,

in an almost desert region of immense peaks and chaotic labyrinths, it offers a barrier of insurmountable walls.

Here there still existed in 1898 the last kittahs (priests), and as a most extraordinary favour

  I was  permitted to see and observe them and their sacred animals.

Following the rebellion and the English occupation, at the base of Bhamo (a base very isolated and distant from Mandalay), we had to protect the kittahs against a Brahmin invasion, and we saved them from certain

massacre and pillage.

Their Lama-kittah received me, and presented me with a plaque representing the Sacred Cat at the feet of a bizarre deity, whose eyes are made of two long sapphires (specimen "No. 4108 in my collection at Mildenhall), and after having shown me the sacred cats, in number about a hundred, explained their origin to me."

  This he did by relating the following beautiful legend :

"When, with the malevolent moon, the barbarian Siamese Thais came to the mountains of the Sun, Mun-Ha was living in the Temple of Lao-Tsun. Mun-Ha, the most precious among the most precious, for whom the god Song-Hio had woven the beard of gold. This venerable priest had ever lived in rapt contemplation of Tsun-Kyankse, the goddess with eyes of sapphire who presided over the transmutation of souls about to receive their dues, whose searching gaze none could evade. Mun-Ha had an oracle who dictated his decisions, and this was his cat Sinh, whom the kittahs fervently revered.

"Seated close to his dread master, Sinh lived in the contemplation of the goddess. The beautiful animal His eyes were yellow like gold from the reflection of the metallic beard of Mun-Ha, yellow like the amber body of the goddess with the sapphire eyes.

"One night, at the rising of the moon, the Thais menacingly approached the sacred Temple. Then, invoking destiny, Mun-Ha died, weighed down by years and anguish. He died in the presence of his goddess ; close beside him was his divine cat, and the kittahs lamented their cruel loss.

"But suddenly, the miracle of immediate transmutation took place. Sinh bounded on to the holy Throne. Supported on the head of his stricken master he faced the goddess. And the hair along his spine blanched to a golden hue. His eyes, golden of the gold of the beard woven by the god Song-Hio—his eyes changed to blue—immense, abysmal, sapphire—like to the eyes of the goddess. His four feet, brown as the earth, his four feet which contacted the venerable skull, whitened to the claws, to the toe-tips, thus purified by the touch of the puissant dead." Sinh turned towards the South Door, his imperious gaze, in which could be read an imperative order, possessed of an invincible force the kittahs obeyed.

"Then the kittahs closed on the ancestral enemy the bronze doors of the holy Temple, and passing by their subterranean tunnel they routed the profane invaders. Sinh refused all nourishment, and would not quit his Throne. He continued standing erect and facing the goddess—mysterious priest—fixing his steadfast gaze on her eyes of sapphire, partaking of their fire and sweetness. Seven days after the death of Mun-Ha, erect on his purified feet of white, without lowering an eyelash, Sinh died. Thus was borne away towards Tsun-Kyankse the soul of Mun-Ha, which was too perfect for earth. But, for the last time, his look turned slowly towards the South Door.  "Seven days after the death of Sinh, the kittahs assembled before Tsun-Kyankse to choose the successor of Mun-Ha. Then —Oh wonder !—There came in slow procession the hundred cats of the Temple. Their feet were gloved in white; their snowy hair emitted the reflection of gold, and the topazes of their eyes had changed to sapphires.  The kittahs fell prostrate in an attitude of devout fear, and waited. Did they not know that the souls of their masters inhabited the harmonious forms of the sacred animals? And these, solemn and grave, surrounded Legoa—the most youthful of the priests—and so revealed the will of Heaven.

'When a sacred cat dies in the temple of Lao-Tsun, the soul of a kittah re-enters—to quit no more—the mysterious paradise of Song-Hio, the god of gold. Unhappy are those who even involuntarily hasten the end of these formidable and venerable cats : the most dreadful torments are reserved for them, that the soul in pain may be appeased."

(From the French of Marcelle Adam)

  Birmans love human companionship and would be unhappy without it. They are easy to handle, show well, make good breeders and, above all, ideal companions. 

The Birman personality is loving, gentle, active and playful with a docile, quiet demeanor and a soft-spoken voice. 

But beware! If I leave the TV remote control or my wallet lying around, it will disappear and re-appear in the living room or under the couch.

Whatever I touch belongs to Ozzie and he will try to confiscate it.  His latest thefts:  my cell phone, taken underneath the sofa and the antenna opened and chewed; my car keys! 

Birmans also have a strong people orientation. Owners of Birman cats find them to be very affectionate and social cats, having been bred as companion cat for many years.  Birmans love spending time with their humans and take an intelligent interest in everything that their humans do.  Birmans also get along very well

 

with other pets.  They are considered the oldest breed in the world. The name Birman is from the French spelling for Burma. Birmanie.

The Birman legend is derived from a Hindu-Buddhist mix. Hinduism encompasses many religions similar to the way in which Christianity encompassing Protestant, Catholic, Lutheran etc. Hinduism is a dynamic religion having many gods and goddesses. These deities may take animal forms possibly even a cat god.

In the geographical areas under a Hindu-Buddhist influence, every village has their own god and every person has their personal god. In this environment, a potential for a cat god exists now and for new ones in the future.

The Birman legend is derived from a Hindu-Buddhist mix. The Hinduism encompasses many religions similar to Christianity's encompassing Protestant, Catholic Lutheran etc 

The Naming Convention

No story about Birmans would be complete without a few words regarding our naming convention. 

Most Birman breeders in the United States follow the French tradition of naming all of our kittens born in a given year with names which begin with the same letter of the alphabet.

The year of Ozzie's birth, 2003, required an "A", which brought about "Arizona Sun".  In Bucky's case, his birth year, 2005, was a "C" year.  Thus, his name: "Cleveland Buckeye".

No letters are skipped, including such letters as "X" or "Q", which can be a real challenge.  The naming concept repeats itself every twenty-six years.  This is, however, handy when someone asks you how old one of your cats is; all you need to do is count.

Visit Arizona Sun (Ozzie)

Visit Cleveland Buckeye (Bucky)

 

       

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