The Birman Legend

THE BIRMAN
(Sacred Cat of Burma)

Originally, the cat now known as “Birman” had yellow eyes and was a long-haired white cat. When they were the guardians of the temple of the goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse, Sinh, a Birman, was a companion cat of the head priest, Mun Ha.

As the Legend is told, the temple was attacked and Mun Ha was killed. Sinh stood on Mun Ha after he died and stared at the Tsun-Kyan-Kse temple, which has deep blue eyes. Sinh’s body darkened like the colour of earth, and his paws that were touching his master remained pure white. His face, ears, and tail became darker than his body, and his eyes also turned deep blue, the colour of the Goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse.

Sometime around 1919, a pair of Birmans were shipped to France. In 1925, the breed was recognized in France, by 1966 in England, and by 1957 in North America.

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