| The history of the Birman cat is steeped in mystery. | | | | eyes are always blue and their paws are white. |
| According to legend, the people of Asia built a temple | | | | Birman coats are long but not very dense, so they |
| to worship a golden goddess with sapphire-blue eyes. | | | | are not prone to matting. As the third most popular |
| A priest often knelt in meditation with a white temple | | | | longhaired cat, Birmans are good pets. They tend to |
| cat. One night the temple was attacked at the priest | | | | enjoy the company of their human families. |
| killed. As the priest died, the cat placed his feet upon | | | | Birmans are described as 'soft spoken,' but social and |
| the priest and faced the golden goddess. As he did, | | | | friendly. Birmans are considered sweet and because |
| the hairs of his white body turned golden, and his | | | | of this, they are able to adapt well to changes and |
| yellow eyes to sapphire-blue, his four white legs | | | | adore their family. They tend to be a healthy breed; |
| turned brown, but where his paws rested, they | | | | Birmans are generally free from any medical |
| remained white. Where this legend ends, history | | | | concerns, but some are sensitive to anesthetics. |
| begins. | | | | Birmans also require relatively little training and will |
| The temple was raided at the beginning of the 20th | | | | learn to use the litter box on their own. |
| century. Two westerners, Auguste Pavie and Major | | | | There is a website that has great information on |
| Gordon Russell, came to the aid of the priests. As a | | | | Birmans and most other breeds of cats. It has details |
| gesture of gratitude the priests later sent the two | | | | that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living |
| men a pair of Birman. The male cat did not survive | | | | conditions, best food choices and more, the website |
| the trip but the female, who was pregnant, did. The | | | | is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this |
| Birman is an average size cat (males generally ranging | | | | url: |
| from eight to twelve pounds, females seven to nine | | | | By Robert W. Benjamin |
| pounds). | | | | Copyright © 2007 |
| Birmans have a medium length coat that requires | | | | You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, |
| very little grooming. The coats are usually a light color | | | | or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its |
| on the face and darker over the rest of the coat, | | | | entirety and without modification except for |
| with golden shades being the most popular. Their | | | | formatting needs or grammar corrections. |