The ideal Birman is a medium to large, long stocky cat.  It has long silky hair, not as thick or long as that of the Persian, and of a texture that doesn't mat.  The color of the coat is light, preferably with a cast, as if misted with gold.  The "points" - face, ears, legs, and tail - are darker, similar to the Siamese and color-pointed Persian.  The Birman is recognized in 20 colors; seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, and cream in both solid and lynx pattern; and seal, blue, chocolate, and lilac tortie combinations in solid and lynx.  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, called gloves, 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, called laces, up the back of the foot.  It is very difficult to breed a cat with four perfect white gloves.  The Birman personality is marvelous – gentle, loving, active, and playful, but can also be quiet and unobtrusive if you are busy with other things.

 

The Birman originated in the south of France around 1923-24.  A small group of cat breeders wanted to produce a European style cat with the exotic look of the Oriental style cat.  Poupee de Madalpour, the grandmother of all our Birmans, was born in Nice.  Poupee was the off-spring of a white-footed female Siamese with semi long hair named Sita and a male of similar origin. 

 

During this time, we must remember the Siamese was shorter in the body than today, had a rounder shaped head, and the white markings on the feet were rather frequent during that period in the catteries of the Siamese breeders.  What had been a fault to eliminate from one breed became a quality to seek out in another.  The Birman breeders were out-crossing to many different cats to get their "LOOK". 

 

During World War II, the majority of catteries disappeared.  No Birmans survived in Switzerland, Belgium, or Italy.  In France there were only two or three breeders.  Again, work started to bring back the Birman.  

 

In 1959-60, the first Birmans were imported from France into the United States.  The first cats were a seal point male, a seal point female, and a blue point female.  In 1960, two additional seal point Birmans, one male and one female, arrived in the United States.  Birman cats were registered with CFA in 1963, the the seal, blue, lilac, and chocolate colors received champion status in 1967. The remaining sixteen colors received champion status in 2001.