The Birman
Sacred Cat of Burma
How would you like to share your home with a legend? Well I do. Several in fact. They are Birman cats.
The Legend
Centuries ago the Khmer people of Western Burma worshipped a golden goddess with remarkable sapphire eyes called Tsun-Kyan-Kse. She was reponsible for the transmigration of souls after death. They built the temple of Lao-Tsun to her glory on the slopes of Mount Lugh. There one hundred Kittah priests kept one hundred white cats with yellow eyes. They were pure white apart from brown tails, ears, noses and feet where their bodies made contact with earth's imperfections. After death it was believed that reincarnation would bring the priests back in the form of these Sacred Cats of Burma.
One night bandits came down from the hills to plunder the temple for its gold. The priests had no weapons and in any case, being men of peace, would not fight. The barbarians stormed their way through the temple to the altar of Tsun-Kyan- Kse where one Mun-Ha, an aged and venerated priest kept vigil before the image of the goddess. Many times they stabbed him as he defended the shrine and he fell to the marble floor and lay dying. A huge white cat called Sinh leapt onto his chest and the bandits retreated before his baleful stare and fled the inner sanctum. Sinh turned toward the statue of the Goddess and gazed deep into her sapphire eyes. He would take over his master's vigil.
The priest gave a shudder and as his last breath escaped his lips a warmth came from the normally icy marble of the statue. As the priests gathered around in silent awe Sinh's fur began to glow and turned to honey-gold. His yellow eyes suffused with sapphire. Where his feet touched the priest's body they turned the purest white. Sinh turned to the priests who started dumbstruck at this miracle and looked over their heads. Following his start they saw the temple doors still open and the bandidts fleeing. They hurried to close the doors and so saved the temple from the marauders. The remaining ninety nine cats approached Sinh and rubbed against his golden body and as they did, so their fur changed to gold and their eyes to azure and their feet to white. Sinh remained on the body of Mun-Ha seven days and nights refusing food and water until quietly, and with dignity he died and carried his master's perfect soul to paradise. A warning was issued that anyone daring to kill one of the sacred cats would be put to a merciless death and his tormented soul would wander without rest for all eternity.
The Birman Today
Fortunately today Birmans are charming, affectionate companions and quickly forgive you if you tread on their tails. That is after they have hurled abuse at you and raked your ankles to the bone. Believe in legends or not, the Birman does have a disconcerting way of engaging your eyes in a transfixing stare. Dare to return that stare and they just have to come closer to find out what you want. They follow you around like shadows which is why they often get trodden on. They can't bear to miss out on anything. You can virtually guarantee that there will be a Birman supervising activities in the kitchen: that means sitting just at your heel so that fall over them when your hands are full - more squashed paws and tails and more baleful looks. Another favourite activity takes place in the morning as the Birman on stair duty risks all to show you exactly where to put your feet - just where he is in fact. They are avid gardeners, particularly adept at pruning. No need for secateurs, just one bite and that elegant houseplant is reduced to a neat stump.
Today's Birmans come in many shades in addition to the traditional seal-point. There are blue, lilac, chocolate, tortie, red, cream, and tabby-points. They are not to be confused with other cats from Burma - the Burmese, or with the other temple cat - the Siamese who does not have the white feet or the long silky fur. A British Army officer, Russell Gordon, is supposed to have seen temple cats resembling the Birman during a visit to the temple of Lao-Tsun. The breed was first introduced from the Orient to France in 1919 but World War Two reduced its numbers to just two cats. In the 1960s Birmans were first imported to England and the breed has grown in popularity ever since. It is now known all over the world.
