The Birman cat is not the same as the Burmese cat. They are two
separate breeds, and look quite different. The Birman cat,
recognisable for its long-haired coat, creamy body, dark points
(except for the white paws) and blue eyes. The Burmese, in contrast
is a short-haired breed with a range of acceptable coat
colours.
The name Birman is derived from the French spelling of Burma,
"Birmanie".
It was through France that this breed was introduced to the
Western world. It is said that Birmans originated in Burma (now
Myanmar) as temple cats, although there is no way of proving this.
It is only known that a pair of cats was sent by Burmese priests to
Auguste Pavie and Major Gordon Russell in France in 1919, some time
after the two men were said to have come to the assistance of a
Burmese temple under attack while they were in Burma.
The male cat died on the way, but the female was pregnant, and
the breed that resulted from that female and her kittens were
recognised by 1925 as the Birman breed in France.
