Birman

This gorgeous kitty is happy to sit around or walk with you — and look drop-dead gorgeous doing so! Mel Hearse learns more about the stunning Birman.

The Birman is intelligent, inquisitive, charming and playful, and will happily play butler, greeting you at the door each day and extending the same courtesy to any guests who may pop by. This is a very loving, gentle breed of cat that will fi t into virtually any home, according to Marie Mahoney, president of the Birman Cat Fanciers Club of Queensland. Unlike chatty breeds including the Siamese, the Birman is not an overtly vocal breed, preferring instead to show its devotion by sitting with you or walking alongside you (or between your feet!). It thrives on your companionship and appreciates the company of another cat, especially if it has long periods on its own while you are out at work or school for the day.

You’ve probably come across a Birman at some stage; big fluffy hair and bright-blue eyes, along with a friendly, intelligent nature, makes it a favoured breed with Aussie cat enthusiasts. The coat pattern is similar to the Siamese, with a contrasting lighter body colour to the face, ears, legs and tail (the points). The Birman is actually born with white hair, the coloured points coming in faintly by the time you’d take it home as a kitten, and the coloured “mask” taking 12 to 18 months to cover the entire face. The body coat colour ranges from cream in seal points, magnolia in lilac points, and off -white in cream points, with a golden hue over the back desirable in all varieties. Their eye colour ranges from a deep blue to a bright blue, depending on the colour of their points, and they should also have four white paws.