My Blue Cloud Birman

Legend say's that Sinh, a yellow eyed cat with long silky fur, became the first Birman cat when he placed his paws upon his master at the exact moment of his death. Then a miraculous transformation occurred...


This is Jolie... my sacred cat of Burma.

ABOUT JOLIE:

Jolie was born on October 31, 2005 to a Birman breeder in Frankfurt, Germany. Her mother's name was Flame' and her father came from a long line of champions. She is considered a blue point and her registered name is Jolie of Blue Clouds. I happily adopted her at the price of 550 Euros...which, at the time, equalled about $700.00 U.S. dollars.

She is loyal, playful, loving, affectionate, gorgeous, a great companion, and regal all in one. She is very petite and I love those little characteristic things about her such as the perfect placement of her front paws, one directly infront of the other, when she walks. Words can not express how much I love and appreciate the bond between us.

One day, I noticed that something was terribly wrong. We found that she had swallowed a sewing needle and thread and that the sewing needle had punctured her intestines in several places and then passed through her organs, embedding itself in her fatty tissue. She had exploratory surgery to try to fix the damage that had been done.

It is nothing short of a miracle that she survived. I believe in my heart that she lived for me and the bond we share. I visited her everyday of her hospital stay and I saw her willing herself to live. She may be small, but she is strong where it counts.

Now, almost two years later, she is doing very well. She continues to be my little snuggle bunny, and make me laugh. She keeps me company while daddy is away in Korea, and I love the way she gazes straight into my eyes as if she is somehow speaking to my soul. She's my little princess.

THE LEGEND:

"Originally, the guardians of the Temple of LaoTsun were yellow-eyed white cats with long hair. The golden goddess of the temple, Tsun-Kyan-Kse, had deep blue eyes. The head priest, Mun-Ha, had as his companion a beautiful cat named Sinh. One day the temple was attacked and Mun-Ha was killed. At the moment of his death, Sinh placed his feet on his master and faced the goddess. The cat’s fur turned white, his eyes turned as blue as the eyes of the goddess, and his face, legs and tail became the color of earth. However, his paws, where they touched the priest, remained white as a symbol of purity. All the other cats in the temple became similarly colored. Seven days later, Sinh died, taking the soul of Mun-Ha to paradise.”

THE HISTORY:

The modern history of the Birman is almost as shrouded in mystery as its legendary origin. What is known for certain is that, probably around 1919, a pair of Birman cats were shipped from Burma to France. The male cat did not survive the voyage, but the female, Sita, did. Happily, and to our benefit, she was pregnant. A breeding program was later developed to ensure the longevity of the breed.

CREDITS:

Photo and biography from Susan Provan.
Legend and history from www.catpert.com/birman.

NOTE:

The Birman, also known as the "Sacred Cat of Burma," should not be confused with the Burmese; they are two entirely separate breeds, both having their own wonderful qualities.