Birman - Everything you need to know about the cat breed
Brief info about your cat’s breed Birman
Weight: Males 4 - 6.5 kg, females 3 - 4.5 kg
Wither height: 25 - 30 cm
Energy level: Calm
Lifespan: Around 15 years
Social need: Great
Colours: The colours can vary between frost white, blue, chocolate brown, seal grey, red, creme, cinnamon brown, purple and light yellow brown. The breed has a point pattern which means a light colour on the body while the nose, ears, legs and tail are significantly darker.
Health problems: Generally healthy but can suffer from the genetic disease Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and eye problems.
Personality of a Birman
The Birman, or Sacred Birma as it is also called, is a calm, uncomplicated and human-friendly cat breed. It likes to attach itself to "its" human and can get a little jealous if its cat parents don't give it enough attention. Despite the Birman cat's rather calm nature, it prefers not to be left alone and appreciates when you interact and play with it for a long time.
Looks and fur care of a Birman cat
A Sacred Birman is a tall cat that can grow quite large. The Birman has a point pattern, which means that the ears, face, tail and legs have one color while the body is a lighter color. The most characteristic of a Birman is that they also have blue eyes and four white paws. The breed's fur is soft, smooth and medium length. It has no underhair and the fur therefore does not tend to mat and is easy to care for. However, the fur of a Birman should still be brushed at least twice a week to keep it well maintained. You should also pay special attention to the necklace that has longer hair.
Health problems in a Birman
Birmans do not have a great tendency to suffer from health problems. But an exception is the genetic defect Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Due to a disruption in cellular communication, affected cats tend to shake violently and have spasmodic seizures. Hypomyelination can often be detected as early as the third week, but can however stabilize during growth. Birmans can also have eye problems, so make sure to keep their eyes clean.
Oral health
Did you know that you need to brush your cat's teeth? Brushing your cat's teeth daily is the best thing you can do to prevent your cat from getting periodontitis, learn more about it here. The dental disease FORL is a common dental disease in cats and is often associated with periodontitis. Brushing your cat's teeth can be a challenge, but with treats and a lot of patience, your cat will eventually get used to it! Learn more about how you brush your cats teeth here.
Poisoning
There are a lot of things that are poisonous to cats that you may not have thought of before. One example of this is plants, learn more about which plants are poisonous to your cat here. Further examples of what is poisonous to cats are chocolate and mouse and rat poison. It's important to store things that are dangerous to cats in a place they can't get to!
