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NEED HELP CHOOSING
During my time as a birman owner and breeder I have picked up many useful tips and ideas from books and breeders alike. I have decided to write this basic guide in the hope that it will be of some benefit to the new birman owner or buyer, who may have unanswered questions, when looking for their first birman kitten or cat.
When setting out to buy your first Birman kitten it helps to have some idea on the large variety of colours you can choose from and the nature of the breed.
All kittens are born white and as the weeks go by the colour on the nose leather, tips of ears, and tail , all starts to change. You wont see their true colours until well into adulthood, so don't be too upset if your new kitten does not look quite as you expected. It all takes time. Below I have included photos of the six main colour types, although there can be a combination of these six to create up to twenty variations.
SEAL POINT
A seal point birman will have a dark chocolate face, ears and tail with a golden coloured body, which should be massive and cobby. The tail should reach to the shoulders. Some adults will have longer fur than others with a tendency to curl on the stomach, but all should have four white feet, beautiful blue eyes with a good width between the ears. Seal points also come in seal tabby and seal tortie. You will find with all these coloured types the girls are smaller than the boys.
BLUE POINT
A blue point birman will have a blue grey face, ears and tail with a beige gold body. Again the body will be cobby with four white feet. Blue points also come as blue tabby and blue tortie.
{ image courtesy of Patricia Morrisey }
CREAM POINT
A cream point birman will have a soft fudged coloured face, ears, tail and a pale coloured body.
LILAC POINT
A lilac point birman will have pink-tinged-grey points on the face, ears and tail and a milky white body.
CHOCOLATE POINT
A chocolate point birman will have a chocolate face, ears and tail with a ivory body along with the trademark four white feet and blue eyes that will appear on all the colour types I've mentioned here.
RED POINT
A red point birman will have a reddish / ginger coloured face, ears, tail and a creamy coloured body which should be apricot tipped.
In general Birmans are very laid back cats who enjoy family life. As kittens they are irresistibly cute and very playful and will continue to be so well into adulthood. As with most cats they are very inquisitive and will get involved with whatever you may be doing. They are also very intelligent and will discover any new changes around the home. Your birman will be very loyal and will reward you with lots of love and attention.
So your happy with what you've read so far and you've made up your mind on what colour you'd like. What other factors do you need to consider before you take on board your new pet?
Your lifestyle may be a major factor. Ask yourself the question, have you got the necessary time and patience to look after a pet?
Will your kitten or cat be happy in their new environment? Do you have another animal or animals that may be unsuitable around your new kitten?
Mostly I have found that kittens love to be around other animals as they enjoy the interaction, love and comfort. Obviously you will need to use your own common sense here.
These are questions that only you will be able to answer so think things through carefully before you make a purchase, because your kitten is for life.
From my experience a good breeder will always give you a well socialized kitten. We all take the time to handle our babies right from day one, spending a great deal of time playing and interacting with them, so you should not have any problems with your new kitten settling in. I have received many calls from happy owners explaining how quickly their kittens have adjusted to their new environments. It's reassuring to see them playing happily the same day you get them home. But don't be to upset if your kitten is quiet and timid as there will always be an exception to the rule.
Rather than write a lengthy guide that you are undoubtedly loosing interest in I have included a list of frequently asked questions, which should cover the majority of your queries?
- A pet will not have the exact sized or placed markings i.e. perfect white feet that your cat would need to be entered into a cat show for judging and winning rosettes. But it will still be registered with the GCCF, have it's pink slip, a valid pedigree and six weeks free insurance. It will need to be neutered at about six / seven months or at your vets discretion.
- A show cat will have perfect even markings on the front feet and broad gauntlets on the back feet, a broad head; a tail that reaches it's shoulder blades with a nice stocky body and deep blue eyes.
- A show / breed will have all of the quality show attributes / markings that are needed and will be registered on the active list which means you will be able to breed from your queen at the correct age.
- Will my kitten be alright on it's own?
- It's better to have two so your kitten will have some company, even if its only a moggy.
- At what age will I be able to collect my kitten?
- Kittens will leave the breeder at thirteen weeks of age. This is because at nine weeks they have there first vaccination and there second at twelve weeks. The following week is to ensure there has been no adverse reaction and to make sure they are fit, well and ready to go.
- Will I be able to see the mother / queen of the kittens?
- Yes, most certainly.
- Where has he / she been reared?
- All my kittens are born and reared in my home amongst my family, so they will be used to the usual daily household noises i.e. vacuum, washing machine, television etc and they will have had plenty of love and attention.
- How much grooming will they need?
- A daily brush or comb will keep your kitten / cat looking glamorous. Bristle brushes and a stainless steel comb are best for this.
- a) What should I buy my new kitten? The following is a list of the most essential basics that you will need.
- Cat carrier
- Bed
- Bowls
- Litter tray
- Cat litter
- Small plastic rake
- Scratch post
- Toys
- Brush and comb
- claw clippers
- b) A list for the added extras that you may or may not need, but still might find essential.
- Climbing frame
- Cat run
- Cat harness
- Interactive toys
- Does it matter what I feed my kitten?
- Most breeders will have included a diet sheet and a kitten pack with a sample of the food that your kitten will have been reared on.
- Will my kitten be litter trained?
- Yes, they will be litter trained when you receive your kitten at thirteen weeks.
- Can I name my kitten?
- Yes you will be able to name your kitten as long as you have contacted the breeder early enough.
- Is it best to own a boy or girl, is there a difference?
- In my opinion no, although you do tend to find the boys are slightly more loving.
- What is the lifespan of a birman?
- On average fifteen to twenty years.
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