Birman Breed Standard

GENERAL: a cat of mystery and legend, the Birman is a color pointed cat with long silky hair and four pure white feet. It is strongly built, elongated and stocky, neither svelte nor cobby. The distinctive head has strong jaws, firm chin and medium length Roman nose. There should be good width between the ears, which are medium in size. The blue, almost round eyes are set well apart, giving a sweet expression to the face.

HEAD: skull strong, broad, and rounded. There is a slight flat spot just in front of each ear and a slight flat spot on the forehead in between the ears.

NOSE/PROFILE: the forehead slopes back and is slightly convex, with a slight flat spot on the forehead in between the ears. The nose is medium in length and width, in proportion to the size of the head. The nose starts just below the eyes and is Roman (slightly convex) in shape and profile. The Roman nose creates nostrils that are set low on the nose leather.

CHEEKS: full with somewhat rounded muzzle. Muzzle to be neither short and blunted nor pointed and narrow. The fur is short in appearance about the face, but to the extreme outer area of the cheek the fur is longer.

JAWS: heavy.

CHIN: strong and well-developed, with the lower jaw forming a perpendicular line with the upper lip.

EARS: medium in length. Almost as wide at the base as tall. Modified to a rounded point at the tip; set as much to the side as into the top of the head.

EYES: almost round with a sweet expression. Set well apart, with the outer corner tilted VERY slightly upward. Blue in color, the deeper and more vivid blue the better.

BODY: elongated and stocky, with a good muscular feel. Females may be proportionately smaller than males. LEGS: medium in length and heavy.

PAWS: large, round, and firm. Five toes in front, four behind.

TAIL: medium in length, in pleasing proportion to the body.

COAT: medium long to long, silken in texture, with heavy ruff around the neck, slightly curly on stomach. This fur is of such a texture that it does not mat.

COLOR EXCEPT GLOVES: Body: even, with subtle shading when allowed on all colors/patterns of more mature cats. Strong contrast between body color and points. Points except gloves: mask, ears, legs, and tail dense and clearly defined, all of the same shade. Mask covers entire face including whisker pads and is connected to ears by tracings. No ticking or white hair in points. Golden Mist: desirable in all points colors is the “golden mist,” a faint golden beige cast on the back and sides. This is somewhat deeper in the seal points, and may be absent in kittens.

GLOVES: Front paws: front paws have white gloves ending in an even line across the paw at, or between, the second or third joints. (The third joint is where the paw bends when the cat is standing.) The upper limit of white should be the metacarpal (dew) pad. (The metacarpal pad is the highest up little paw pad, located in the middle of the back of the front paw, above the third joint and just below the wrist bones.) Symmetry of the front gloves is desirable. Back paws: white glove covers all the toes, and may extend up somewhat higher than front gloves. Symmetry of the rear gloves is desirable. Laces: the gloves on the back paws must extend up the back of the hock, and are called laces in this area. Ideally, the laces end in a point or inverted “V” and extend 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up the hock. Lower or higher laces are acceptable, but should not go beyond the hock. Symmetry of the two laces is desirable. Paw pads: pink preferred, but dark spot(s) on paw pad(s) acceptable because of the two colors in pattern. Note: ideally, the front gloves match, the back gloves match, and the two laces match. Faultlessly gloved cats are a rare exception, and the Birman is to be judged in all its parts, as well as the gloves.

PENALIZE: white that does not run across the front paws in an even line. Lack of white on all front toes. Persian or Siamese type head. Delicate bone structure. White shading on stomach and chest. Lack of laces on one or both back gloves. White beyond the metacarpal (dew) pad. (The metacarpal pad is the highest up little paw pad, located in the middle of the back of the front paw, above the third joint and just below the wrist bones.)

DISQUALIFY: lack of white gloves on any paw. Kinked or abnormal tail. Structural defects or abnormalities. Crossed eyes. Incorrect number of toes. Areas of pure white in the points, if not connected to the gloves and part of or an extension of the gloves. Paw pads are part of the gloves. Areas of white connected to other areas of white by paw pads (of any color) are not cause for disqualification. Discrete areas of point color in the gloves, if not connected to point color of legs (exception, paw pads). White on back legs beyond the hock. Eye color other than blue. White tail tips or chin spots.

BIRMAN COLORS

SEAL POINT: body even pale fawn to cream, warm in tone, shading gradually to lighter color on the stomach and chest. Points, except for gloves, deep seal brown. Nose leather: same color as points.

BLUE POINT: body bluish white to pale ivory, shading gradually to almost white on stomach and chest. Points, except for gloves, slate blue. Nose leather: slate blue.

CHOCOLATE POINT: body ivory. Points, except for gloves, milk-chocolate color, warm in tone. Nose leather: cinnamon-pink.

LILAC POINT: almost white. Points, except for gloves, frosty grey with pinkish tone. Nose leather: lavender-pink.

Tabby Point Color Classes

There should be a clearly defined “M” marking on the forehead, light colored “spectacle” markings around the eyes with spotted whisker pads. Ears solid with no stripes. “Thumb marks,” which are less apparent in dilute colors and kittens, should be visible on the back of the ears. Ear furnishings in front of the ears should be off white in color. The legs should have clearly defined, varied sized broken stripes and/or rings. There should be solid markings on the back of the hind legs above the laces. A tail showing lighter and darker rings is preferred, but such markings may only occur on the underside and should not then be faulted. The tail may be ticked. The chin may be light colored but not white. A light colored “bow tie” should be evident just below the nose.

Seal Tabby Point Color Class

SEAL TABBY POINT: body even pale fawn to cream, warm in tone, shading gradually to lighter color on the stomach and chest. Pale body coat is desirable, preferably free from body markings; however, body shading of light ghost striping toning with the points is acceptable. Points, except for gloves, seal brown markings on a pale brown agouti background. Solid marking on back of hind legs should be deep seal brown. Tail color, with the exception of the rings, should be deep seal brown. Nose leather: pink to brick colored outlined in seal to tone with the points. A solid color nose leather to tone with the point color is acceptable.

Blue Tabby Point Color Class

BLUE TABBY POINT: body bluish white to pale ivory, shading gradually to almost white on stomach and chest. Pale body coat is desirable, preferably free from body markings; however, body shading of light ghost striping toning with the points is acceptable. Points, except for gloves, blue markings on a light beige agouti background. Solid markings on back of hind legs should be solid blue. Tail color, with the exception of the rings, should be blue. Nose leather: pink to brick colored outlined in blue to tone with the points. A solid color nose leather to tone with the point color is acceptable.

Other Tabby Point Colors Class

CHOCOLATE TABBY POINT: body ivory with little shading. Pale body coat is desirable, preferably free from body markings; however, body shading of light ghost striping toning with the points is acceptable. Points, except for gloves, milk chocolate markings on a light bronze agouti background. Solid markings on the back of the hind legs should be a milk chocolate color, warm in tone. Tail color, with the exception of the rings, should be milk chocolate in color. Nose leather: pink to brick colored outlined in chocolate to tone with the points. A solid color nose leather to tone with the point color is acceptable.

LILAC TABBY POINT: body almost white (magnolia color). Pale body coat is desirable, preferably free from body markings; however, body shading of light ghost striping toning with the points is acceptable. Points, except for gloves, frosty grey with pinkish tone markings on a pale beige agouti background. Solid markings on the back of the hind legs should be frosty grey with a pinkish tone. Tail color, with the exception of the rings, should be frosty grey with a pinkish tone. Nose leather: pink to brick colored outlined in grey-pink to tone with the points. A solid color nose leather to tone with the point color is acceptable.

RED TABBY POINT: body creamy white, shading gradually to white on stomach and chest. Pale body coat is desirable, preferably free from body markings; however, body shading of light ghost striping toning with the points is acceptable. Points, except for gloves, deep red on a light apricot agouti background. Solid markings on the back of the hind legs should be deep red. The tail color, with the exception of the rings, should be deep red. Nose leather: pink to brick colored outlined in red to tone with the points. A solid color nose leather to tone with the point color is acceptable.

CREAM TABBY POINT: body clear white to creamy with no shading. Pale body coat is desirable, preferably free from body markings; however, body shading of light ghost striping toning with the points is acceptable. Thumb marks are less apparent in cream tabby points. Points, except for gloves, buff cream on a paler cream agouti background. Solid markings on the back of the hind legs should be buff cream. Nose leather: pink to brick colored outlined in cream to tone with the points. A solid color nose leather to tone with the point color is acceptable.

NOTE: on red and cream tabby points, “freckles” may occur on nose, lips, eyelids and ears. Slight freckling in a mature cat should not be penalized.

SEAL-TORTIE TABBY POINT: body mottled pale fawn to creamy white, shading gradually to lighter color on stomach and chest. Thumb marks are mottled in seal-tortie tabby points. Points, except for gloves, seal brown markings on a pale brown agouti background overlaid and intermingled with shades of light and dark red. Nose leather: pink, mottled pink or seal.

CHOCOLATE-TORTIE TABBY POINT: body mottled ivory to creamy white, shading gradually to white on stomach and chest. Thumb marks are mottled in chocolate-tortie tabby points. Points, except for gloves, milk chocolate markings on a light bronze agouti background overlaid and intermingled with shades of light and dark red. Nose leather: pink, mottled pink and chocolate or solid chocolate.

BLUE-CREAM TABBY POINT: body mottled bluish white to clear white, shading gradually to almost white on stomach and chest. Points, except for gloves, blue markings on a light beige agouti background overlaid and intermingled with shades of light and dark cream. Nose leather: pink, mottled pink and blue or solid blue.

LILAC-CREAM TABBY POINT: body almost white with no shading. Points, except for gloves, lilac markings on a pale beige agouti background overlaid and intermingled with shades of cream. Nose leather: pink, mottled pink and light grey or solid pink-grey.

NOTE: the four colors above show the normal tabby point pattern which has been overlaid with shades of light and dark red (sealtortie/chocolate-tortie) or cream (blue-cream/lilac-cream). The extent and distribution of the tortie areas are not important providing that both elements, tortie and tabby, are clearly visible.

Parti-Color Colors Class

SEAL-TORTIE POINT: body mottled pale fawn to creamy white, shading gradually to lighter color on stomach and chest. Points, except for gloves, seal brown, mottled with red. Nose leather: in accordance with one or both point colors.

BLUE-CREAM POINT: body mottled slate bluish white to clear white, shading gradually to almost white on stomach and chest. Points, except for gloves, slate blue mottled with cream. Nose leather: in accordance with one or both point colors.

CHOCOLATE-TORTIE POINT: body mottled ivory to creamy white, shading gradually to white on stomach and chest. Points, except for gloves, milk chocolate mottled with red. Nose leather: in accordance with one or both point colors.

LILAC-CREAM POINT: body almost white with no shading. Points, except for gloves, frosty gray with pinkish tone, mottled with cream. Nose leather: in accordance with one or both point colors.

Other Solid Point Colors Class

RED POINT: Body creamy white, shading gradually to white on stomach and chest. Points, except for gloves, deep red. Nose leather: bright pink.

CREAM POINT: Body creamy white to clear white with no shading. Points, except for gloves, buff cream. Nose leather: flesh pink.

NOTE: on red points and cream points, small dark “freckles” may occur on nose, lips, eyelids and ears. Slight freckling in a mature cat should not be penalized.