Page "Birman" Paragraph 2

There is no clear record of the origin of Birmans, but one unsourced but oft repeated legend is that the Birman cat originated in Burma where they were kept by temple priests in Northern Burma in the Mount of Lugh.

This is repeated as ... Auguste Pavie and Major Gordon Russell, a British officer ( reportedly fictitious ), received a pair of temple cats from the Temple of Lao-Tsun ( The Abode of the Gods ), situated East of Lake Incaougji ( Indawgyi Lake ), between Magaoung ( Mogaung ) and Sembo ( Shwebo ).

This legend is attributed to the writings of Mme Marcelle Adam ( novelist and president of the Federation Feline Française and owner of Maldapour Birman Cattery ) and first published by Dr. François Méry in the French Review Minerva.

There are many colorful stories of how the cats first came to France, including pairs of cats being a reward for helping defend a temple, or being smuggled out of Burma by a Vanderbilt.

There is also a story that a couple of stolen birmans ( or a pregnant female called Poupée de Maldapour ) were imported to France by Thadde Haddisch.