Birman Cat (Pet Love) [Hardcover]

THIS BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED VOLUME DEDICATED TO THE BIRMAN CAT WILL BE A TREASURED ADDITION TO EVERY BIRMAN LOVER'S LIBRARY, ENSURING A HAPPIER, MORE REWARDING CO-EXISTENCE BETWEEN OWNER AND HIS BELOVED BIRMAN CAT. WITH OVER 100 COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. THIS BOOK IS AS ATTRACTIVE AS IT IS INFORMATIVE. HELPFUL HINTS AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION ARE HIGHLIGHTED TO PROVIDE EASY ACCESS TO EVERYTHING THE READER NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE WITH A BIRMAN CAT.

The blue-eyed mythical cat revered as the Sacred Cat of Burma, the Birman is a real-live joy known to thousands of present-day cat fanciers. This affectionate and intelligent feline is the colourful subject of this unique pet-care guide. The Birman owner will welcome the advice from noted cat authority Dennis Kelsey-Wood about the proper care, training and health of the Birman cat. The author provides a revealing chapter on the breed's origins in the Orient and its growing popularity in England, an entertaining look into the breed's personality and character, a description of the Birman's physical characteristics, and sensible discussions about feeding, grooming, breeding and exhibiting. Mr Kelsey-Wood's text is enhanced by the accompanying colour photography, both enlivening the chapters and illustrating vital points about the breed. In all, this book presents over 100 colour photographs and illustrations, including some never-before-seen scanning electron micrograph images produced exclusively for this series. As attractive as it is informative, this book also addresses the health concerns of every Birman owner, with reliable advice about safety in the home, selecting a veterinary surgeon, coat problems and effective parasite control. Helpful hints and important information are highlighted to provide easy access to everything the reader needs to know about life with a Birman cat. This beautifully designed volume dedicated to the Birman cat will be a treasured addition to every Birman lover's library, ensuring a happier, more rewarding co-existence between owner and his beloved Birman cat. Topics discussed include: history of the Birman cat, a portrait of the Birman cat, purchasing a Birman cat, providing a safe home for your Birman cat, feeding your Birman cat, grooming your Birman cat, training and behaviour of your Birman cat, breeding your Birman cat, exhibiting your Birman cat and health care of your Birman cat.

When a cat breed is surrounded with a myth or legend - especially one that has a believable ring to it - the breed receives special attention. If its origins also involve a web of mystery and intrigue, this creates further interest. Its possibly less romantic origins can then be quietly forgotten and become the famed skeletons hidden away in the cupboard of the past. With the Birman you get both a myth and a mystery that to this day have been neither proved nor disproved.
The myth of the Sacred Cat of Burma takes us back many centuries ago near Lake Incaougji in Indo-China. There amongst the pagodas was to be found the temple of Lao-Tsun. It housed the blue-eyed golden statue of the goddess Tsun-Kyan-Kse who was responsible for presiding over the souls of priests when they died. On such occasions, the soul of a priest would enter the body of one of the hundred longhaired golden-eyed white cats that lived in the temple. When the cat died, the priest's soul would be released to complete its ethereal journey to paradise. The head priest was called Mun-Ha and he had a faithful white cat called Sinh. One night while the holy man meditated in front of the golden goddess, the temple was attacked and Mun-Ha died. At the moment of his death, Sinh stood on his body and gazed into the eyes of the goddess. His eye coloured changed to a sapphire blue while his fur turned golden. His bodily extremities became dark brown like the rich soil of the land. But where his paws rested on his master's body, the fur remained white as a symbol of the cat's purity. The soul of Mun-Ha passed into the body of Sinh.