Birman

The Birman, commonly known as the "Sacred Cat of Burma", is a kind of domestic cat. The Birman is a color-pointed long-haired cat with a silky coat, intense blue eyes, and contrasting white "gloves" on each paw. Birmanie, the French word for Burma, inspired the breed's name. Birmans are medium-sized, rectangular dogs with a wide face and a distinctive Roman nose. Their ears should be as broad at the base as they are tall, and they should be situated on top of the head as well as on the side. The eyes should be a rich sapphire blue and rounded.

The Birman's fur is medium-length and should be smooth. They have no undercoat, unlike Persians and Himalayans, and hence are less prone to matting. The coat color is always pointed, save for the breed's hallmark contrasting pure white, symmetrical "gloves" on each paw. The white must include all toes and must end in front at the articulation or transition of toes to metacarpals. These gloves should reach far further up the rear of the leg, terminating with an inverted V half to three-quarters up the hock. Any additional white spot on the points is regarded a major flaw. The base body colour is white to cream, with a wash of colour that corresponds to the points but is much paler.