Let’s be real. One of top reasons why we are so readily ready to give our hearts to cats is because of the undeniable cuteness they smack our faces with.
If cuteness is the adjective that you define cats with. You will really have a hard time finding an adjective to what Birman cats are.
They are an incredible combination affection, friendliness, playfulness, beauty and intelligence.
In my spree of answering frequently asked questions by my readers on different cat breeds, let’s cover Birman cats and their affectionate personality today.
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Let’s begin with one of the most frequently demanded queries by my loyal rabid readers,
Do Birman Cats Like To Be Held?
The answer is absolutely. The inherent affection infused into a Birman cat’s persona allows her to be held by her humans. They enjoy their company and in addition to being held they are very happy to sit beside their favourite humans. And if they find that they haven’t been picked in a while, don’t be surprised if they start demanding it.
So, in essence Birman cats are these affectionate loving cat breeds that enjoy and sometimes crave human companionship and attention.
But is the tendency to enjoy human companionship their only point of attraction among cat lovers?
Like every other cat breed are there some caveats that you need to be aware of if you wish to adopt one or more of these beautiful balls of fur?
What other traits make the Birman cats unique?
Read till the very end where I cover the key highlights of the Birman cat’s personality that you as a cat owner, potential pet parent or an avid cat lover must be aware of.
Birman Cats History and Interesting Facts
While the true origins of Birman cats to this day remain vague.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a fair bit of interesting history associated with them. Some literature takes the legend route and declare that the Birman cats first originated in the temple of Lao-Tsun in Asia.
Because there is no supporting evidence to cement that understanding, not a lot can be said about the origins of the Birman cats.
But what is verifiable and factual is the fact that these cats were almost lost during World War II and elaborate efforts had to be made to keep the breed alive.
The efforts turned fruitful and the breed was redeclared in the 1960’s.
The action to restore and re-establish them meant a lot of attention to breeding and selection had to be done.
What this means is Birman cats were selectively bred so that they pose to be almost ideal domesticated cats.
Little kittens that showed early signs of affection, social behavior and better companionship were selectively chosen for breeding so that the resultant generations get accustomed to domestic ecosystems easily.
Repeating the steps over the years from generation to generation has given us this little furball that seems to not get enough of our love.
The selective breeding of Birman cats has evolved them in two ways.
Firstly, they have over time learned the fundamental fact that close proximity to humans means security. The warmth that they perceive from our body, the very way our hearts beat, how we caress them etc, they have learnt to read all these signs as fundamental signals of what they understand as family.
Secondly, the selective breeding and nurturing has ensured that genetically they are wired to pose little resistance humans. That is why Birman cats do not tend to take a lot of time in getting used to their humans.
Now because they see such comfort and security in our laps and proximity in general, their demand to always be around their owners, has led them to rightly earn the title of lap cats.
Other Demands of Birman Cats Apart From Being Held
Now that we have established that Birman cats do enjoy human warmth, companionship and like to be held.
I think it is important to discuss other personality quirks and likes of a Birman cat.
Because any particular breed isn’t just described by their dominant behavioral trait.
Cats are these complicated mixtures of genetic memory, specific breed characteristics, general cat behavior and some behaviors that belong to just your cat and are a part of their individuality.
That is why all cats are cute and curious at the same time.
But let’s keep our discussion specific to Birmans today.
Here are a few other traits and demands that Birman cats have.
Birman Cats Are Low Maintenance
While yes, its true they require and demand human attention.
Yet compared to certain other cat breeds, the Birman cats are relatively low maintenance cats.
They generally live a healthy life that stretches anywhere from 15 to 20 years and do not have a strict list of health problems they particularly invite.
Like most other cat breeds they are susceptible to kidney diseases and obesity.
But if proper care, diet regimen and active playtime is maintained these two general health disorders can be kept at bay.
The best way to ensure that your cat remains physically and psychologically healthy is creating an ecosystem that is conducive for her correct growth.
It isn’t as complicated as it sounds really.
Little things like having a cat tree or a cat condo and having perches in strategic places will give her ample room to express herself.
The benefits will be two folds,
This kind of ecosystem will keep her healthy, playful and happy.
And secondly, this will ensure that she doesn’t take out her wild instincts like scratching on your furniture and drapes.
- If you cat is indeed developing a furniture scratching behavior, this guide on how to stop cat scratching behavior in 10 days is definitely going to help.
Apart from this like placing the litter box in right places in your apartment and letting her borrow your lap is all your Birman cat needs.
They Require Mild Grooming
The Birmans have soft semi-longhaired coat which is fairly easy to groom.
The fur length, texture and strength is such that it isn’t too susceptible to tangle or mat.
They don’t tend to shed as much as some other cat breeds.
They do need tending to when they like other cats shed their winter coat, wherein a nice brushing becomes important to get all the dead cell layer of their body.
Other times weekly brushing or combing, or once every two weeks should be more than enough to ensure that the fur is shiny and healthy.
During the molting season, it is also advisable to give your Birman cat a bath when they are in the process of shedding their fur and dead layer of skin.
Overall, they are an easy-going cat breed that make it worth your while by providing you with a lot of affection in response of you taking care of their little needs.
Their Claws and Teeth Need Timely Tending To
Another little care that Birmans need from time to time is attention to their claws and teeth.
Their claws need trimming from time to time so that they don’t grow too big and cause her and you discomfort.
I would say attending to their claws once every two to three weeks should be sufficient.
The time span can stretch even further if you have ensured that your home has sufficient cat trees and cat scratchers.
- I have created this post on how you can go about trimming your cat’s nail properly especially is she is a feisty one.
Not too relevant with Birmans though, they won’t pose a lot of challenge but I am pretty sure you will pick up some pointers you didn’t know before.
In addition to trimming your cat’s nails, it is also important to keep a tab on your Birman’s dental health.
They are known to be susceptible towards dental issues including development of heavy plaque.
The best way to deal with dental problems in cats is by preventing it.
And the best way to do that is ensuring that you take your Birman for her routine health and dental check-ups.
Do All Birman Cats Like To be Held?
Well, we have established that Birman cats do enjoying being held and all the affection we can give them.
But is it necessary that all of them enjoy it?
I explained this in an earlier section of this post that cats are this incredible cocktails of general cat behavior, a breed specific behavior and her personal personality quirks.
You can never predict anything about them with absolute certainty.
That’s what makes them unique and fun to be around.
Taking that into consideration, while one can say that Birman cats do like to be held and enjoy human interaction.
But it may also be possible that your Birman is an exception and enjoys being a little more independent.
I have seen many people take this a bit negatively and complain when their cat doesn’t behave the way they expect her to.
I personally think that shouldn’t be the response that comes out of us towards our pet.
Because here is the thing, pets and animals in general aren’t capable of conscious response.
Their responsibility is dictated by their instinct, a strong persona and their survival instincts.
Sometimes this behavioral combination may not produce the response that fulfils our expectation.
And that’s okay, I here on Kitty County suggest that you always adopt pets for their unique presence more than what you expect out of them.
I have found that when we have this attitude towards pets, everything that they do always feel like a beautiful expression of their existence.
And then you experience a whole different kind of love altogether.
So, yes Birman cats do enjoy cuddles, snuggles, love and affection in general, but in contrast if you find an exception, believe me she or he will bring something to the table you wouldn’t find in any other cat.
What is that unique thing about your cat let me know in the comments section.
Health Issues That May Develop Resistance In Birman Cats In Being Held?
Now are there some other reasons apart from personality traits that would cause a Birman to develop resistance towards receiving and expressing affection.
Well, there can be and for the purpose of being thorough, let me quickly go through all the most probable ones.
Physiological Problems
Sometimes due to problems such as pain, upset stomach, injuries etc. your cat may develop resistance towards being cuddled and held.
This can usually be picked up when you know that your cat has suddenly stopped interacting with you the way she normally does.
A visit to the vet will help you pin point the problem and help you take the necessary step.
Bad Experiences
As I mentioned Birman cats are selectively bred and because of this they usually exude an affectionate behavior.
This usually takes a shift if the cat has had bad experience with previous owners or living situation.
Because of this a cat may develop a threat response towards being held.
Cat owners who adopt an older cat may experience their cat expressing such behaviors.
In situations like these it’s important that you take things slow.
If you are bringing her in a new environment let her take the time to realize that she is safe and secure in her new home.
Take time in also understanding what your cat likes and dislikes.
Cats have strong personalities and a vivid sense of likes and dislikes.
Creating an ecosystem where she gets her favourite treats in doing the right things, her favourite toys, sleeping spots, trees etc., are going to go a long way in accepting you as her family and your home as her own territory.
Patience and consistency are the keys.
With time she will open up and accept you as one of her own.
Other Birman Cat FAQs
Now that we have answered the question do Birman cats like to be held, I think its time to conclude this post by taking a few more queries regarding Birman cats that I know for a fact cat owners have.
How Much Do Birman Cats Cost?
Now that you know how much love a Birman cat can bring into your life, I am pretty sure you must be pondering how much will it cost to become a parent to a Birman cat.
While the price does vary from breeder to breeder. A Birman kitten will under normal circumstances cost anywhere around $400 and $600.
One important word of caution before you adopt a Birman is always inquire the breeder about the genetic lineage and the potential health concerns the kitten may have thereof. It’s also a great idea to adopt a Birman if you can from a shelter.
There are many-many cats in the shelter just waiting for a forever home. There are so many sweet stories that I receive from my readers where they had an idea of what breed they wished to own but instead ended up by being chosen by a completely different cat.
Maybe you will be the one chosen next.
Can Birman Cats Be Left Alone?
As is clear with our discussion on Birman cats. Birmans are social cats that tend to enjoy interacting with humans, pets kids and the general family environment. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to leave a Birman cat alone in the house because that doesn’t appeal to the very way Birmans enjoy existing. Therefore, I do not recommend you to get a Birman cat if you if she is the only pet you are going to adopt or if you won’t be able to give her the ecosystem she needs.
On the other hand, if you are adopting cats in pairs getting two Birmans (or any other cat that enjoys the company of cats like Birmans) is a great idea.
Conclusion,
With that we are at the end of this post where we discussed queries and topics like do Birman cats like to be held, are Birmans affectionate cats, what are Birman cats really like, their persona, quirks and demands.
If you have any other feedbacks, queries, comments or doubts about Birmans or cats in general don’t forget to let me know in the comments section below.
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Till next time!
Bbye!
