Birman News,Events and Frequently Asked Question

News

Imogen has 4 kittens

On Tuesday 28th July between 5 and 7 pm Imogen’s 4 kittens were born. She seemed somewhat surprised to have produced so many but was otherwise delighted. The babies are doing well and are putting on weight nicely.

Wednesday they were 96g, 106g, 111g and 116g

Thursday they were 102g, 112g, 123g and 123g

Imogen Joins the family. 

On Tuesday 10th July 2007 Churston Imogen joined our family and her two ‘brothers’ Eli and Declan. Declan who at almost 17 ½ has pretty much seen it all – he has moved house 4 times and spend 5 years in Switzerland – immediately greeted her with a lick or two.  Eli (15 months) hissed a bit and then followed her round at a safe distance while she explored but by day 3 he was licking her and they were playing well together.  She is very intrepid and has made the apartment hers.  By the third night she was sleeping happily on the bed.

Events

(Details of the some of the key Birman Cat Shows this year. )

The "Supreme“ which is the official Cat Show of The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy

Date: 21st November 2009

Venue: NEC Birmingham

The Birman Cat Club's Championship Show

Date: Saturday 7th November 2009

Venue: Bracknell Sports & Leisure Centre,  Bagshot Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 9SE

The Seal and Blue Point Birman Club

Date: Saturday 25 July 2007

Venue: Bracknell Sports & Leisure Centre,  Bagshot Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 9SE

The Northern Birman Cat Club

-The 2007 show was held on 11 April 2009

The Southern & South Western Birman Cat Club

Date: Saturday 12th September 2009

Venue: Freshbrook Community Centre, Worsley Road, Freshbrook,Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 8LY

Frequently asked Questions

Q What's the difference between a pet, show or breed cat?

All our birman cats and kittens are pure breed, registered with the GCCF and have their pedigree charts.

They are all looked after in the same way and grew up in a loving environment with plenty of human interaction.  Our kittens will grow up as part of the family.

Different kittens, will of course have different markings and some will not meet the high standards of the breed in all ways.  I am not able to advise on the detailed markings or comment on the suitability of any cat for showing. 

A pet will not have the exact sized or placed markings but it will still be registered with the GCCF, and have a valid pedigree. It will need to be neutered at about six months or at your vet’s discretion.

A show cat will have all the markings and shape required by the breeding standard.

A breed will have all of the quality attributes / markings that are needed, be of a good size and will be registered on the active list which means you will be able to breed from your cat at the correct age.

Q Will my kitten be alright on it's own?

Kittens need a lot of time and attention.  Birman kittens and cats are particularly sociable and our experience is that they prefer to have another cat to play and interact with.  It does not need to be exactly the same age.  A single kitten with no other cat to play with will need almost full time attention.

Q At what age will I be able to collect my kitten?

Kittens are available to move to their new home at or after thirteen weeks of age. This is because at nine weeks they have there first vaccination and there second at twelve weeks. There is then a week to just make sure everything is OK following the vaccinations.

It is important to schedule the collection at a time when you will be at home and able to help settle the kitten into its new environment.  Therefore a Friday or Saturday is a good day to collect your kitten.  Also if a holiday or trip is planned it is best to collect you kitten after your return.

If you have young children it can be sensible to collect your kitten at a slightly older age and we are happy to accommodate this.

Q Will I be able to see the mother of the kittens?

Yes, most certainly. Indeed you should always ask to see the mother of your kitten wherever possible and if it is a pure breed this is even more important.

Q Where have your kittens been reared?

All our kittens are born and reared in my home amongst us, so they will be used to the usual daily household noises i.e. washing machine, television etc and they will have had plenty of love and attention.

Q How much grooming will they need?

A daily brush or comb will keep your kitten / cat looking smart and also remove some of their excess hair. Our adult cats particularly like a rubber hand held ‘brush’ which also seems to give them a nice massage.

Q What should I buy my new kitten?
The following is a list of the most essential basics that you will need?

Cat carrier

Bed

Bowls (remember to keep these really clean).  They will need one for water, one for dried kitten food and one for packet food.  Fresh water and dried food should be available at all times.

Litter tray

Cat litter

Small plastic rake

Scratch post

Toys

Brush and comb

claw clippers

A climbing frame is also a good idea

A cat harness if you plan to take him/her for walks

Q Does it matter what I feed my kitten?

Most breeders will have included a diet sheet and a kitten pack with a sample of the food that your kitten will have been reared on.

Whilst all quality kitten food will be fine and should include dried food as well and plenty of water it is important to help your new kitten adjust to the new food by keeping to the exact food used by the breeder for a period of time.

Q Will my kitten be litter trained?

Yes, they will be litter trained when you receive your kitten at thirteen weeks.  It is important, however, to remember that they will need to be shown the new cat litter.

If you have other cats sharing the litter you may want to provide your new kitten its own tray for a while and also try to supervise its usage for a bit – curious other cats can sometimes be a bit off putting to a nervous new  kitten.

Q Can I name my kitten?

You may be able to name your kitten on the reqistration as long as you have contacted the breeder early enough and their naming convention allows this. If you have a registered name you can always give your kitten a nick name or known as name.  Clearly this is something you will want to talk to your breeder about.

Q Can you give me advice on the Birman Cat Breed?

I am not the correct person to do this.  Your best option is to talk to an experienced breeder, or contact one of the 4 UK Birman Cat Clubs or the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.