In the beginning, there was a Burmese cat with a coat of sable color. My name was Wong Mau. He was the first Burmese cat in America. Although, at first, he was a Siamese, Wong Mau was indeed something else. He had been in Burma, where he was known to be a temple guard. Not having papers, Wong Mau was sent to Dr. Thompson, a medical officer in the military, while still a kitten. Dr. Thompson then offered Wong Mau to Dr. Joseph C. Thompson, who brought her back to San Francisco in 1930. Thus, Wong Mau became the first Burmese in America.
While in San Francisco, I bred Wong Mau to a Siamese with seal point markings. When crossing Wong Mau to the Siamese, the thought was to produce more dark brown cats. Crossing a Burmese to a Siamese with the darkest possible offspring and then back to a purebred Burmese would produce a superior dark Burmese. Consequently, Wong Mau did make one or two dark brown kittens. These kittens were the foundation of the new breed of Burmese cats.
Ancient Legends and Myths
There are few records of the early history of the Burmese cat in any form. It is likely that the breed’s early history, like that of its ancestor, the Siamese, will never be known. The cats certainly existed in Burma as the fourteenth century saw the original appearance of the breed in Siam, now called Thailand. This information comes to us from an ancient manuscript of cat poems from ancient Thai, which references cats with solid dark brown fur.
The same cats that the copper cat of Burma today. How the cats moved from Burma to Siam is still being determined. However, from the position of the two countries, it would be logical to assume that the cats moved with the centuries-old tradition of the rulers of the Kingdoms of the two countries, giving and taking wives, several of whom were of royal descent. Found Cats similar to the Burmese in the city of Martaban; the town was the port of entry into Siam for goods and immigrants from Burma, and the trading that Martaban did with Siam during its history was with the capital of Ayudha where royal records (in Siam) make mention of the cats. A tradition of cats being given to foreign rulers as symbols of good faith is a plausible explanation, but it will always be just another legend.
Introduction to Burma
The Burmese breed has been a favorite amongst the priests and monks of Burma. It was so much a favorite that only priests and monks were allowed to own it. They showed high regard for cats, the ordinary people of Burma, and, of course, the devout Buddhists and the cats themselves. Priests and monks are traditionally peace-loving people, and the Burmese cats would have picked up their kind and gentle qualities.
Burmese cats are said to have originated in Burma, which is present-day Myanmar. Burma was Southeast Asia’s center of religion, culture, and politics. The cats have lived in the temples of Burma as companions to the monks. Early statues of Burmese cats crouching in the same position as the statues of Buddha that are to be guardians of a place. The beginning of the cats looking down from a platform to a place where their people (or, in the cats’ case, their monks) lived. The country, for cats, is an unchanging, mystical land “mild-yang, where the inhabitants “abide a half-world between men and the great spirits.”
Sacred Cats in Temples
An inscription found in the temple of Lao-Tsun in Thailand has to the Burmese cat. The inscription was reportedly written by a Siamese official when Siam invaded Burma and took an army to the temple in 1364. The tone of the inscription is sad, in which the author bids farewell to the cat, expressing deep concern for its future without its Siamese masters. Suggests that the cats would not cope well away from their life of luxury in the temples. These cats were probably fed the same diet as the priests, which would have consisted of meat and rice. They would likely have had better food than their fellow felines outside the temple. Being sacred animals, they would have been well cared for and pampered, whereas the Burmese cat became accustomed to copious amounts of attention and developed its loyal and affectionate nature.
The Burmese cat is a breed that has evolved over centuries. Its history is so interwoven with religion and myth that it is difficult to separate fact from fantasy. According to legends, the soul of a high priest was transferred to a cat when he died, and the cat became familiar to the next priest in line. Suggests that Burmese cats lived a life of luxury, exalted in status within the temple, where only the priests and sacred animals were allowed. Japanese manuscripts support this theory, suggesting that Burmese cats were kept in temples and were critical religious artifacts. An aristocratic cat known as “the temple cat of Burma” was said to have been given to the emperor of Burma by the king of Siam (now Thailand). This regal, golden-haired cat was to reside in the temple’s inner sanctum, with the priests and 100 attendants to his needs included.
