Why are Birmans a great choice?
There are so many beautiful cat breeds, it is really hard to decide which one suits you the most. Although all cats have their individual characters, there is still a general difference among breeds’ personalities, that was achieved by generations of selective breeding.
For Birmans, the character is a very important aspect when deciding which individual should be kept for reproduction.
So, what are the characteristics of Birman cats?
Relaxed and cuddly
If you are looking for a cat that sleeps in your arms or on your lap while you are working in home office, Birmans are perfect. They love cuddling and expressing their love with affectionate touches.
Very social, love people
Birmans love their humans. They follow you in the flat, sit with you while you are cooking or learning, they give you company in the bathroom. When they are used to, they enjoy being adored by your visitors.
Fluffy, soft, long hair that doesn't need special care
It is a pleasure to stroke their silky fur and burry your face into their fluffy hair. Luckily, unlike other long hair breeds, Birmans’ fur does not tend to mat. They love being brushed but you don’t HAVE to. Well, it can reduce the amount of hair on your furniture if you do but they won’t have a messy appearance even if you skip brushing.
Get along with children
Birmans are very patient with children. Children don’t always reach out to cats in the most gentle or professional way and Birmans are very good at tolerating being carried around in an uncomfortable way or being caressed in a rough way.
Easy to handle, not agressive
Birmans are not aggressive, they would not scratch you or bite you on purpose (unless you are doing something life-threatening to them but in that case you deserved it). You can get them used to anything: nail cutting, tooth brushing, taking pills. They’ll co-operate.
Quickly accept other cats in the family
It can sometimes be difficult to bring home a new cat and introduce it to the ones at home. It requires patience to keep the new comer separate for days (or weeks) and just exchange the smell between the cats. With Birmans however, I only hear success stories without even following the careful introductory procedure.
I did already introduce cats in various combinations (1 to 1, 1 to 2, 1 to 3, 1 to a whole group of adults and kittens) and it never took more than a few hours to let them be alone. Of course it takes time until they stop hissing and start grooming and cuddling together but there were no fights or real aggression towards the new ones.
When should you not choose a Birman?
You don't want white hair on your furniture
Although Birmans’ fur doesn’t need special care or regular combing, they are still cats that lose hair and this hair is particularly soft, flies in the air and lands on your furniture. Immediately after vacuuming. You are lucky if you are into white and cream upholstery or you prefer Northern style wooden stuff.
You like to wear black clothing that looks clean and pure black
Yes, you can get sticky rolls and clean your clothes. You can reduce the amount. But it will never be the same as before. You’ll always have white fur everywhere (even in your heart 
)
You are looking for an adventurous feline to travel with
Although Birmans are easy to travel with once they get used to and they like going out on leash, they like their comfy home. If you want to take your cat on a motorbike tour or hiking, a Bengal might suit you better. No to mention the complications of traveling with 2 cats. See the next paragraph 😉
You want a solo cat
Birmans are very social and can get depressed if they are alone. Dogs and humans cannot replace feline company. If you want only 1 cat in your home, you better choose another breed. To make a Birman happy, you need 2 of them. Or more.
You want to leave your cats alone over the weekend
Birmans love their humans. They follow you in the flat, sit with you while you are cooking or learning, they give you company in the bathroom. They miss you if you leave them alone for a long time. Some cats are fine spending a weekend without humans but Birmans would not like that.