Colors

All the colors of the Birman cat

The Birman is a “colorpoint” cat: the body stays pale and the color is concentrated on the mask, ears, legs and tail. Whatever its coat, it always keeps its two signatures: sapphire-blue eyes and four white-gloved paws. The Birman comes in 40 recognized colors. Here are the main ones, illustrated by our own cats.

All 40 colors at a glance

Photos: our own cats, adults whenever possible. Swatches: colors not yet born in our cattery.

	Red	Cream
Point
Tabby point
Tortie point	–	–
Tortie tabby point	–	–
Silver tabby point
Silver tortie tabby point	–	–
Smoke point
Smoke tortie point	–	–

What never changesBlue eyes, always. Four white gloves. A pale body with colored points.

What does not exist in the BirmanGreen or golden eyes, bicolor or white-faced coats, solid coats without points. A cat like this is not a Birman.

TortieIt mixes a color with red. So it does not exist in red or cream, and occurs almost only in females.

A color that depends on temperatureThe colorpoint gene only colors the coolest parts of the body: mask, ears, legs and tail. The body stays eggshell, the back golden beige. Kittens are born almost white, and their points darken over the weeks.

Seal, the original colorSeal is the Birman’s original color, with a striking contrast. It dilutes to blue, chocolate dilutes to lilac and red to cream. The coat darkens over the years.

Tabby and tortieTabby adds stripes and an “M” on the forehead. Tortie mixes red with another color. Because it is carried by the X chromosome, it occurs almost only in females.

Silver and smokeSilver is a dominant color: at least one parent must be silver. A smoke is recognized by the white at the base of its colored hairs and the white tufts in its ears.

Solid colors

The points are a single color, with no stripes.

Seal point

Very dark brown points on a golden cream body. The Birman’s historic color.Photo: Tatooine des Innamorati

Blue point

Blue-gray points on a bluish white body, wonderfully soft.Photo: Beetee des Innamorati

Chocolate point

Milk chocolate points on an ivory body.Photo: Un Tantinet Coquin Aka Coquinou Aka Urso des Innamorati

Lilac point

Pinkish gray points on an almost white body. The palest of all colors.Photo: Bernard des Innamorati

Photo coming soon

Red point

Orange-red points on a warm white body.Photo coming soon

Photo coming soon

Cream point

Apricot cream points, very luminous.Photo coming soon

Tabby

The points are striped, with the characteristic “M” on the forehead.

Seal tabby point

Dark brown stripes and a strongly marked mask.Photo: Bianca des Innamorati

Blue tabby point

Blue-gray stripes on a pale background.Photo: Zadig des Innamorati

Chocolate tabby point

Chocolate stripes and a bright coat.Photo: Boo des Innamorati

Lilac tabby point

Pinkish gray stripes, all in subtle shades.Photo: Versace des Innamorati

Red tabby point

Red stripes on a warm white background.Photo: Arcimboldo des Innamorati

Photo coming soon

Cream tabby point

Cream stripes, very soft.Photo coming soon

Tortie

The points mix two colors, like tortoiseshell. Females only.

Photo coming soon

Seal tortie point

Seal mottled with red.Photo coming soon

Chocolate tortie point

Chocolate mottled with light red.Photo: Baci a Tutti des Innamorati

Photo coming soon

Seal tortie tabby point

Tabby and tortie at once, on a seal base.Photo coming soon

Chocolate tortie tabby point

Tabby and tortie at once, on a chocolate base.Photo: Un Chouïa Craquante Aka Cracotte des Innamorati

Silver and smoke

Recognized by FIFe in 2016, after LOOF and TICA. Our friend Cathy Viltange is one of the breeders who brought silver to the Birman.

Blue silver tabby point

Blue-gray stripes on a silver background.Photo: Paradise Silver Moon des Innamorati

Chocolate silver tabby point

Chocolate stripes on a silver background.Photo: Un Peu Trop Charmant Aka Charmant des Innamorati

Lilac silver tabby point

Pinkish gray stripes on a silver background.Photo: Rock'n'Roll des Innamorati

Seal smoke tortie point

Seal tortie with a silver undercoat.Photo: Bambina Mia des Innamorati

Blue smoke tortie point

Blue and cream with a silver undercoat.Photo: Bella Raggaza des Innamorati

Colors without a photo have not yet been born in our cattery. We will soon illustrate them with a photo from a fellow breeder, with their permission. Sources: Fédération Féline Française and Club Français du Sacré de Birmanie (CFSBI).

Frequently asked questions

Birman cat colors: your questions

How many colors does the Birman cat come in?

Since FIFe recognized silver tabby and smoke on May 27, 2016, the Birman has 40 colors. All are colorpoint: solid, tabby, tortie, silver and smoke, on seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red and cream bases. All keep the blue eyes and white gloves.

What is the most common Birman color?

Seal point, very dark brown points on a pale body, is the Birman’s original and best-known color. Blue point and the tabbies are also very common.

How can you tell a Birman kitten’s color?

Kittens are born almost white. Their points start to color within a few days and become clearer over the first weeks. The breeder works out the color from the parents’ colors, then records it on the LOOF pedigree. In smokes, the color can be confusing at first and only becomes clear at around 4 to 6 months.

Can a male Birman be tortie?

Very rarely. The tortie color needs two X chromosomes, which only females have. A tortie male carries a genetic anomaly and is almost always sterile.

Does a Birman’s color change with age?

Yes. A Birman’s coat darkens over the years, especially in seals, and the points grow more intense. The coolest parts of the body can also darken in winter.

What is a silver or smoke Birman?

A Birman that carries the dominant silver gene. A silver tabby has stripes on a silver background. A smoke has white at the base of its colored hairs, lots of white hair in the ears and sometimes faint tabby markings on the mask. These colors come from Chinchilla Persians and were then selected over about ten generations.