How much grooming do Birmans require?
Most Birmans are intrinsically ‘low maintenance’ cats – they are meticulous self-groomers. Our neutered male Caligula hasn’t had a bath in over 5 years. He looks great and we almost never brush him. Of course, a Birman will enjoy a daily brushing (they consider brushing to be ‘attention’ more than grooming), and a bath once a month or so won’t hurt. Although classified as a ‘long haired’ cat, the Birman coat tends to be medium in length, and its silky texture tends to resist matting. There are however some Birmans with extraordinarily long coats that will occasionally form a mat – for instance, Vesta (see Vesta’s picture here). These long and dense coats are highly sought after by breeders and serious fanciers, and the additional grooming required is actually quite minimal – monthly brushing should do it. On no account would a Birman ever require the frequent grooming of a Persian.
