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Queenslands first chocolate point kitten

The arrival of the chocolate and lilac pointed Birmans began in Queensland in 1992, with the importation of two new studs from the Shwechinthe cattery in England. A chocolate point named Shwechinthe Sanjit was brought in by Tina Toomey and a lilac point named Shwechinthe Huso was brought in by Marie Mahoney. With the help of Sue Thompson of Arakan cattery, by allowing her the use of a blue point female that carried the gene for chocolate Staray Moonbeam and Liz Robinson of Sarika cattery, by giving me Sarika Choc Bits, we were then able to start producing our first chocolates and lilacs.

These four cats are the base behind many of the new colours that we see here on the show bench today. Since then we have had several new lines brought in to continue the strength of this breeding program. In 1998 Marisa Thistlewaite and Marie Mahoney brought in from New Zealand another chocolate point stud Xamela Shaquille bred by Julie Simpson. Heather Graham also imported from New Zealand, this time it was to be a lilac point female, Illuvator Electra. We have since gone on from there, and can now expect to see them in the tabby lines. Coral Pennisi brought over from Western Australia, a Blue tabby point male that carried the gene for chocolate, Sweoz Stripe GTO and with his arrival he became the start of our tabby point Birmans. In the last eight years we have seen not only the colours mentioned here but with the introduction of the red gene by Maryilynn Fairbanks we also have the red and cream points and also the tortoiseshell points. These colours are now up to the show standard we expect in our Birmans and can be seen on the show bench today.

While we find that the traditional seal and blue pointed Birmans are the most popular insofar as demand from the public for pets, the new colours are readily accepted. We are now seeing the chocolates and lilacs taking out a number of major awards on the show bench and as time goes on we can only improve. I do know that with the enthusiastic group of dedicated breeders that we have here in Queensland, with time this will only improve and many others colours that we have not yet seen will emerge and take their place up there with the rest of them.