We are saddened by the loss of our dear Ann!
Charles and grandson, Brandon, will continue to care for the retired Birmans, but have phased out the breeding program. Many lovely breeders around the world will now continue with the Annbirwaves bloodlines.
Ann and Charles Hoehn bred and showed Birmans deep in the Heart of Texas for well over 40 years! Many Supreme Grand Champions bear the Annbirwaves prefix. Ann was instrumental in introducing the red, lynx (tabby), and cinnamon genes to the breed in the U.S. She was also a TICA Allbreed judge emeritus and judged for over 30 years!
The cattery name stemmed from Ann’s original two breeds, the Birman and Cornish Rex. She used her name, the “Bir” from the Birman and “Waves” from the curly Cornish Rex.
Ann’s first Birman pair were Kumar’s Chauncey and Purzzfine Chelsea.
One of her many Supreme Grand Champions was Annbirwaves Incognito, the seal point on the left, who was in the top twenty TICA cats.
The tortoiseshell Cornish Rex was Leo’s Lair Lizbeth… shown the same year, she also was an International Winner.
What is a Birman?
The Birman is a color-pointed cat with long, silky hair that does not mat. Its pure white feet are one of its most striking features, setting it apart from the other breeds commonly confused with it, such as the Himalayan, Balinese, and Siamese. Ideally the Birman should be a large, strongly built cat, with males greatly outweighing the females. Its large, blue, almost round eyes set in a round face with a Roman nose gives it its sweet expression.
Birmans come in all point colors, with seals and blues being the most common. The white gloves should go across the front feet in an even line and be symmetrical. On the back feet the gloves also cover the foot and then extend up the back of the hock, ending in a point. These are called laces or gauntlets. The amount of white allowed for showing is very specific. Often too much or too little white is the only the difference between a show cat and a pet. Because of its sweet nature it is easy to handle, quick to learn, and makes an ideal house pet. It has a small voice and characteristic tiger-like walk.