2Before 1940, the sacred Cat of Birma was the most expensive cat in the world, due to its alleged rarity and its favor with the wealthy French class. From the first mention of this feline in 1922, and although the veracity of its Burmese tale was quickly questioned, no one had succeeded in uncovering the truth about its origins. Dr Alain Lescart, scholar and breeder of Birman cats, managed to uncover significant details on this subject while revealing the behind the scenes of a now forgotten legal case which made the front page of all French newspapers of the time, and which revolved around Mme Juanita Léotardi, the first breeder of Birman, and a major mythomaniac. In his work, the author follows the evolution of the legend with its inconsistencies and contradictions. He is finally interested in the difficulties encountered by the first breeders to develop the breed in the years preceding the Second World War.