Burmilla at a Glance

Details: Category: Breed of the Week; Published: April 13, 2020; Hits: 3149

Burmilla at a Glance

The sweet-natured and inquisitive Burmilla is a medium-sized cat. They are a cross between the Chinchilla colored Persian and the Burmese breed. A gentle breed, they make great family pets and are good fit for any household, including those with children and other pets. Both the longhair and shorthair varieties are easy to groom. Find out more about this breed and if the Burmilla is right for you and your family.

Temperament: Fun-loving, Affectionate, Intelligent
Size: Burmilla cats are medium-sized weighing 8-12 pounds.
Colors: The Burmilla coat has a sparkling silver white ground color with tipping or shading in black, brown, blue, chocolate, lilac, caramel, beige, and apricot.
Life Expectancy:: 15 - 18+ years

About the Burmilla

Burmillas are gentle and laid-back, but also have a playful and mischievous personality. They make excellent companions due to their affectionate, social, and sweet nature and both the longhair and shorthair varieties are low-maintenance and easy to groom. This is a people-loving cat can be a gentle and devoted companion to adults and children and get along well with other cats and dogs.

Activity Level: Burmilla cats combine the demanding and mischievous nature of the Burmese mixed with the easy going and laid-back personality of the Chinchilla Persian. These shared qualities make the Burmilla sociable, playful, and affectionate. They remain playful and kitten-like into adulthood. Intelligent and inquisitive, they can learn tricks and enjoy playing with interactive toys that reward them with treats. Burmillas are good climbers and jumpers so cat trees and perches are recommended.

TICA Regions, Clubs & Rescues

Want to connect with fellow cat lovers and those who love the same breed as you?
TICA is a large resource made up of smaller regions and clubs around the world.
Click here to find a club near you and contact information for your regional director and website.

Wherever you are, you’re in TICA’s world!®

Find a Kitten: Burmilla TICA Breeders

The TICA website is the only place where you can find TICA member breeders who have signed the TICA Code of Ethics.
Click here to find Burmilla Kittens.

Care

Grooming
When it comes to grooming, most Burmilla cats are very low maintenance. Brushing or combing once a week is recommended.

As with all cats, keep their nails trimmed, ears cleaned and teeth brushed regularly with a vet-approved pet toothpaste and provide a nice tall scratching pole to help their natural scratching instinct.

Nutrition:

Burmilla cats do not have any particular nutritional needs other than good, quality food.

As with all cats, it is important to give your cat fresh, clean water daily. Fresh, clean water is best, so cats don’t hesitate to drink. If you worry about your cat drinking enough water each day, here's a tip from cat behaviorists - place the water bowl at least three feet away from any food. Cats’ noses are sensitive and an overwhelming smell of food may cause them to drink less. Filtered drinking fountains can also be used in place of a water bowl.

Health

Burmillas are generally considered a healthy breed. As with all cats, it is recommended that their vaccinations and parasite treatments be kept to date.

History

While the Burmilla is one of the newest breeds to grace the cat fancy as a TICA breed, the origin to this breed dates back over 30 years ago.

Baroness Miranda Von Kirchberg originally purchased a Chinchilla Persian male, Jemari Sanquist, as a pet for her husband. Shortly before having him neutered, he accidentally met up with a precocious Lilac Burmese female, Bambino Lilac Faberg. When a cleaner inadvertently left Faberg's door open, she was able to escape and mated with Sanquist, thus producing the very first litter of Burmilla. The result of this mating produced 4 female kittens, all shorthair and black shaded silver in color. These kittens, born on September 11, 1981, were so attractive that it was decided to embark upon a breeding program.

Burmillas are still quite a rare breed in the USA. Look for kittens available from reputable breeders twelve to sixteen weeks of age, after they have been well socialized and have had their inoculations. Keeping such a rare treasure inside; neutering or spaying and providing acceptable surfaces scratching posts are essential elements for maintaining a healthy, long and joyful life.

Similar Breeds

Persian, Burmese

Did You Know?

The color of the Burmilla’s eyes can take up to two years to develop.

The Breed Standard

The Burmilla is an elegant cat, medium in size, with a sweet and open expression. Their unique appearance is a striking contrast between colored shading/ tipping and a pure silver base. Their luminous green eyes are captivating. Burmillas tend to be mellow, outgoing, loving and playful..

Click here to read the full TICA American Shorthair Breed Standard.