BurmillaCharacteristics, history, behaviour and care

The breed was born by accident, in Miranda von Kirchberg's cattery in Britain. A Chinchilla Persian male, Jamari Sanquist, and a lilac Burmese female, Bambino Lilac Fabergé, were waiting for different partners, in separate rooms. One night the cleaner left the door open. In 1981 four kittens were born, all shorthaired silver females: Galatea, Gemma, Gabriela and Gisella.

Impressed by the kittens, von Kirchberg developed the breed together with the breeder Therese Clarke, who founded the Burmilla Cat Club in 1984. The breed was recognised in 1994 by the Cat Association of Britain, and in 1995 by the GCCF and FIFe.

How the breed developed

• 1981 – the first four kittens are born, from an accidental mating.
• 1984 – the first standard and the Burmilla Cat Club.
• 1995 – recognised by the GCCF and FIFe.
• 2011 – FIFe also accepts the golden variety.

• Families with children and other pets. It is sociable and affectionate.
• People who want a cat that stays playful all its life. It keeps many kitten traits.
• People with little time for grooming. One brushing a week is enough.
• People who spend a lot of time at home. Christiane Sacase says it demands attention and meows.

It is a medium-sized cat, muscular and elegant, weighing 3–6 kg. The FIFe standard describes it as “an elegant cat of foreign type”.

General appearance

The head is gently rounded on top, broad at the brows and jaw, and tapers to a short, blunt wedge. The ears are medium to large, tilted slightly forward. The hallmark of the breed is its “make-up”: a dark line that outlines the nose, lips and eyes.

The coat has a silver (or golden) base, and the tips of the hairs are coloured. In the “tipped” variety only the tip of the hair (1/8–1/4) is coloured and the cat looks almost white; in the “shaded” variety the colour covers a quarter to a half of the hair, like a mantle over the back, shoulders and legs. The colours can be black, blue, brown, chocolate or lilac.

Related breeds and how to tell them apart

It comes from the Chinchilla Persian and the Burmese. In Britain it belongs to the “Asian” group, and the semi-longhaired variety is called the Tiffanie there. “Smoke” cats, whose hairs are coloured almost to the base, are not considered Burmillas.

Wikipedia describes it as unconventional and independent, but very loving towards its owner; it keeps many kitten traits as an adult. It is sociable, playful and affectionate.

French Wikipedia adds that Christiane Sacase sees it as gentle, in need of attention and rather talkative, and Bruce Fogle says the breeds of the Asian group are “more relaxed than the Burmese and more sociable than the Persians”.

Socialisation

It gets on well with children and other animals.

A kitten gets used to new people, noises and other animals most easily in its first months of life.

Habits at home

Like all cats, it sleeps a lot: usually 12–16 hours a day. It is most active early in the morning and in the evening, but partly adapts to the family's routine.

Cats instinctively bury their droppings, so it quickly learns to use a litter tray. It scratches rough surfaces to shed the old outer layer of its claws, so it needs a scratching post or board.

It is moderately active and playful. It enjoys games with its owner and places to climb.

Tips for a balanced life

• Change its toys from time to time, so it does not get bored.
• Play with it in short sessions, several times a day.
• If it goes outside, let it do so in a fenced area or on a balcony with a safety net.

Coat care

The short coat has an undercoat, but needs no special care: one brushing a week and a polish with a grooming glove are enough.

Common health problems

The sources consulted do not describe breed-specific diseases. Because it comes from the Persian and the Burmese, ask the breeder about the tests done for the diseases known in those breeds, for example polycystic kidney disease.

Recommended genetic tests

Ask for the result of the polycystic kidney disease test (inherited from Persian cats) and check which tests the parents' Burmese line has had.

Is it hypoallergenic?

Cat allergy is caused mainly by the Fel d 1 protein, found in saliva and skin glands; it is behind the allergy in 90% of people who are allergic to cats. Kittens, females and neutered males produce less of it, but still enough to trigger symptoms. No breed is completely hypoallergenic.

Other care

• A check-up at the vet once a year.
• Vaccinations and parasite treatment on the schedule set by the vet.
• Trim the claws if they do not wear down on their own.
• Clean its teeth or give it food that helps keep them clean.

The cat is a carnivore: it needs animal protein. Unlike a dog, it must get vitamin A, arachidonic acid and taurine from its food. Water is very important, because cats usually drink little; several water bowls around the house encourage it to drink.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual for a healthy adult cat. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram. If you also feed wet food, reduce the dry portion.

• Adjust the portion to its weight: neutered cats put on weight easily.
• Weigh it monthly; the ribs should be easy to feel under your fingers.
• Kittens need more calories: Merck recommends 2.5 times the resting energy requirement.

Dangerous foods and substances

Some common household items are dangerous for cats:

• Lilies (and daylilies): they can destroy a cat's kidneys. Even the pollen or the water in the vase is dangerous.
• Paracetamol: extremely toxic to cats, which lack the enzyme that breaks it down. Never give it human medicines.
• Flea spot-ons and collars for dogs containing permethrin: the concentration meant for dogs is dangerous for cats.
• Foods: chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.

Maturity

Females usually reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. The age varies from breed to breed.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy in cats lasts 64–67 days, 65 on average. A first litter usually has fewer kittens than later ones. Only healthy cats that match the breed standard are used for breeding.

Blood type

Cats have blood type A, B or AB. Type A is the most common: in a study from England, 87.1% of non-pedigree cats and 54.6% of pedigree cats had type A. This matters for breeding: if the mother is type B and the kittens are type A, the antibodies in her first milk (colostrum) can destroy their red blood cells. The condition is called neonatal isoerythrolysis. That is why breeders test the blood type of both parents.

We found no published data on how common type B is in this breed; the test is done before mating anyway.

Caring for the kittens

Kittens are weaned at 6–7 weeks. They are ready to go to their new home at about 12 weeks, when they can be separated from their mother.

Neutering

Neutering used to be done at 6–9 months, but it is more and more often done before puberty, at around 3–6 months. It prevents unwanted kittens, urine marking in males and the loud “calling” of females in heat. A 2024 study found that neutered cats live one year longer on average. After the operation, the metabolism slows down and appetite increases, so the portion has to be reduced.

How to choose a kitten

• Ask for the pedigree from a recognised cat association (for example, a FIFe member).
• The kitten leaves its mother at about 12 weeks.
• Look at the mother and at the place where the kittens are raised: it should be clean, with kittens used to people.
• Ask about vaccinations, parasite treatment and the blood type of the parents.

• Born of a door left open. The first kittens arrived after the cleaner forgot to close the door between the two cats.
• Four founding sisters. Galatea, Gemma, Gabriela and Gisella are the foundation of the breed.
• A compound name. “Burmilla” comes from “Burmese” and “Chinchilla”.
• Natural make-up. The dark outline of the eyes and lips is one of the hallmarks of the breed.

Where does the name come from?

From “Burmese” and “Chinchilla”, the two breeds it was born from, in 1981.

How much does it weigh?

Usually 3–6 kg; males are larger.

Is it hard to groom?

No. One brushing a week is enough.

Is it good with children?

Yes, it is sociable and gets on well with children and other animals.