Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been? I’ve been to London to visit the Queen! Allow us to introduce Lady Burmilla, an aristocratic English cat!
Breed History
Burmilla is just one of the names of this proper English lady; the breed is also known as the Asian Shaded or “silver Burmese.” And the story of how the breed came about is a cat version of a romance novel.
As we hinted, the breed comes from Great Britain. A resident of foggy Albion, Baroness Miranda von Kirchberg, was especially fond of Burmese and Persian cats, and there were plenty of both on her estate. One of them was a chinchilla Persian male named Sanquist, who was about to be neutered.
Nothing foreshadowed trouble (as Charlotte Brontë might have written), but Sanquist seemed to sense what was coming, slipped out in search of freedom, and found a lovely lilac Burmese female named Fabergé. Passion flared between them and, scorning all conventions, the two cats took the plunge!
In due time, kittens were born that looked like their freedom-loving father. And some time later, the kittens changed a lot: their coats looked completely different, and not a trace of their father’s personality remained.
That’s how a new breed began: Burmilla = Burmese + chinchilla. And the story isn’t over yet, since the breed is young (it all happened only in 1981): to be continued! The CFA accepted the Burmilla for championship status in 2014.
Burmilla Personality and Traits at a Glance
| Affection for family | ★★★★☆ |
| Shedding | ★★★☆☆ |
| Health | ★★★☆☆ |
| Playfulness | ★★★★★ |
| Vocality | ★★★★☆ |
| Good with kids | ★★★★☆ |
| Friendliness toward strangers | ★★★★☆ |
| Ease of grooming | ★★★★☆ |
| Gets along with other pets | ★★★★☆ |
| Intelligence | ★★★☆☆ |
Burmilla Breed Overview
The fruit of forbidden love, Burmilla cats are like the embodiment of the most beautiful feeling on earth! They combine wisdom and charm in amazing balance, and that’s true of both their looks and their personality!
- The head is medium-sized, rounded, and wise-looking. The muzzle is short and broad, with noticeable cheeks. Interestingly, males are much “chubbier-cheeked” than females:
- the ears are set wide apart and tilted forward;
- the eyes are large and set far apart, with black “eyeliner” around them. The eye shape is Oriental, like a crescent moon. The breed standard allows these eye colors: shades of green, amber, or tortoiseshell. Reddish eyes are more typical of teenagers. Between the eyes you can make out a dark letter “M,” a remnant of the tabby coloring of their ancestors;
- some cats of the breed have disqualifying traits that won’t affect how much you love them but may affect breeding. One of these is a bump on the nose.
- A Burmilla kitten’s build means it’s destined for success.
- These cats are very well built, with strong bones and noticeable muscles. They’re usually medium-sized.
- The legs, in short: slender yet powerful. The front legs are shorter than the hind legs. The paws are round, and the paw pads are always dark.
- The tail is never short; it’s usually medium-long or long. It’s of medium thickness and tapers to the tip.
The Burmilla, with its melodic name, weighs about 7 to 13 lb. A special feature of the breed is that males and females weigh almost the same! You won’t see that kind of weight equality in other breeds.
- The coat is lovely! In one type of Burmilla it’s lovely and short, in another lovely and long. By the way, shorthaired Burmillas are more popular than longhaired ones. Their coat lies close to the body, with noticeable tipping, which can be red, cream, lilac, and of course tarnished silver. A golden or silver undercoat gives the coat a lifted look. The fur on the back is always darker than the fur on the belly.
Main colors:
- shaded (brown and lilac);
- smoke (chocolate or black);
- solid (cream, black, black tortoiseshell);
- tabby (spotted blue, spotted black).
Overall, a Burmilla’s coat gives the illusion that a gray or white kitty has thrown on a darker silk shawl: incredibly beautiful, picture-perfect!
Personality
Mom Burmese and dad chinchilla passed on endless energy and just as much tenderness to their offspring. Burmilla kittens are always in the mood for games and a little mischief. As adults, these cats get more serious, but not so serious that they sleep all day. No, a Burmilla always needs to know everything that’s going on at home, so whatever you’re doing, the cat is right there, commenting and giving its reviews of what’s happening. By the way, these cats are very curious, so Burmillas get into “stories” more often than others.
They also have great respect for people and will never hurt a person in any situation. Not even if a human toddler pulls their tail, not even if a grown-up trims their claws or, heaven forbid, puts drops in their eyes.
IMPORTANT! Burmillas can’t stand being alone: don’t leave them alone for long or lock them in an empty room. The cat will suffer and may get sick.
Health
The genes of their Persian ancestors played only one cruel joke: Burmillas are prone to polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Cysts that can form in the kidneys can, in theory, lead to kidney failure, but in practice, with proper care and diet, kidney problems can often be avoided. How can you tell if your pet has PKD? Clinical signs include lethargy, a drop in appetite, frequent trips to the litter box, and weight loss. But only blood tests and imaging (an ultrasound or X-ray) can identify the problem and give an accurate diagnosis. Ask the breeder whether the parents were DNA tested for PKD.
No other genetic diseases have been noted in these cats, so you could call the Burmilla a long-lived cat. These charming English cats live 15–18 years.
Just don’t forget regular deworming and flea prevention.
Care
Caring for a Burmilla is minimal. The coat is of such excellent quality that brushing your pet once a week is enough. Also get your Burmilla used to weekly ear cleaning.
Most Burmillas really dislike having their claws trimmed, so the best solution is a scratching post or soft nail caps.
Clean ears, a neat manicure, a well-groomed coat… What does a Burmilla look like? Like a beauty fresh from the salon!
Feeding
Feeding a Burmilla properly is very easy. The main rule is not to overfeed. For a petite kitty, losing her figure is a cause of great emotional suffering. Otherwise, the diet is standard, like for any cat. Don’t offer an adult Burmilla milk: she may love it, but she literally can’t digest it. Instead, treat your Burmilla more often to fermented dairy, such as a little plain yogurt or kefir.
Photos
If you had to name what sets Burmillas apart from kittens of other breeds, it would be the shape of the face. Have you noticed that Burmillas always seem to be smiling? That’s why they look so great in photos!
Where to Buy a Burmilla Kitten in the US
Breeders know the Burmilla is one of the rarest cat breeds in the world! These kitties are tricky to breed, and catteries and breeders work hard to protect the breed and keep its lines going, so Burmillas are rare and pricey.
How much does a Burmilla cost?
In the US, a pet-quality Burmilla kitten from a registered breeder usually costs about $800–$1,200, and the final price depends on many factors. Since the breed is much more established in the UK than in the US, there are few American breeders, so prices can be higher and waits longer; show-quality kittens can cost up to about $4,000.
Choose a Burmilla breeder:
- CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) Find a Breeder – https://find-a-breeder.cfa.org/;
- TICA (The International Cat Association) breeder listings – https://tica.org/find-a-cat/find-a-cat-breeder-listings/;
Many American owners bring their Burmilla kittens in from established catteries in the UK and Europe.
The Burmilla: a fluffy Tiffany!
