Burmilla Cats

The Burmilla cat breed is a hybrid cat breed that developed from breeding chinchilla Persian cats with lilac Burmese cats. The original crossbreeding in 1981 in Great Britain was accidental. In 1995, Burmillas were introduced to North America. In 1998, the Burmilla cat was accepted for championship status in Canada’s CCA.

The Burmilla cat has a temperament similar to its Burmese ancestors. Burmilla cats are playful and affectionate. They tend to be rather laidback and easygoing. Burmilla cats tend to be outgoing social creatures. They are affectionate and generally good with children. Unlike their Persian ancestors, Burmilla cats can be adventurous in their playing activities.

Though the Burmilla cat breed originates with Burmese and Persian cats, there are some noticeable differences between Burmilla and its Burmese and Persian ancestors. The Burmilla cats are less vocal than Burmese cats. They are also less demanding and intrusive as Burmese cats can be. Burmillas are more curious and engage in more active play than typical Persian cats. The Burmilla cat breed has been prized for their friendly disposition.

Burmilla cats have a dense coat that can be shorthaired or longhaired. The possible colors of Burmilla are more varied than Burmese cats. Burmillas have silver or white colored undercoats. The shading and tipping of the outer coat contrast with the silver undercoat. The coat of a mature Burmilla cat can have solid, tabby, or smoke coloring. The colored shading to tips to the hair can be black, chocolate, brown, blue, or lilac. Burmilla cats also have M-shaped markings on their foreheads.

The grooming requirements for a Burmilla cat are less demanding than that of a Persian cat. Persian cats require daily grooming to keep the longhaired coat from tangling and matting. However, the Burmilla cat’s coat is much less prone to matting making it a low maintenance version of Persian cats.

The eyes of Burmilla cats are various shades of green. They have dark coloring around the eyes which give the appearance of eyeliner. Burmilla kittens may be white or dark, though the coat coloring may change dramatically. Some dark Burmilla kittens are born with tabby markings that may disappear.