Burmilla

The Burmilla is sociable, playful and affectionate, gets along well with other household pets and with children who behave appropriately around cats, and retain many kitten-like characteristics into adulthood. Despite this friendly nature, they are also a fairly independent and irreverent cat, capable of spending time alone and are not overly or loudly demanding.

The Burmilla is a cat of medium build, thanks to the Burmese blood in its ancestry. In Asians like the Burmilla, the female is much smaller and daintier than the male. The head has good width between the ears and a gently rounded dome. The jaw is wide at the hinge tapering to a broad blunt muzzle. In profile the head forms a short wedge with a firm chin and the nose is short. The chin and the tip of the nose are in the same vertical plane. The ears are of medium size with a rounded tip. They are set so as to continue the angle of the face and are slightly tilted forward. The eyes are set well apart and are full and expressive. The eyes may be any colour from gold through to green. The body is firm and muscular with a strong straight back. The legs are of medium length and the hind legs are a little longer than the front. The paws are oval and the tail is medium to long, tapering slightly to a rounded tip.

10 to 15 years

Coat is dense and short with a pale undercoat and distinctive dark tipping to the ends of the hairs.

The short close lying coat of the Burmilla does not require much grooming although they do appreciate the attention that comes with it.

The Asians including the Burmilla have no specific health care problems and, like the Burmese, live well into their teens. As with all cats it is a good idea to have an annual health check from about the age of eight.

The Burmilla is an active cat and requires 80 Kcals per kg of bodyweight per day of food. These cats are not generally prone to obesity and regulate their own diets very well.

The Burmilla was created by accident when a male Chinchilla had a clandestine meeting with a lilac female Burmese. The kittens were so attractive that they quickly won the hearts of all who saw them, and new homes were found for them all. In fact, so much interest was generated that a repeat mating was done and from there a new breed was formed. The kittens looked more like the Burmese than the Chinchilla and had the inquisitive, friendly Burmese temperament but they had the stunning silver colouring and the tipped markings of the Chinchilla.

Although laid-back and relaxed, the Burmilla is an active and playful cat that will benefit from games, puzzles and climbing equipment such as cat-trees or even cat gyms. Providing plenty of opportunities to climb, jump and play, as well as interactive games with their humans, will keep a Burmilla happy, mentally satisfied and fulfilled. They also respond well to clicker training and can learn a variety of tricks and useful behaviours.