A playful, loving cat with the build of a Burmese and the shimmering silver coat of a Chinchilla Persian.
The Burmilla began with an accident. In 1981 a Burmese queen and a Chinchilla Persian tom found each other, and four silver kittens were born. They were so pretty that their owner made a new breed of them. The Burmilla has the shape of a Burmese, a coat coloured only at the tips and green eyes with a dark rim, like eyeliner. It is playful and loving, but calmer than a Burmese.
Loving and people-focused, but not pushy about it.
Likes a cuddle, but often sits next to you rather than on your lap.
Stays playful and a little mischievous all its life.
Lively, but calmer than a Burmese. A good game every day is usually enough.
Fairly quiet. It meows now and then for food or attention.
Clever and curious, and can often learn tricks.
Usually friendly with visitors, though some take a little while to warm up.
Patient and sweet with children who handle it gently.
Usually fine with a calm dog, if they get to know each other slowly.
Sociable and not very territorial, so usually good with other cats.
Can manage a few hours alone, but not long days. A second cat helps.
Usually does well indoors, with places to climb, toys and daily play.
The Burmilla is a cat from Thailand or Asia.
No. The breed began in England in 1981. Only its Burmese ancestors have far-off roots in Burma and old Siam.
A Burmilla is just a silver Burmese.
No. The silver comes from the Chinchilla Persian. Burmese breeders did not want the name 'Silver Burmese', and the Burmilla is a breed of its own, lighter in build and softer in coat.
The whole breed is a happy accident.
Only the first litter was an accident. After that breeders built the breed on purpose, from Chinchilla Persian and Burmese lines.
The Burmilla is a cross: its mother was a lilac Burmese queen, its father a Chinchilla Persian tom. They had kittens by accident in 1981, at Miranda von Kirchberg's home in England. The four silver kittens were not neutered but became the start of a new breed. In Britain the Burmilla belongs to a group of breeds called the Asian.
A Chinchilla Persian tom and a lilac Burmese queen mate by accident. On 11 September four silver female kittens are born.
A Burmilla club is founded in England and the first breed standard is written.
Miranda von Kirchberg starts a society to develop the whole Asian group.
The European federation FIFe recognises the Burmilla.
Britain's GCCF gives the Burmilla championship status, after an earlier preliminary step. Not every source gives the same year.
The Australian Cat Federation recognises the Burmilla.
America's CFA starts registering the Burmilla; from 1 May it may be shown in the class for new breeds.
FIFe also recognises golden Burmillas, shaded and tipped.
CFA gives the Burmilla championship status.
Medium-sized and elegant, with solid bones, but lighter in build than a Burmese. The coat shimmers: only the tips of the hairs carry colour.
The same cat with a semi-long, silky coat, a full plumed tail and tufts on the ears. The long-hair gene comes from the Chinchilla Persian; two shorthaired carriers can have a longhaired kitten.
Recognition: CFA, TICA and Australia's ACF see it as a Burmilla with long hair. Britain's GCCF calls it a separate breed, the Tiffanie.
Cat registries write colours as an EMS code. The letter is the colour (n black, a blue, d red, f tortie), s means silver or smoke, y golden, and the numbers tell you about white (01–09), shading (11, 12), the tabby pattern (22–25) or colourpoint (33).
Black silver shaded(ns 11)
Blue silver shaded(as 11)
Chocolate silver shaded(bs 11)
Lilac silver shaded(cs 11)
Black silver tipped(ns 12)
Brown silver shaded(ns 11 31)Shaded means about a third of each hair is coloured. Cinnamon and fawn are in the FIFe standard only.
Tipped (also called shell) means only the top eighth of the hair is coloured. Such a cat looks almost white.
Red, cream and tortie are recognised by FIFe, CFA and Australia's ACF, but not in New Zealand (CatzInc) or Canada (CCCA).
A warm, honey-gold ground instead of silver. FIFe has recognised golden since 2011 and Australia's ACF does too; CFA only in a few colours. Britain's GCCF accepts silver only.
With two Burmese colour genes black turns a warm brown, as in the Burmese. FIFe, CFA, WCF and Australia's ACF accept it.
Only Australia's ACF fully recognises caramel; CFA lists silver caramel. FIFe has no caramel.
A Burmilla is always shaded or tipped. Solid, smoke and tabby cats from the same lines are not Burmillas; in Britain they are other Asians. White does not belong.
On this day the first four Burmillas were born, all silver little females.
The first four kittens were called Galatea, Gemma, Gabriela and Gisella.
A Burmilla has dark outlines around its eyes, nose and lips, as if it wears make-up. It gets them from the Chinchilla Persian.
On a shaded Burmilla about a third of each hair is coloured, on a tipped one only an eighth. That one looks almost white.
Kittens often have gold or yellowish eyes that slowly turn green. A yellow tinge is allowed at shows until the cat is two.
A Burmilla often lives about 12 to 15 years. There is no study of the breed itself, so this is a rough estimate.
Small fluid-filled blisters slowly grow in the kidneys, so the kidneys work less and less well. It comes from the Persian side of the breed and mostly shows in older cats. How often Burmillas have it is not known.
How it is found: DNA test (PKD1) of the parents, or a kidney scan.
The potassium in the blood drops now and then, and the muscles go weak: mostly the neck, so the head droops. Extra potassium in the food helps. A kitten only gets it when both parents are carriers.
How it is found: DNA test of the parents. Two carriers are not mated with each other.
This gene comes from the Burmese side. Kittens with two copies are born with a badly malformed head and cannot survive. With one copy the cat is healthy, sometimes with a slightly shorter face.
How it is found: DNA test of the parents. Two carriers are never mated with each other.
Brushing once a week is enough for the short coat. Wipe tear marks by the dark eye rims with a soft, damp cloth.
Daily play, and places to climb and jump: a scratching post, a window perch, boxes and an evening game with a wand toy.
Good cat food in measured portions. Some Burmillas put on weight easily later in life, so count the treats.
Gum problems are often mentioned. Brush its teeth a few times a week and have the vet check its mouth every year.
The Burmilla is not hypoallergenic. Every cat makes the proteins people are allergic to, even one that sheds little.
Checked on 21 October 2026
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