FANCY FELINE

Burmilla

the Burmilla earned its name in the simplest way imaginable—by combining its origins: The Burmese cat (Burm) and the Chinchilla Persian (illa). In 1981, Baroness Miranda von Kirchberg from England had two cats: A male Silver Chinchilla Persian named Jemari Sanquist and a precocious Lilac Burmese female called Bambino Lilac Faberge. When a cleaner unintentionally left Faberge’s cage door open, she escaped and mated with Sanquist, thus producing the very first litter of Burmillas— four female kittens, all short-haired and black-shaded silver in colour. They were so attractive that instead of sterilising them, the Baroness chose to back-cross the kittens with the Burmese and hence, the breed characteristics were retained.

Loyal, playful and affectionate, the Burmilla is the ideal companion to while away a long day at home. The breed enjoys being around people and displays many kitten-like characteristics, even into adulthood. This feline will entertain you with games of fetch, and also settle down for cuddles after playtime.

Burmillas are excellent climbers, so pawrents should keep them occupied with cat trees and perches, as well as stimulating toys to train their agility. That said, this kitty tends to be a bit of a klutz, so you might want to put away your glassware!

These furry acrobats come in two coat

lengths: Short and semi-long; and also a spectrum of coat colours and shades of silver. As a result of its lineage, their striking green eyes are outlined with black. In all other respects, the Burmillas look rather similar to the European Burmese, with a slightly rounded head that tapers to a short, blunt wedge, medium-sized body with slender legs, neat oval paws, and a tail that tapers to a rounded tip.

While beautiful to look at, this feline is a heavy shedder and should be groomed at least once a week. Weekly brushing of its teeth is also needed to prevent periodontal disease.

The Burmilla is a generally healthy cat that can live well into its teens. However, coming from the Chinchilla Persian lineage, this breed is predisposed to diseases such as polycystic kidney disease, which causes the formation of cysts in the kidneys and often leads to renal failure.

Today, the Burmilla is still considered to be an experimental breed and is not yet accepted by major pet registries in the U.S.. With a laidback nature and medium energy level, this sweet-natured feline does well with singles and families with both children and elderly.