The Asian Semi-longhair is an affectionate, elegant cat blending Burmese sociability with a soft, semi-long coat.
How the Asian Semi-longhair coat is built, and what that means when you groom it.
Caution: A Asian Semi-longhair coat mats easily.
Fine or long hair tangles at the base of the coat, out of sight, where the mats tighten and pull on the skin. Brushing has to reach right down to the roots in sections, not just skim the surface.
A medium-sized, people-loving cat from Britain, the Asian Semi-longhair blends Burmese friendliness with a soft, flowing semi-long coat.
The Asian Semi-longhair is a medium domestic cat that came out of British breeding work as one member of the wider Asian group. Its build and outgoing nature match the Burmese, but the coat runs longer and silkier. A few registries list the breed under the name Tiffanie.
This cat was shaped for company. It likes to stay near its household, trailing everyday activity from one room to the next, and it holds onto a playful side long after kittenhood. Because the coat is semi-long rather than full, it settles close to the body and lends the cat a smooth, tidy line without the bulk of a true longhair.
Around the home the Asian Semi-longhair reads as chatty rather than loud, inquisitive, and fast to pick up the rhythms of the house. It suits people after an interactive companion who can offer steady attention and company.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Size | Medium |
| Lifespan | 12 to 16 years |
| Group/role | Asian group, companion cat |
| Good with | Families, children, other cats, and dogs |
This breed fits homes that are occupied often or already have another pet on hand for company. It thrives with attentive families and anyone who enjoys a cat that wants a part in the day. It is a poor fit where it would be left alone for long stretches, since it forms strong bonds and struggles with isolation.
The Asian Semi-longhair took shape in 1980s Britain, from programmes crossing Burmese cats with longhaired lines within the wider Asian group.
The story of the Asian Semi-longhair begins with breeding efforts across the United Kingdom during the 1980s. It sits within the Asian group, a family built on Burmese type but developed to widen the sweep of coats and colours past the traditional Burmese range.
Within those programmes, the semi-long coat came from matings that fed longhaired ancestry into the Burmese-based lines. Cats carrying the longer coat were picked out and worked up into a variety of their own. Under several registries this longhaired Asian goes on record as the Tiffanie.
Through the 1980s and 1990s, British cat fancy bodies recognised the Asian group, with the semi-longhair documented next to its shorthaired Asian cousins. The aim throughout was to hold on to the Burmese character, that warm, people-focused temperament, while marrying it to a softer, flowing coat.
The breed is still scarcer than the Burmese behind it. Breeding centres mainly on the United Kingdom and pockets of Europe, and numbers stay modest set against mainstream pedigree cats.
Medium and muscular with a foreign body type, expressive eyes, and a fine silky semi-long coat that lies flat against the body.
The Asian Semi-longhair carries a medium build with a firm, muscular body that weighs more in the hand than the eye expects. Its head forms a moderate wedge softened by rounded lines, set on a foreign-type body that avoids both cobby and extreme. The coat defines the cat: fine and silky, semi-long, lying flat so the outline stays sleek rather than fluffy. The tail is well plumed.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Height | Around 25 to 30 cm at the shoulder |
| Weight | 4 to 6.5 kg |
| Coat | Fine, silky, semi-long, lies close to the body |
| Colours | Wide range including self, tortie, smoke, shaded, and tabby patterns |
| Eyes | Large, expressive, ranging from yellow to green |
Variety in colour and pattern is a hallmark of the Asian group, and the semi-longhair shares in it. Accepted colours run through solid (self) shades, tortoiseshell, smoke, shaded, and tabby patterns. Whatever the colour, the texture holds fine and close-lying with little undercoat, which is a large part of why grooming stays lighter than a typical longhair.
Affectionate, playful, and deeply people-oriented, the breed gets on well with children and other pets but dislikes long spells alone.
The Asian Semi-longhair is an affectionate, sociable cat that wants a place in the household. It bonds tightly with its people, often settling on a favourite person while staying friendly with everyone under the roof. Owners commonly find it tags along and beds down nearby rather than seeking a quiet corner by itself.
With family and children it stays patient and playful, and it generally takes respectful handling in its stride. Around strangers it leans curious and confident rather than shy, warming to visitors in short order. It usually gets along with other cats and with dogs, especially those it grew up beside.
Its intelligence shows in how quickly it takes to routines and games. The cat holds its energy and play drive well past kittenhood and keeps a moderate, conversational voice. The chief drawback is its dislike of being left alone for long, which can tip into stress or attention-seeking in an empty house.
| Trait | Rating |
|---|---|
| Affection | 5 |
| Energy | 4 |
| Trainability | 4 |
| Vocalness | 3 |
| Shedding | 2 |
Easy to groom thanks to a thin undercoat, the Asian Semi-longhair mainly needs steady play and company to stay content.
Everyday care for the Asian Semi-longhair asks little. With scant undercoat, the semi-long coat shrugs off matting and drops less hair than many longhaired breeds. The larger need is social and mental: this cat is at its best with company and regular interaction.
The Asian Semi-longhair takes well to indoor or supervised-outdoor living. It wants company, so a home where someone is around for much of the day, or a second pet, keeps it settled. Give it warm resting spots, a clear view of household comings and goings, and safe high perches.
The breed needs a complete, protein-led cat diet portioned to its medium frame, with fresh water always on offer and weight kept in check.
Being an obligate carnivore, the Asian Semi-longhair needs a complete and balanced diet built around animal protein. Pick a quality commercial cat food matched to its life stage. Wet food supports hydration, while dry food can sit out for grazing or go into puzzle feeders. Keep fresh water on hand at all times. Portion to the cat's weight and activity, because this active but medium-sized breed can put on weight if fed without limit.
| Life stage | Amount per day | Meals |
|---|---|---|
| Kitten (2 to 12 months) | Per label, fed to appetite while growing | 3 to 4 |
| Adult (1 to 7 years) | About 200 to 300 kcal | 2 |
| Senior (7 years and older) | Adjusted to hold a healthy weight | 2 |
Hold treats to a small slice of daily calories so they do not throw the diet off balance. A cat on a complete commercial food usually needs no extra supplements. Check with a vet before adding any supplement, and bring in new foods gradually to head off an upset stomach.
Generally healthy with a 12 to 16 year lifespan, the breed can inherit a few conditions traced to its Burmese ancestry.
The Asian Semi-longhair is generally a hardy, healthy breed living a typical 12 to 16 years. Because its roots lie in Burmese lines, it can carry some of the health concerns tied to that ancestry, so responsible breeders screen their cats and keep health records. Routine veterinary care and sensible weight management back a long, comfortable life.
| Condition | Signs | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dental disease | Bad breath, drooling, reluctance to eat | Common in cats; managed with dental care |
| Obesity | Weight gain, reduced activity | Preventable through portion control and play |
| Inherited conditions from Burmese lines | Varies by condition | Choose breeders who health-test their cats |
| Kidney disease (older cats) | Increased drinking, weight loss | Monitored through senior wellness checks |
Bright and people-focused, the Asian Semi-longhair takes quickly to litter habits, recall, and simple tricks through reward-based methods.
The Asian Semi-longhair is bright and keen to join in, which makes it more trainable than most cats. Its wish to be near its people hands you a ready-made reward. It can learn its name, come when called, walk on a harness, and pick up simple tricks. Short, consistent sessions built around play and food work best, while harsh correction backfires with a sensitive, social cat.
Asian Semi-longhairs mature at the usual feline age and raise average-sized litters that should come from health-tested, registered parents.
Breeding the Asian Semi-longhair belongs with experienced breeders who health-test their cats and work to the standard inside a recognised registry. Females reach sexual maturity within the first year, though responsible breeders hold off until a queen is physically mature before her first litter. Gestation runs to roughly nine weeks, and litters land at an average size for a domestic cat.
The semi-long coat is inherited within the Asian group, so breeding programmes track coat type alongside colour. Kittens arrive with shorter coats that reach full length as they grow. Because the breed stays uncommon, planned matings and accurate pedigree records count for keeping the line healthy and varied.
Kittens should stay with their mother and littermates until weaned, socialised, and old enough to leave, usually around 12 to 13 weeks. Early handling and exposure to household life help build the confident, people-oriented adult the breed is known for. Buyers should expect vaccination, parasite treatment, and health documentation from the breeder.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Sexual maturity | Around 6 to 12 months |
| Gestation | About 63 to 67 days |
| Average litter size | 3 to 5 kittens |
| Weaning age | Around 6 to 8 weeks |
| Recommended rehoming age | 12 to 13 weeks |
Cats sit outside the National Dog Database, so a free United Pet Club record is what stands behind your Asian Semi-longhair's chip.
Giving your Asian Semi-longhair a record takes less time than choosing her food: name, colouring, photo, phone number, save. The profile holds for life, free, with a chip number slot waiting whenever the vet's done. Registering your cat starts it.
Pop the fifteen digit number from the vet paperwork into your free United Pet Club account, check your phone number is current, and your Asian Semi-longhair's chip finally points somewhere. Every brand is accepted, every update free, and the record answers scans at any hour. Microchip registration is the link in the middle.
It's a matter of creating a free United Pet Club account, adding her name, colouring, and a photo, and saving. The record is free for her whole life, indoors or out.
Adding the fifteen digit number to your free account with your current details is the whole job. The lifetime plan never charges for the record or its updates, whatever the chip brand.
There's no national requirement the way the dog database works, though some councils encourage it and shelters chip on rehoming. Requirement or not, a registered chip is what turns a found Asian Semi-longhair into a phone call.
Nothing at all. Profile, chip registration, and every later update are free under the lifetime plan.
Common questions about the Asian Semi-longhair cover its size, temperament, grooming, lifespan, suitability, and availability.
It is a medium cat, usually 4 to 6.5 kg. The body is muscular and feels heavier than its sleek outline suggests.
It is affectionate, playful, clever, and strongly people-oriented. It bonds closely with its household and stays sociable with children, visitors, and other pets.
Grooming is easy, since the coat has little undercoat and rarely mats, needing only a weekly brush. The main commitment is company and play, because the breed dislikes being left alone.
The usual lifespan is 12 to 16 years. Routine vet care, dental care, and weight management support the upper end of that range.
Yes. It is patient with children and generally gets on with other cats and with dogs, particularly when raised alongside them.
It is scarcer than the Burmese it descends from and is bred mainly in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe. Finding a kitten may mean a registered breeder and a waiting list.
Shedding is low for a semi-longhaired cat thanks to the thin undercoat. A weekly brush keeps loose hair under control.
