Burmilla

The Burmilla is a medium-sized domestic cat that began in the United Kingdom and has built a quiet but steady following in South Africa. It came from an accidental cross between a Burmese and a Chinchilla Persian, and it carries traits from both. The body has the muscular, compact build of the Burmese, while the coat shows the silver-shaded or tipped pattern that comes from the Chinchilla side.

The breed is muscular without being heavy, and in the shorthair variety the coat lies close to the body. The eyes are large and expressive, usually green, and outlined in a darker shade that gives the face a defined look. Most cats weigh between 3 and 6 kg.

For South African cat owners in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, the Burmilla suits both the indoor lifestyle of a security estate and the suburban home with an enclosed garden. Its low-maintenance coat and sociable nature make it a practical choice across South Africa's varied climate, from the warm dry Gauteng highveld to the temperate Cape coastline.

Who it suits

The Burmilla fits households that want an affectionate cat with a calm but playful manner. It does well with families, with people who are home often, and in multi-pet homes. It does not cope well with long stretches on its own, so it suits owners who can offer daily company and interaction.

The Burmilla traces back to a single accidental pairing in England in 1981. A Lilac Burmese female owned by Baroness Miranda von Kirchberg mated with a Chinchilla Persian male in the same household. The mating was unintended, yet the four kittens that resulted were striking shorthaired cats with shaded silver coats.

The quality of those first kittens prompted breeders to develop the cross on purpose. A breeding programme was set up to fix the type and the silver coat while keeping the Burmese body and the gentle temperament. The name Burmilla was formed from Burmese and Chinchilla.

Through the 1980s and 1990s the breed was developed further in the United Kingdom and then spread to other countries. Breed clubs were formed to set a standard and to guide outcrossing back to Burmese where needed, so the gene pool stayed healthy.

Governing bodies recognised the Burmilla over the following years, and it is now registered with several major cat associations. In South Africa a Burmilla can be registered through the South African Cat Council (SACC), while TICA registers the breed internationally. It remains less common than many older breeds, though it has a steady following among owners who value its looks and easy nature.

The Burmilla has a medium build that is muscular and well balanced rather than slim or stocky. The head is gently rounded with a short muzzle and medium-sized ears set well apart. The eyes are large, set somewhat wide, and most often green, with darker outlining around the eyes, nose, and lips that frames the face. The legs are of medium length, and the tail is medium to long with a slight taper.

Coat and colours

The defining feature is the silver undercoat with darker tipping or shading at the ends of the hairs. In a tipped cat only the very tips carry colour, which gives a light, sparkling look. In a shaded cat the colour runs further down the hair and produces a deeper tone. The base colour under the silver can be black, brown, blue, chocolate, lilac, or red and cream, giving a range of overall shades. A longhaired variety occurs and is recognised by some registries; it carries the same patterns on a softer, semi-long coat.

The Burmilla is an affectionate, good-natured cat that stays attached to its people. It tends to follow household members from room to room and seeks out laps and company, though it is usually less demanding and less loud than the Burmese it descends from. The playful, curious streak of kittenhood carries on for years, so the breed keeps an interest in toys and games well into adulthood.

With family, the Burmilla is gentle and patient, which makes it a good match for households with children who handle cats kindly. With strangers it is generally relaxed and curious rather than shy, and many will greet visitors. With other pets it is sociable and settles in well alongside other cats and cat-friendly dogs.

The breed is intelligent and enjoys interaction. Left alone for long periods without company or stimulation, it can grow bored, so it does best where it has either human attention or another pet for company.

Grooming

• Brush the shorthair coat once a week to remove loose hair and keep it glossy.
• Brush the semi-longhair variety two or three times a week to prevent tangles.
• Check and clean the ears as needed and trim the claws every few weeks.
• Brush the teeth regularly to support dental health.

Exercise

• Provide daily interactive play with wand toys, balls, or puzzle feeders.
• Offer climbing space such as a cat tree so the cat can use its agility.
• Rotate toys to keep the curious mind engaged.

Environment

The Burmilla suits indoor life or a home with a safe enclosed garden. South Africa's security-conscious housing culture, with walled gardens and estate perimeters, lends itself well to supervised outdoor access. On the warm Gauteng highveld, provide a shaded resting spot and keep fresh water available through summer. In Cape Town's milder coastal conditions, the breed adapts whether kept fully indoors or allowed measured garden time. Provide scratching posts, warm window spots, and quiet corners to retreat to.

The Burmilla is an obligate carnivore like all cats and needs a diet built on animal protein. Choose a complete commercial food that meets recognised feeding standards for the cat's life stage. Both wet and dry foods can work, and many owners feed a mix. Provide fresh water at all times. Portion food to maintain a lean body, since extra weight raises the risk of joint and metabolic problems.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to about 10 percent of daily calories and reduce the main meal to match. A cat on a complete, balanced food does not usually need supplements. Speak to a veterinarian before adding any supplement, and ask about diet changes for kittens, pregnant or nursing females, and senior cats.

The Burmilla is generally a healthy breed with a typical lifespan of 12 to 15 years, and some cats live longer with good care. As a breed developed from a small founding group, it can carry a few inherited conditions, so buying from breeders who screen their cats lowers the risk. Routine veterinary care, vaccination, parasite control, and weight management all support a long life.

Preventive care

• Keep core vaccinations and parasite prevention up to date.
• Book an annual veterinary check, moving to twice a year for senior cats.
• Ask the breeder about PKD testing of the parents.
• Maintain a lean body weight and provide dental care.
• Monitor water intake and litter box use as the cat ages.

The Burmilla is intelligent and pays attention to its people, which makes it easier to train than many cats. It can learn to come when called, use a scratching post, and even perform simple tricks when training is short, positive, and consistent. Cats do not respond to punishment, so the aim is to reward the behaviour you want and redirect the behaviour you do not want.

Basics

1. Set up a clean litter box in a quiet spot and keep it consistent.
2. Place scratching posts near favoured areas and reward their use.
3. Teach the cat's name with a treat each time it responds.
4. Use short play sessions to build routine and burn off energy.
5. Introduce a carrier early with treats so vet trips are calmer.

Female Burmillas usually reach sexual maturity between about 7 and 12 months, though responsible breeders wait until the queen is physically mature before breeding. Pregnancy lasts roughly 63 to 67 days. Litters average around four kittens, in line with the breed's founding litters, though numbers vary.

Kittens are born with the silver coat pattern already showing in lighter form, and the tipping deepens as they grow. The mother raises the kittens with little need for intervention in a normal birth, but breeders keep an eye on weight gain in the early weeks. Kittens should stay with the mother and litter until around 12 to 13 weeks so they are weaned, socialised, and ready for vaccination before going to new homes.

Because the breed came from a small founding group, breeders outcross to Burmese where the registry allows, which keeps the gene pool varied. Screening parents for inherited kidney disease before breeding is part of responsible practice.

Registering a Burmilla in South Africa

A gate left open for the gardener is all it takes for a homebody Burmilla to go missing. Her free United Pet Club profile keeps your details one scan away, wherever she turns up. Register your cat once, free, and the record outlasts every house move.

A scanner reads your Burmilla's chip in seconds; the registry decides whether the reading goes anywhere. Capture the 15-digit number in your free United Pet Club account and it goes straight to your phone. Free for life, every brand accepted, every update free. Microchip registration closes the loop.