Burmilla
A Complete Breed Guide for Burmilla Cats
This article is written by Pet Circle veterinarian,
This beautiful breed of cat is a relatively new breed that is the result of breeding a Burmese and a Chinchilla (Persian). The Burmilla is a beautiful looking, fun loving and sociable cat that does well in a family environment. Your life will never be boring once you own a Burmilla!
Contents:
- Burmilla Facts
- Burmilla History
- Burmilla Personality
- Burmilla Distinguishing Features
- Burmilla Diet and Nutrition
- Burmilla Common Health Concerns
Burmilla Facts
| Breed size: | Place of origin: | Tendency to vocalise: |
| Medium | United Kingdom | Low-Moderate |
| Temperament: | Energy levels: | Weight range: |
| Sociable, friendly, playful affectionate, independent, intelligent and curious | Moderate | 3-6kg |
| Life expectancy: | Tendency to shed: | Grooming needs: |
| 10-15+ | Moderate | Weekly brushing |
| Coat type: | Coat markings: | Colours: |
| Short, dense and silky or semilong | Tipped or shaded fur, black markings around eyes, nose and mouth | Usually white, ivory or beige underocats with silver, blue, brown, chocolate, or lilac, tipping or shading |
How big do Burmillas get?
Burmillas are a medium sized cat, normally weighing 3-6kg. They do have a tendency towards obesity as they get older, so it is important to watch their weight!
How much does a Burmilla cost?
Burmilla kittens cost anywhere from $200-$800 to buy in Australia.
Do Burmillas shed?
Burmillas do shed, but they are not a particularly heavy shedding breed. A weekly brush will help with shedding.
Are Bumillas good pets?
Burmillas are great pets! They are affectionate, sociable and love to hang out with their family. They are great with kids and other animals.
How much enrichment do Burmillas need?
Burmillas do need to have lots of environmental enrichment provided (such as toys, play areas, scratch posts) as they are an intelligent breed and can get bored easily.
How long do Burmillas live?
Burmillas average life span is 10-16+. As with any breed, they will live much longer if you take good care of them, never let them become overweight, and keep their teeth in top condition!
How do I choose a Burmilla breeder?
When looking for a Burmilla your options are to:
- adopt from a rescue (this is our top recommendation!)
- buy from an or online marketplace or pet store (NOT recommended!)
- Research a reputable breeder
Never purchase a kitten without inspecting the breeder's premises and asking the 10 Breeder Checklist Questions first. Good breeders socialise their animals, house them humanely, allow you to inspect their premises, and select for healthy traits and good temperaments.
Do Burmillas vocalise much?
Burmillas can be vocal but they are usually not overly demanding. It is a good idea to provide lots of environmental enrichment (especially if they are indoors only) as they are an intelligent breed that can get bored easily, leading to vocalising for attention.
Burmilla History
This beautiful cat breed came about by a chance mating between a Burmese cat and a Chinchilla cat in England in 1981.
The first Australian litter was reportedly born in 1994 and official national recognition of the breed in Australia was given in 1999.
Burmilla Personality
Burmillas are sociable, friendly cats that have a laid-back temperament. They are a family friendly breed that are fun loving and love attention.
These cats are known for keeping their kitten-like energy well into adulthood, and have a mischievous nature. They love to play and are curious so you need to make sure your Burmilla is getting enough environmental enrichment and stimulation around the home, even more so if they are kept indoors all the time. Interactive toys, cat 'playgrounds', hidey holes, scratching posts/surfaces, and comfortable beds all provide enrichment for your Burmilla.
Burmillas love to play, and have a mischievous nature! They are also curious and love to involve the family in play when they can! These toys will provide the stimulation and interaction they thrive on.
Best Toys for Burmillas:
This is a great toy to keep your Burmilla entertained as they paw at and chase the light-up ball along the track.
Scream Cat Toy Cardboard Roller
Watch your Burmilla have a great time playing with this fun toy! They can scratch it, roll it, toss it and bat it about all over the place!
This fun toy will keep your Burmilla mentally and physically active and occupied for hours!
Can't decide? Why not let us pick for you with the Curious Box? Each Curious Box contains a selection of two to three engaging toys (and treats!) Even better, the theme changes every 6 weeks, making it the perfect way to keep your pet's supply of toys and treats fresh, fun, and varied for mental stimulation!
Burmilla Distinguishing Features
Burmillas have several colour variants. They normally have pure white, ivory, cream or beige undercoats and their fur is tipped (1/2 of the hair tip is coloured) or shaded (1/4 of the hair is coloured) in black, blue, chocolate brown, seal brown, lilac, grey, cream, red or silver. Their eyes, nose, and lips are outlined in black, and their eyes are large and luminous in a shade of green.
The Burmilla has a rounded wedge-shaped head, wide at the cheekbones and tapering to a blunt muzzle. The ears are medium-to-large with slightly rounded tips.
Burmilla Diet and Nutrition
What To Feed A Burmilla Kitten
Burmilla kittens need to eat a premium food such as Advance Kitten Food that is nutritionally formulated to meet AAFCO Guidelines until they are 12 months of age.
Dry food helps to maintain dental health and wet food is beneficial for hydration so a combination of premium wet and dry food is recommended.
This super premium, Australian made, dry kitten food is complete and balanced to support the healthy growth and development of your Burmilla kitten.It contains beneficial nutrients It is also is fortified with added colostrum to help support good intestinal health in young animals as well as DHA and choline to support healthy brain development
Royal Canin Kitten is tailor made to support the nutritional needs of your growing kitten.It contains high quality, highly digestible nutrients to help support healthy bone and muscle development, as well as antioxidants and prebiotics to support your kittens natural immune defences.
Hills Science Diet Kitten provides your kitten with precisely balanced nutrition to help them grow and develop to their full potential. It contains natural DHA from fish oil to support healthy eye and brain development, as well as a clinically proven antioxidant blend including vitamins C & E to support a healthy immune system.
Royal Canin Kitten Instinctive in Gravy is tailor made to support the nutritional needs of your growing kitten. It is is formulated with an optimal nutrient profile for a taste that kittens instinctively prefer. It contains nutrients to help support a strong immune system and the consistency of small chunks in gravy makes it easy to chew.
Best Food for Adult Burmillas
Although there are no specific feeding requirements for a Burmilla, their diet needs to be age-appropriate and meet all of their daily nutritional and energy demands.
Most adult cat food from premium brands including Hills Science Diet, Royal Canin and Advance are suitable. These scientifically-formulated diets also contain balanced levels of protein, fat and carbohydrate plus vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for health and wellbeing.
Advance Adult Cat is formulated with controlled mineral levels and high digestibility to help support urinary tract health and it has also been specifically designed to help promote good oral health. The addition of psyllium husk and slippery elm bark to this formula helps to reduce hairball production by assisting ingested hair to move gently through the digestive tract.
This premium dry food is made from high quality, natural ingredients with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. It contains highly digestible ingredients and natural fibre to support digestive health for easy litter box clean up, as well as a clinically proven antioxidant blend to support a healthy immune system and high quality protein to help your indoor cat maintain a healthy weight.
This premium dry cat food is made from highly digestible ingredients to improve digestion for less active indoor cats and reduce stool odour. It contains an adapted calorie content to aid weight management, preventing excess weight gain, as well as a combination of specific fibres to allow hair to be naturally eliminated from the gastrointestinal tract, reducing hairball formation.
This super premium multi pack is formulated with tender meaty chunks in jelly in a range of delicious flavours that your cat will love. Advance formulas are complete and nutritionally balanced to support the health and wellbeing of your adult cat, made with high quality, Australian-sourced ingredients.
Burmilla Health Problems
Burmillas are a fairly young breed, so there are no detailed studies about them being susceptible to any particular health conditions. They appear to be a relatively healthy breed, however due to the Chinchilla (Persian) and Burmese breeds in their background, they can develop the following conditions:
Polycystic kidney disease: This is an inherited condition in some cats so it is recommended that breeders DNA test their breeding stock to ensure they aren't carriers of the disease. Polycystic kidney disease.and involves the presence of multiple fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys. These cysts can grow over time and interfere with kidney function and this eventually progresses to chronic kidney failure. Signs of kidney disease include loss of appetite, vomiting, and increased drinking and urination.
This condition is best diagnosed via blood tests and ultrasound and while there is no cure, early diagnosis often offers the best prognosis.More information on this condition can be found here: Cornell Feline Health Centre - Polycystic kidney disease in cats.
Diabetes mellitus: Diabetes occurs when there is a failure to regulate blood sugar and inability to utilise glucose as an energy source by the body. This article goes into detail about this condition: Diabetes in Cats.
Obesity: Burmillas can also be prone to obesity if their food intake is not monitored.
Further Reading
Teach Your Cat To Walk On a Lead
How To Choose the Perfect Cat Furniture
Want to know more? Check out our Discover Page for more tips on keeping your pets happy and healthy.