Burmilla Cat Breed Information
An accidental cross between a Burmese and a Chinchilla Persian in the early 1980s produced this elegant silver-tipped breed. Sociable like the Burmese, calmer in voice, and with the striking silver-shaded coat of the Chinchilla.
A highly affectionate, great with young children, highly playful cat. On the practical side: low grooming demands and minimal drool.
About the Burmilla.
The Burmilla is the result of a single accidental Burmese and Chinchilla Persian mating in London in 1981. The four kittens were striking enough that the breeders pursued the cross deliberately, and the breed was formally recognised in 1990. The Burmilla looks like a silver-shaded shorthair with a Burmese face and body, and behaves like a slightly quieter, slightly more independent Burmese.
Personality and behaviour
Burmillas are sociable, affectionate and quietly friendly. The voice is softer than the Burmese, the activity level a notch lower, and the time-alone tolerance a notch higher. The breed pairs well with families, working professionals home in the evenings, and other social cats.
Care and grooming
A weekly brush with a soft slicker manages the short fine coat. Some Burmillas carry the longer coat gene from the Chinchilla foundation; these need twice-weekly brushing and behave more like a semi-longhair.
Indoor vs outdoor in New Zealand
Indoor or catio, the standard NZ case for a friendly conspicuous pedigree cat.
Where to find a Burmilla in New Zealand
The NZCF and Catz Inc breeder directories list NZ-registered Burmilla breeders (NZCF Burmilla, Catz Inc Burmilla). Expect a four to seven month waitlist, NZD 1,200 to 2,800. Ask whether parents have been DNA-tested for PKD1 (inherited from the Chinchilla foundation) and screened for diabetes risk in the line.
Insurance and lifetime cost
The Burmilla’s claim profile centres on diabetes mellitus, occasional HCM, and PKD risk in untested lines. Lifetime cost mid-range for a pedigree cat at $250 to $400 a month all-in.
The Burmilla, by the numbers.
Each trait scored 1 to 5 on the AKC scale. The verdict synthesises the data; the panels below show the strengths, group averages, and the full trait table.
Top strengths
Family Life
avg 4.0Affectionate with Family
Good with Young Children
Good with Other Pets
Physical
avg 2.0Shedding
Grooming Frequency
Social
avg 3.8Openness to Strangers
Playfulness
Adaptability
Independence
Personality
avg 2.8Trainability
Energy Level
Vocal Level
Prey Drive
Mental Stimulation Needs
Living with a Burmilla.
A 24-hour breakdown of how this breed's day typically goes, scaled to its energy, mental-stimulation, and grooming needs.
What a Burmilla costs to own.
An indicative NZ lifetime cost: purchase, setup, then food, vet, insurance, grooming and other annual outgoings. Adjust the inputs to see how your choices change the total.
A Burmilla costs about
$151per month
$35
$5
$27,710
Adjust the inputs:
Where the monthly cost goes
Food
$36 / mo
$430/yr · breed-appropriate dry & wet food
Insurance
$33 / mo
$395/yr · lifetime cover protects against breed-specific claims
Vet (avg)
$49 / mo
$590/yr · routine checks plus breed-specific risk
Grooming
$8 / mo
$100/yr · brushes, shampoo, professional clips
Other
$25 / mo
$300/yr · toys, treats, dental, boarding
Indicative NZ averages calculated from breed weight, grooming need and screened-condition count. One-off costs (purchase $2,000 + setup $300) are factored into the lifetime total but not the monthly figure.
How does the Burmilla compare?
This breed
Burmilla
$27,710
14-year lifetime cost
- Purchase + setup$2,300
- Food (lifetime)$6,020
- Vet (lifetime)$8,260
- Insurance (lifetime)$5,530
- Grooming (lifetime)$1,400
- Other (lifetime)$4,200
Reference
Average NZ cat
$23,600
14-year lifetime cost
- Purchase + setup$500
- Food (lifetime)$7,000
- Vet (lifetime)$5,600
- Insurance (lifetime)$5,600
- Grooming (lifetime)$1,400
- Other (lifetime)$3,500
A Burmilla costs about $4,110 more over a lifetime than the average nz cat, mostly highervet and higherpurchase + setup.
What to ask the breeder.
Reputable NZ cat breeders test for these conditions and share results. The bigger health drivers for the breed appear in the Common group.
Common
1 conditionDental disease
A common condition in the Burmilla. Ask the breeder about screening.
Occasional
2 conditionsDiabetes mellitus
Higher published incidence than most breeds, possibly inherited from Burmese line.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
An occasional condition in the Burmilla. Worth asking about.
Rare but urgent
1 conditionPolycystic kidney disease
Inherited risk from Chinchilla Persian foundation. Reputable breeders DNA-test for PKD1.
The Burmilla in NZ.
- Popularity: A growing Catz Inc and NZCF breed in NZ, smaller in numbers than Burmese but with active breeders.
- Typical price: NZ$1200–2800 from registered breeders or rescues
- Rescue availability: rare
- NZ climate fit: The fine coat handles all NZ regions; provide warm sleeping spots in cooler regions.
- Living space: Apartments and houses both suit the medium size and calm temperament.
Who the Burmilla is for.
Suits
- Households wanting Burmese sociability with a quieter voice
- Apartments and indoor-only households
- Multi-pet homes
Less suited to
- Outdoor-roaming setups
- Households with no time for a sociable cat
Common questions.
How is a Burmilla different from a Burmese?
Are Burmillas as social as Burmese?
Are Burmillas safe outside in NZ?
If the Burmilla appeals, also consider.
Breeds with a similar profile that might suit your household.
Burmese
Compact, muscular shorthair famous for being intensely affectionate and following its person from room to room. Often called the "Velcro cat" for the way it sticks close. Vocal but soft-spoken, with a notable separation anxiety risk if left alone all day.
Australian Mist
An Australian-developed cross between Burmese, Abyssinian and domestic shorthair, deliberately bred for indoor-friendly low prey drive and people-oriented temperament. Strong NZ relevance because of the breed's explicit indoor-cat brief.
Last reviewed:
Sources for this pageInformation only. Breed traits and health notes on this page are aggregated from public registry and breed-authority sources. Individual animals vary; this page is general information, not veterinary, behavioural, or insurance advice. Always consult a registered NZ vet or breeder for guidance specific to your situation.