ABOUT THE ASIAN SH/LH

The Asian group of cats, including such breeds as Burmilla, Bombay, Tiffanie, Asian Self, Asian Tabby and Asian Smoke, is acknowledged fully by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF), which is the primary registry for cats in the United Kingdom. Except for the Bombay, the Asian group has not been fully recognized by many registries throughout the world. For example, while the Federation International Feline (FIFe) publishes a standard for Burmilla in the same category as Burmese, it does not have a standard for Tiffanie (which differs from the recognized Tiffany). The Burmillas are also fully recognized by WCF, CCA and others, while they are Category V “Experimental” (along with European Burmese) in TICA. The WCF includes a standard for the Tiffanie, which is widely bred in Australia and New Zealand.

All of these cats share a common ancestry in the Burmese breed. They differ primarily in coloration, although the different associations may introduce additional distinctions, such as type of ancestry and permissible out-crossings.

Since our cattery presently has plans only for the breeding of Burmilla and Tiffanie, both of which may soon be adopted as established breeds by CFA, we will describe only those members of the Asian group.

The Burmilla displays an extraordinarily beautiful silvery color. It was first noted in kittens that were conceived through an accidental mating of a Burmese and a British Chinchilla in England. Later breeding programs substituted Chinchilla Persians and even Exotics for the British Chinchilla.

Because all kittens of the first generation carried the recessive gene for long hair, and owing to some inbreeding of burmilla to burmilla, there came a litter that included a “surprising gift” – a silvery burmilla with long hair. The new variant was later called Tiffanie, which is not to be confused with Tiffany/Chantilly.

The cats of these breeds possess muscular, well-proportioned bodies and weigh from 4 to 8 pounds. The hair of the Burmilla is thick, with an undercoat; while the hair of the Tiffanie is more fluffy, with a texture that is closer to that of a Persian.

COLORS

All Burmillas and Tiffanies have a unique silvery tint. This comes from a foundation that is completely white. At the end of each hair, the color changes to something other than white. When the white foundation covers approximately 7/8 of the full length of each hair, the color of the remaining 1/8 is categorized as “Tipped”. If the tip coloring covers 1/4 of the length, then the color is qualified as “Shaded”. Since the silvery tint often makes it difficult to determine the true color, a breeder can examine the hair around the edges of the eyes, in the nose and on the hassocks of the paws.

The tipping or shading colors are similar to those found in the Burmese (see About the Burmese), although sable may present as black. In addition to these 22 variations, it is also possible that the silvery tint can instead be golden. This occurs when the foundation color is yellowish, rather than white.

The eye color will be primarily some shade of green - the more intense, the better. Cats with the red gene, which includes red, cream, and all tortie colors, will have amber eyes.

DISPOSITION

Burmillas and Tiffanies are very gentle cats. They are not aloof, like the Persians, but instead like to be around people, which is a trait carried over from their Burmese ancestry. They are active and playful and do not need a lot of attention. They love to curl up in a comfortable lap, are fastidious about their appearance, and are not gluttonous. Because of their longer hair, Tiffanie cats need weekly combing, but fortunately it is an activity that they very much enjoy.

These are the right cats for people who value tranquility, harmony and comfort.