The Burmilla cat breed originated from an accidental 1981 mating between a Burmese and a Chinchilla Persian.
The mating occurred in the United Kingdom and produced kittens with striking silver coats and shaded markings. Baroness Miranda von Kirchberg’s breeding program developed those kittens into a consistent new breed.
Burmillas combine features associated with both parent breeds. They commonly have a short, dense coat with silver shading, dark outlining around the eyes and nose, and a relatively elegant but muscular build. The original cross was not a planned experimental hybrid at the moment it happened.
The Burmilla is sometimes mixed up with the broader Asian Group, which includes related breeds developed from Burmese-based breeding programs. The Burmilla is specifically identified by its silver-shaded appearance and its Burmese–Chinchilla Persian origin.