Your guide to finding and caring for a Burmilla in Nashville
A Burmilla fits Nashville rental life well, from a Hillsboro Village bungalow apartment to a brick ranch house in Donelson. They're medium-sized, quiet and sociable, and most are happy with a window perch and a good play session in the evening. They cope with a workday alone, which suits commuters. Plan a safe interior room for tornado-season warnings, and expect a cat that follows you from room to room once you're home.
Meet your next Burmilla
While we don't have enough cats near Nashville, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
F, 6 mo.-2 y., 6 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Bombay
F, 6 mo.-2 y., 6 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 0-6 mo., 70 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Bombay
M, 0-6 mo., 70 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Bombay
M, 8 y., 161 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 5 mo., 161 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 8 y., 161 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 3 mo., 161 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
F, 6 mo., 189 miles
Bombay, Russian Blue
M, 8 mo., 189 miles
Bombay
The Burmilla began with an accidental mating in Britain in 1981, when a Chinchilla Persian male met a lilac Burmese female and produced four shaded silver kittens. The name blends Burmese and Chinchilla. Burmillas are medium-sized and muscular, usually 6 to 13 pounds, with green eyes outlined in dark color and a shimmering coat that is pale at the roots and tipped with color.
Many blend the Burmese's playful, people-oriented side with the Persian's calm, and they often stay kittenish well into adulthood without being demanding. They're usually quiet and comfortable with other pets. Both the short and semi-long coats are easy to keep up with weekly combing. Cats vary, so a Burmilla's own personality and comfort with handling matter more than any breed description.
Having a Burmilla in Nashville
Burmillas are playful but not frantic and affectionate without being clingy. In Nashville, what matters most is how a cat handles indoor life, heat and storm season, plus a few inherited health risks worth knowing before you adopt.
Burmillas tend to be sweet, curious and sociable, greeting visitors and settling near their people without constant demands. Many get along with respectful children, other cats and cat-friendly dogs after gradual introductions. Thunderstorms are common in Nashville, so watch how a cat reacts to loud noise. Each cat's personality can differ from the breed pattern.
Most Burmillas like short bursts of energetic play followed by long naps. Wand toys, chase games and a tall cat tree cover their athletic side, and food puzzles keep them busy on rainy Nashville days. Daily interactive play helps prevent weight gain. Rotate toys often, since many stay playful well into adulthood.
Burmillas can inherit polycystic kidney disease from Persian ancestors and the Burmese head defect, and both have DNA tests. Not every cat develops problems. A veterinarian can discuss testing, and regular exams, dental care and weight checks matter as the cat ages. Nashville's long flea and tick season makes year-round parasite prevention worthwhile.
An apartment or a house can suit a Burmilla when it offers climbing spots, window perches and a quiet place to rest. In Nashville's many rentals, a tall tree and a scratcher protect your deposit. Screen windows and balconies, and keep outdoor time to a harness or secure enclosure.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $458 to $1,158 per year | $458 to $1,158 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,208 to $2,708 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, the $8 Davidson County rabies tag, flea and tick prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and cat trees, and weekly combing.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Nashville.
Nashville's shelters and rescues list cats of every age and breed, and Burmillas turn up only occasionally. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Nashville area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Burmilla is coming in.
707 Monroe St., Nashville
Nashville
5125 Harding Place, Nashville
Nashville
Nashville
Nashville
Nashville
Nashville
Nashville
Nashville
Only in an approved transfer cage. WeGo's code of conduct bars non-service animals from its vehicles and property unless they're in one, and it applies to WeGo buses and the WeGo Star train. A Burmilla weighs 6 to 13 pounds, so a sturdy, well-ventilated carrier on your lap is the practical approach. Nashville has no subway.
Yes, for an indoor Burmilla. Summers are humid, with about 54 days a year at 90°F or more, and winters bring around 66 freezing nights. The coat is short or semi-long and easy to keep cool in air conditioning. Plan for spring storms, occasional ice outages and year-round flea and tick prevention.
Yes. Nashville has no breed restrictions and no household pet-number limit. Cats six months and older need a rabies vaccination and Davidson County registration, which is an $8 rabies tag for one year. Burmillas are uncommon, so watch the listings on this page, save a search, or look at similar breeds.
Yes, a Burmilla adapts well to apartments. They're medium-sized, usually quiet and fine alone during a workday. About 48% of Nashville households rent, so get landlord consent in writing and review pet fees. Give the cat a tall tree, window perch and scratcher, and screen windows and balconies.
For most indoor households, yes. Burmillas are sociable and playful without being demanding, which suits Nashville's mix of renters and commuters. They need daily play, a climbing space and cooling in summer. Because storms and ice outages happen, have a carrier and a safe room ready.
Very little: a weekly combing handles both the short and semi-long coats, with a bit more during seasonal shedding. Nashville's humidity doesn't change that, and this is why grooming costs stay low. The yearly Other cost range for a Burmilla here covers combing supplies, along with litter and flea prevention.
No, Burmilla cats are not hypoallergenic. They shed like other cats, and the main cat allergen, a protein found in saliva and skin secretions, spreads onto the coat during grooming. There is no evidence that Burmillas produce less of it. People with allergies should spend extended time with the specific cat before adopting and discuss options with their doctor.
Burmilla cats typically live about 10 to 15 years, and many healthy indoor cats reach their mid-teens or beyond. Lifespan depends on genetics, weight, dental care and access to veterinary care. Inherited kidney disease from Persian ancestry can shorten life, so scheduling regular blood and urine tests as the cat ages is worthwhile.
A Burmilla is a medium-sized cat breed created in Britain from a cross between a Chinchilla Persian and a Burmese. It is known for a sparkling silver or golden coat tipped or shaded with color, green eyes rimmed in dark outlines, and a playful, gentle personality. Burmillas come in shorthaired and semi-longhaired varieties.
Plan on roughly $1,200 to $2,700 a year for a Burmilla in Nashville. That covers food at $25 to $50 a month, insurance at $25 to $50 a month, routine vet care at $150 to $350 a year, and other costs at $458 to $1,158 a year, including litter.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Nashville.
Bombay2 available
Domestic Short Hair158 available
Tabby8 available
Domestic Medium Hair6 available
American Shorthair5 available
Russian Blue4 available
Siamese3 available
Torbie2 available
Tortoiseshell2 available
American Bobtail1 available
Bengal1 available
Calico1 available
Domestic Long Hair1 available
Persian1 available
Tuxedo1 available