Tiffanie

About the breed

The Tiffanie is the semi-longhaired member of the Asian group — the family of cats British breeders built in the 1980s by crossing a chinchilla Persian with a Burmese. The shorthaired result became the Asian Shorthair; the same cats with a longer, silky coat became the Tiffanie, and GCCF gave it separate breed recognition in 1999. The spelling with "ie" was chosen deliberately to separate it from the American Chantilly-Tiffany, an unrelated chocolate-brown longhair breed that is now effectively extinct.

Recognition is thin outside Britain. GCCF registers it as code ASL and the Australian Cat Federation also accepts it; CFA and FIFe do not recognise it at all, and TICA allows registration without championship status. That matters if you plan to show or breed — most kittens are sold in the UK.

Physically it is a Burmese-shaped cat in a silky coat: medium build with fine bone, long legs, a wedge head with large ears, and a coat that lies flat with little undercoat, feathered tail and breeches. All Asian and Burmese colours are accepted, including silver shaded and tipped, and the eyes are usually gold, amber or green.

Care essentials

Health

• GM1 and GM2 gangliosidosis — inherited neurological disease in the Burmese/Asian family; DNA tests exist and both parents should be tested clear
• Pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKDef) — causes anaemia; a simple DNA swab test
• Progressive retinal atrophy — the rdAc and Rdy variants circulate in Asian and Burmese lines; test breeding cats
• Periodontal disease — the Burmese jaw shape packs teeth tightly, so tartar starts early

The Asian group is one of the better-served breeds genetically: GM1, GM2, PKDef and PRA all have commercial DNA tests, and GCCF's outcross rules require tested-clear partners for exactly this reason. Ask for certificates rather than assurances, and have the kitten's eyes checked at the first vaccination visit.

Frequently asked