The Chantilly-Tiffany is a breed of cat also known as the Foreign Longhair and is the result of crossbreeding of longhaired Asian breeds with the Burmese. It was thought to be extinct until the 1960s when two of these cats appeared in an estate sale.
In 1967, Jennie Robinson of the Neotype Cattery, New York, purchased two cats named Thomas and Shirley. They were semi-foreign longhaired chocolate cates with golden eyes and an unknown background that were being sold as part of an estate sale.
The pair’s first litter of kittens were born in early 1969 containing six kittens, all of the same chocolate colour, which surprised both Ms Robinson and her vet. She decided to undertake a breeding program to emphasise these traits and by the early 1970s, the ACA registered the cats as Foreign Longhairs.
Around the same time, a breeder in Canada acquired a semi-foreign golden-eyed cat of unknown ancestry who gave birth to a litter of kittens with the same appearance. They were crossed with cats from Ms Robinson’s line and despite a drop in the late 1970s, became well established in the late 1980s with a bigger range of colours and patterns.
Early breeders believed the cats to be of Burmese descent but the cats shown park colours with no points and had pinkish paw pads, none of which hinted at Burmese ancestry. All the current cats descend from this pairing and no outcrossing to Burmese has been included.
These cats have a semi foreign body style along with a full, semi-longhaired coat. Their coat is silky and soft with a very smooth feel and the lack of an undercoat makes their grooming needs moderate. They tend to be a breed that are slow to mature, taking around two years to come into full adult size and their eye colour becomes darker as they age. Their head is a broad, modified wedge that has gentle curves, a medium length nose and a short, squared muzzle.
As well as the original chocolate colour, the breed is now accepted in a range of colours including chocolate, blue, cinnamon, lilac and fawn. Acceptable patterns include solid, mackerel, ticked and spotted tabby. Eye colour is a bright and clear yellow that becomes more golden as older, regardless of the coat colour.
Occasionally, Chantillys can be prone to over grooming, where they can pull out their own hair and lead to patches of baldness as well as an increased amount of digestive tract hairballs. To stop this from happening, brushing at least every other day helps to control shedding hair and stop their urge to over-groom.
The Chantilly is a loyal breed that becomes a close and affectionate companion but is neither too demanding nor too mischievous. They are less placid than Persians but less active than Orientals are so are a great middle-ground. They bond closely with one person and will chatter and converse with them. They don’t do as well when left along for long periods of time so may not suit households where no-one is at home all day. They do live happily with children and other pets.
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