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History of the Tiffany (or Chantilly) CatLong-Haired American Cat Breed with Confusing OriginsThe North American Tiffany cat, also called the Chantilly, is often confused with the British Tiffanie breed, but they are very different genetically.
The genetic origin of the American Tiffany cat is something of a mystery. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘long-haired Burmese’, but this is incorrect. However, it does look quite similar to a recent British cat breed, the Tiffanie, which was a by-product of the Burmilla breeding programme - and the Burmilla resulted from a mating between a Burmese and a Chinchilla. Confused? Origins of the ‘Tiffany’The founding cats were a pair of golden-eyed, chocolate-coloured, long-haired cats of unknown origin, bought by a New York breeder in 1967. In 1969 they produced their first litter. All six kittens had identical rich chocolate-brown coats, and this prompted further breeding. In the early 1970s the cats from this programme were registered as Foreign Longhairs. Several breeders thought they must be long-haired Burmese, but this was proved not to be the case. Some of the kittens were then bought by a Florida breeder, who was well-known for her Burmese cats. She devised the new name of Tiffany for them, thinking it suggested a classy elegance. However, people associated the new cats with the breeder's Burmese ones, and so the myth of the Tiffany as the ‘Longhair Burmese’ began. The British ‘Tiffanie’ CatTo confuse matters further, in the 1980s British breeders working on variations of the new Burmilla breed – a Burmese/Chinchilla cross – accidentally created a long-haired brown cat. It was at first known as the Asian Longhair, but then, hearing (wrongly) that the Americans had a long-haired Burmese cat called the Tiffany, the British decided on the same name, but for various reasons spelled it as Tiffanie. Needless to say, this only added to the confusion! Name Changed to ‘Chantilly’ When word spread across the Atlantic about the British Tiffanie, it was decided to give the North American breed a new name, and it was changed to ‘Chantilly’. However, some cat associations accepted the new name, others retained the original ‘Tiffany’, and still others used the title ‘Chantilly/Tiffany’. That is how the situation is at the present time, despite the confusion. Whatever one calls it, the Tiffany is said to be a loyal, affectionate, gentle cat. It is sociable, inquisitive, and friendly. Its coat is a rich dark brown colour, though already there are a number of variations in coat colour, including blue, cinnamon, lilac, and fawn, in both solid and tabby patterns. Perhaps unfortunately, the description of the British long-haired Burmese Tiffanie is very similar! SourceCat World, Desmond Morris, Ebury Press 1996 Other Cat Articles of InterestThe Contented Multi-Cat Household
The copyright of the article History of the Tiffany (or Chantilly) Cat in Cat Breeds is owned by Helen Krasner. Permission to republish History of the Tiffany (or Chantilly) Cat in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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