In a breed renowned for its beauty, the chinchilla Persian cat is considered by some enthusiasts to be the most beautiful of all Persians. Perfect, doll-like facial features along with a spectacular coat of fur in colors like silver and gold, make these cats a popular choice.
Regal Chinchilla Persian Cats
Chinchilla kittens are fluffy and adorable, and they grow into beautiful, regal cats.
Features
Persians are one of the most striking cat breeds, and they come in just about every color and pattern you can imagine. Even so, the chinchilla-coated Persian is incredibly eye-catching. All of these cats have three very distinct traits in common:
- All chinchilla-coated Persians have either green or blue-green eyes.
- The eye rims, nose and lips of these cats are outlined in either black or blue, according to the coat color.
- Chinchilla Persians all have a lighter undercoat color, and the ends of the fur are tipped in either black or blue.
Chinchillas are also a little different in that they typically have doll faces, which are more traditional than the flat or "Peke-faced" profile you see in other Persian cats. However, you will see some fairly flat-faced chinchillas at cat shows because show breeders want to remain as competitive as they can.
Colors
The characteristic tipping of a chinchilla's coat gives this cat a shimmering quality. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) breed standard, the chinchilla-coated Persian is part of the Silver and Gold color division. Here is the breakdown on colors.
Chinchilla Silver Persian Cats
The standard states that the coat should look like sparkling silver.
- The undercoat is pure white.
- The fur on the back, flanks, head and tail are tipped in black.
- The legs may also have some slight tipping.
- The ear tufts, chin, chest and tummy should be pure white.
- The nose is brick red.
- The paw pads are black.
- The eye rims, nose and lips are outlined in black.
Blue Chinchilla Silver Persian Cats
These cats are similar to the silver chinchilla, with the following exceptions.
- The fur is tipped in blue instead of black.
- The nose is rose-colored.
- The eye rims, nose and lips are outlined in blue.
- The paw pads are either blue or rose.
Chinchilla Golden Cats
- The undercoat of the golden chinchilla is described as ranging from pale honey to apricot.
- Like the chinchilla silver, the fur is tipped with black.
- The fur on the chest, tummy, chin and ear tufts is lighter than the undercoat.
- The nose is rose-colored.
- The eye rims, nose and lips are outlined in black
- The paw pads are black.
Blue Chinchilla Golden Cats
This coloring is similar to the chinchilla golden coloring, with the following differences.
- The undercoat is described as ranging from ivory to pale honey.
- The tipping on the fur is blue.
- The coloring of the ear tufts, chin, chest, tummy and underside of the tail are the same as the rest of the undercoat.
- There may also be some blue tipping on the legs and tail.
- The nose is rose-colored.
- The eye rims, nose and lips are outlined in blue.
- The paw pads are either rose or blue.
Difference Between a Chinchilla Persian Cat and a Shaded Persian
Chinchilla Persians are sometimes confused with shaded Persians. To the novice eye, it may be a little difficult to distinguish between these two color varieties. The different is:
- Chinchilla - Around 1/8 of the length of the hair is tipped.
- Shaded - About 1/3 of the length of the hair is tipped.
Admittedly, the difference is subtle. According to the same CFA breed standard, the shaded coat looks darker than the chinchilla coat.
Chinchilla Persian Breeder Galleries
The Dearheart Persians breeder website offers a gallery with photos of these lovely felines. Note that LoveToKnow does not endorse any breeder, and you should thoroughly research any breeder with whom you consider doing business.
A Separate Breed? Perhaps One Day...
Although these cats are currently grouped as part of the Persian breed by both the CFA and The International Cat Association, some enthusiasts believe chinchillas should be recognized as a breed in their own right. In fact, there was a movement to gain separate breed recognition, but chinchillas remain included with the Persian breed for the time being. However, these cats are considered a separate breed by some other associations. The South African Cat Council is one such association that lists these cats as Chinchilla Longhairs. Who knows, perhaps the chinchilla will one day gain separate recognition. All it takes is for persistent, dedicated breeders to keep working toward that goal.
