This silvery-coated breed with its movie-star looks is renowned for its beauty and is a popular choice for a pet.
The first Chinchilla appeared in the 1880s, but it was the “James Bond” series of films, starting in the 1960s, that brought this cat fame when it was seen on screen as the pet of the superspy’s archenemy, Blofeld.
Chinchillas have a shimmering, silvery-white coat in which each hair is tipped with black. The breed’s name derives from the likeness of its coat coloration to that of a small South American rodent called the chinchilla, once a victim of the fashion trade for its beautiful, soft fur.
Black outlining around the eyes makes chinchillas look as though they are wearing makeup.
Origin: UK, 1880s
Breed registries: CFA, FIFe, GCCF, TICA
Weight range: 8–15lb (3.5–7kg)
Grooming: Daily
Colors and patterns: White, tipped with black.