Havana Brown Cat Breed Profile

With beautiful bright green eyes and a glossy coat that resembles rich liquid chocolate, the Havana Brown is a stunning looking cat. Intelligent, lively, and affectionate — these chatty felines are devoted companions and loved by everyone who is lucky enough to own one. 

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Image: Lil Shepherd via Flickr

Appearance

The Havana Brown is a medium sized cat with rounded oversized ears that are slightly tilted forward as if on constant alert for interesting sounds that simply must be investigated. The breed has a streamlined muscular body covered with luxuriously smooth short hair which has a striking reddish-brown hue; almost like rich liquid chocolate. Staring out at the world from a face that is taller than it is wide are two bright green eyes.

History

The Havana Brown originated from Thailand, where brown cats were believed to protect people from evil spirits. They were imported to England in the 19th century along with the Siamese.

In the 1920s the British Siamese Cat Club decided that brown cats who didn’t have blue eyes were no longer fashionable, and it wasn’t long until breeders followed suit. However the colour went through a revival in the 1950s with a few cat breeders making attempts at discovering the genetics to produce a self-brown (solid colour) breed with emerald eyes. Their efforts paid off as they eventually succeeded in breeding a shorthaired brown kitten – the result of a pairing between a chocolate-point Siamese and a shorthaired black cat.

This new breed was first exported to the United States in the 1950s, where it was given the moniker of Havana Brown – supposedly because of its remarkable colour being so similar to that of a Havana cigar.

Personality

Havana Browns become beloved pets at every home they take up residence in, as they are an intelligent, lively, and affectionate cat who take great delight in being a devoted companion. Outgoing and family-friendly, this is a breed that loves to be around people, so you can expect your Havana Brown to happily follow you around the house when you’re at home.

Perhaps because of its Siamese ancestry the Havana Brown is a chatty cat that can oftentimes come across as demanding, but their voice is soft and their constant narrative belies their even softer personality.

To stop your Havana Brown from becoming bored through a lack of challenging entertainment be sure that he has plenty of teaser toys and puzzles. These will help keep him occupied during those times when your comfy lap is not available.

Did You Know?

In order to be a true Havana Brown the whisker colour must complement the coat colour (brown, obviously), making this breed unique in that it is the only one to have a standard which also extends to the whiskers.

Havana Browns are a rare breed, in fact only 120 or so are registered with the Cat Fanciers’ Association and it’s estimated that there are less than 1,000 of the breed worldwide.

Caring for Your Havana Brown Cat

The Havana Brown is a healthy and low-maintenance breed. Their short, glossy coat will benefit from a once or twice a week grooming session which also provides a great opportunity for you to bond with your cat. You can even give the coat extra shine by using a chamois.

The extra-large ears require some attention to ensure they are kept clean. If they appear dirty wipe the ears out gently with a cotton ball or soft damp cloth soaked in a 50-50 vinegar and warm water solution. Cotton swabs should be avoided as they have been known to damage the ears’ delicate interior.

If you have a Havana Brown cat in your life, please share your experiences below.