Havana Brown Breed Guide

Havana Browns are medium-sized cats with muscular bodies and rich chocolate brown coats. Their eyes are expressive, oval, and green of varying shades. Their large ears round gently at the tip and the ends of their muzzles are slightly squared. They feature slender, medium-length tails that taper a bit at the end. These cats simultaneously display power and elegance in all their movements.

These cats have the curiosity to explore, a knack for getting into things and places they shouldn't, a slightly mischievous streak, and a tendency to touch everything while investigating.

The Havana Brown is a highly social breed eager for companionship, whether it's from adults, children, other cats, or dogs. These cats prefer to live in homes where they get lots of affection and active attention. If they aren't napping or eating, they are usually at someone's feet looking for interaction. These cats are healthy, athletic, alert, and active.

It's generally said that the Havana Brown takes its name from its coat's resemblance to the wrapping of a fine Cuban cigar, but it may also be named after the Havana rabbit, which has a very similarly colored coat. The breed is quite rare, with only about 1,000 of these cats alive worldwide.

Havana Browns are affectionate, highly social, and playful, with a tendency toward mischievous behavior on occasion. They crave attention and should only be taken into homes where they will get it willingly and often. They do not like being alone for extended periods. Isolation and lack of attention easily lead to behavioral problems.

Though talkative with a soft voice, these cats are more likely to use their paws than vocalizations to seek attention. They paw and swipe playfully until they get what they want. They're also very curious and paws-on about exploring their environment.

The Havana Brown is an exceptionally adaptable breed. It does well in homes with children of all ages, although these cats should always be supervised during interactions. The breed also gets along well with other pets, including dogs. They are as happy to play with other animals as with humans.

Havana Browns are generally healthy cats that can live 15 or more years with good care. This includes regular veterinary checkups and prompt veterinary attention for possible problems. Maintenance of a healthy body weight also helps ensure continuing health and vitality and a full lifespan. A balanced, nutritious diet is also important for maintaining coat luster.

This breed has a higher-than-average occurrence of calcium oxylate stones in the urinary tract. Signs and symptoms may include bloody urine, difficulty urinating, irregular urination, and genital licking. These stones don't dissolve with specific dietary changes like struvite stones, so they must be passed through the urine or surgically removed if too large for natural expulsion.

No breeder can guarantee long-term good health, but all should provide a written guarantee of good health at the time of acquisition. Request proof of health screenings for the kitten and its parents. It's important to deal only with a reputable breeder who willingly provides customer references.

Though Havana Browns are inquisitive and intelligent enough to be trained, they prefer spontaneous games to rehearsed activities. They enjoy simulated hunting, fetch, and other interactions that involve true co-playing; they're also fond of playing tag with other animals.

Company, attention, and interaction are absolute necessities with Havana Browns. They also enjoy puzzle toys as a good source of stimulation and entertainment. When they aren't playing, these cats love to nap, often on or right next to their favorite person.

These cats have the curiosity to explore, a knack for getting into things and places they shouldn't, a slightly mischievous streak, and a tendency to touch everything while investigating. These are endearing traits, but they also make for trouble when a Havana Brown encounters something fragile, valuable, or potentially dangerous. Take proper precautions to secure things a cat shouldn't come into contact with.

Havana Browns have short to medium-length hairs forming a silky coat. Unless being shown, they require very little grooming. In fact, the frequent rubdowns these cats naturally seek out provide most of the grooming their coats need. Beyond that, a once-weekly brushing with a soft rubber brush is generally sufficient. Although petting should adequately shine the coat, it may be polished with a chamois cloth or silk scarf.

These cats are light shedders. Hair loss increases slightly during spring and fall shedding seasons. An additional brushing or two each week during these times helps. Havana Browns are more receptive to full-body brushings than most other breeds, and these cats may even enjoy light brushings with a rubber brush. Exposing the breed to grooming from an early age ensures their cooperation during grooming sessions.

The tips of the front and back claws need clipping once every one to two weeks, or as needed. Use sharp scissors or a high-quality guillotine blade. The teeth should be brushed regularly for oral hygiene and health, and the ears should be cleaned with a cotton ball and feline ear cleanser when wax, dirt, or debris accumulates.

Solid brown cats with emerald eyes were some of the earliest felines brought to England from Siam-the land now called Thailand. They first arrived there toward the end of the 19th century and were commonly referred to as Swiss Mountain Cats. Despite being initially embraced, breeding was soon discouraged for anything but blue-eyed Siamese cats.

By the 1950s, some English breeders were taking new interest in solid brown cats. They began mating chocolate and seal-point Siamese with black domestic shorthairs and Russian Blues. A kitten named Elmtower Bronze Idol, registered in 1952, was the official start of the breed. He was the offspring of a seal-point Siamese carrying the chocolate gene and a solid black cat also carrying the gene.

Cats of the new breed were first called Chestnut Foreign Shorthairs and Chestnut Brown Foreigns. They were eventually renamed Havanas in England. In the mid-1950s, these cats were first imported to the United States, where they were called Havana Browns.

The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) first recognized the breed under this name in 1959. The breed was granted full Championship status in1964.