Havana Brown's are breeder created cats. These wonderful chocolate colored cats were bred for a specific genetic color and design. Genetically self-brown Siamese cats found in England and Europe came to be known as "Swiss Mountain Cats". The Siamese Cat Club of Britain discouraged breeding anything but the "blue-eyed" variety known as and shown as, Siamese today. Still, by the early 1950s, another group of breeders worked together to produce these self-brown cats. They chose black domestic cats and chocolate or seal point Siamese as breeding partners. The Havana Brown name described the color genetics for these new self-browns. (Many believe the name refers to the rich brown of Havana cigars.)
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| Havana Brown (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Quickly (in the 1950s) the breed migrated to America. Some American breeders added Russian Blues and Siamese into their early breeding, but this ended when the breed closed to outcross breeding in 1974. North American breeders maintained both the name and confirmation of the original immigrants. In the late 1990s, these breeders received CFA approval for outcross breeding to black or blue domestic short hairs, or dark colored Oriental Shorthair cats; also seal point or chocolate point Siamese were bred with full Havana Browns. Now purebred cats must come from within the self-brown gene pool with out-breeding no longer allowed.
The Havana Brown's gleaming mahogany-brown coat is an integral part of this unique breed. Their coat feels like luxurious mink fur. The coat lies close to the skin, is smooth, and lustrous; evenly chocolate brown coloring (according to its name) is most common, but red-brown is becoming more prized. They have enticing green, oval-shaped eyes giving them a sweet, alert expression when combined with large, forward pointed ears. Their bodies are firm and muscular allowing powerful, elegant, and graceful movement. These cats are much heavier than they appear due to their musculature, weighing between six to ten pounds according to whether the cat is female or male.
Havana Brown's playful, charming personality and soft voice cause these cats to extend a paw to gain the attention of someone passing by rather than meowing to be noticed. Very people-oriented as a breed they demand to be with their humans and can be persistent in getting companionship when they desire. Havanas adapt to children, other pets, and social situations within the home, making them the perfect breed for owners who want an intelligent, affectionate, sociable, yet quiet feline companion--as sweet as chocolate!
Purebred Cat Breed Rescue Organization carries listings you can contact in order to rescue Havana Browns. Many rescue groups are breed clubs with members who will assist in finding new homes for pedigreed cats which must be surrendered for any reasons. First, contact your cat's original breeder; most legitimate breeders care about the cats they sell and will either take them back or help to locate a new, permanent home. Rescue a purebred cat before considering the purchase of one.
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