Havana Brown cat breed: a chestnut brown rarity who protects its owner from demons
László Enikő
2023. August 1 - Photos: Getty Images Hungary, Wikipedia – Havana Brown
László Enikő
2023. August 1 - Photos: Getty Images Hungary, Wikipedia – Havana Brown
The Havana Brown cat is a very rare breed. Not only did it protect its owners from evil spirits, but it is the only breed of cat that is completely brown from nose to tail, except for his green eyes.
As the name suggests, the Havana Brown cat is a cat with a brown shade, but despite the name, the origin of the breed cannot be traced back to Havana. Instead, the breed was created in England in the 1950s. How was it named after the bustling Cuban city? No one knows for sure, but some theories suggest that the breed was named after the Havana rabbit, or because of the rich brown color of its coat, reminiscent of the color of Havana tobacco.
How did a brown cat of Southeast Asian origin, believed to protect against evil, become famous and then take on the name Havana Brown? The full answer to these questions is lost to history, but it seems certain that in the 1890s brown Siamese-type cats from Thailand were exhibited in Britain. Somehow during this time they acquired the nickname swiss mountain cat.
According to some, the Havana Brown comes from the mysterious land of Siam. Uniform brown cats were first described and depicted in The Cat-Book Poems, a manuscript of poems and paintings from the 14th to 18th centuries from Ayutthaya (Siam, present-day Thailand). The people of Siam considered shiny brown cats to be very beautiful and believed to protect people from evil. Solid brown cats were among the first felines to arrive in England from Siam in the late 1800s. Early records describe these cats as Siamese with chestnut fur and greenish-blue eyes. It is believed that these kittens did not all come from the same genotype, but rather represent the ancestors of today’s Burmese, Chocolate Point Siamese, Tonkinese, and Havana Browns. It is difficult to tell them apart from descriptions alone.
In 1920, the British Siamese Cat Club decided that brown cats without blue eyes were no longer desirable. Breeders lost interest in them until the 1950s, when a group of British cat breeders set out to determine the genetic makeup of a brown (solid color) cat. Finally, a male chestnut briwn kitten was created using a cross between a black shorthair cat and a Chocolate Point Siamese.
Russian Blue and Burmese may also have played a role in the development of the creation known as Havana Brown (the only connection to Cuba is that it resembles a Havana cigar in colour). But as it turns out, according to an article published in the CFA yearbook in 1982, the most successful and most commonly used breeding “recipe” to produce a brown cat was the seal point Siamese what is carrying the chocolate gene mating with a black shorthair.
The cats, which first appeared in shows as the chestnut foreign shorthair, were exported to the United States in the 1950s. That’s when the breed started to go in two directions. In Great Britain it is now known as the Brown Oriental Shorthair. British cats are more like Siamese, while in the case of American Havanas, breeders tried to keep the appearance of the first exported cats. In the United States, the breed is known as the Havana Brown. These cats body and head distinguish from their British cousins. The Cat Fanciers Association recognized the breed in 1964.
The Havana Brown is so rare that its genetic diversity is in danger. This was backed up by a crossbreeding program started in 1998 that allows cats to be crossed with unregistered black or blue domestic shorthairs, or with certain colored Oriental Shorthairs, or chocolate coloured Siamese. Kittens born from such breedings can then be mated with Havana Browns. If these cats are Havannas, they can be registered as Havanna Brown.
The Havana Brown cat is a medium-sized cat with a muscular build. Its body weight is about 3.5-4.5 kg. The neck is medium length. Its limbs are elegant, its paws are oval. Its back is straight and tight. The tail is thick, tapering towards the end, and medium in length. Its head is longer than it is wider, angular when seen from directly. The ears are large, with rounded ends. Its gaze is expressive, the eyes are oval, medium-sized and green. The fur is short, shiny and close to the body. Its color is chestnut or chocolate brown. Its expected lifespan is 12-15 years.
While each cat naturally has its own personality, in general, the Havana Brown is friendly, sociable, and interested in everything that goes on in its home. It enjoys interacting with people and is happy to spend time purring on its owner’s lap or playing energetically. When its favorite human is not available, the Havana Brown cat is usually happy to play with other pets. Be it a dog or another cat. It also gets along well with children.
When it is not making friends or playing, it is probably doing another of its favourite things. Probably taking a nice, long nap, perhaps on its owner’s pillow or chair.
Being very friendly and affectionate, loneliness is hard to bear for this cat. But luckily, it typically gets along well with other pets who can keep it company. The Havana Brown especially likes children, so it easily fits into families. Since it is a sensible and smart cat, it also likes to learn tricks.
In the case of the breed, very little time needs to be devoted to grooming. A combing and wiping with a damp cloth once or twice a week and a good quality diet are enough to keep this kitty happy and gorgeous.
Havana Brown cats are generally healthy. Although some may be prone to upper respiratory tract infections, usually at a younger age.
(Literature: Jean-Luc Renck: The Cat; János Szinák – István Veress: Cat Guide)
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