The Havana Brown Cat

By Omer Ashraf

Havana Brown is a pretty feline breed that was brought over to Europe from the East in nineteenth century and gained much popularity for its self-brown color and bright emerald eyes. However, in the early twentieth century formal breeding of all but blue-eyed Siamese was discouraged in Britain and thenceforth interest in Havana Brown dwindled. It took another three decades before interest in this breed revived in the fifties. After that it took only a few years for the cat to be formally recognized and given championship status. Still the breed remains quite rare and is hard to acquire in most places.

Havanas are slightly sturdier than the Siamese in appearance. They are more sleek though than some of the cobby breeds. Body is long and finely muscled. Head is long and narrow and tapers off in a slightly rounded muzzle. Ears are large, rounded at the tips, and slightly tilted forward, giving the cat an expression both sweet and alert. Eyes are in beautiful shades of green. Coat is short, close-lying to the skin, and occurs only in shades of chocolate. In fact even the whiskers are brown.

There is some controversy over the origin of the name 'Havana Brown'. Some believe it derives from the tasteful cigars from Havana while others attribute it to have originated from the well tempered Havana Bunnies. In either case, the cats have no direct connection with Cuba. They are known simply as Havana in United Kingdom, whereas the full name is retained in United States.

Less vocal than their relative Siamese, Havana Browns have a pleasant voice. They are playful and intelligent and are famous for using their paws to express themselves and explore objects. Affectionate animals, these adoring cats cherish the company of their humans and fare best in a loving interactive environment.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Havana Brown cat.