Havana Brown

Basic Info

The Havana Brown is a moderately sized, muscular short-haired cat with a body of average length. The coat color must be brown, typically reddish-brown, with no tabby markings. Whiskers should also be brown and the eye color should be green. The head should be slightly longer than wide and the nose should have a distinct stop at the eyes. Males tend to be larger than females and are average in weight compared with other breeds. the overall impression of the ideal Havana Brown is a cat of medium size with a rich, solid color coat and good muscle tone. Due to its distinctive muzzle shape, coat color, brilliant and expressive eyes and large forward tilted ears, it is comparable to no other breed. HEAD: when viewed from above, the head is longer than it is wide, narrowing to a rounded muzzle with a pronounced break on both sides behind the whisker pads. The somewhat narrow muzzle and the whisker break are distinctive characteristics of the breed and must be evident in the typical specimen. When viewed in profile, there is a distinct stop at the eyes; the end of the muzzle appears almost square; this illusion is heightened by a well-developed chin, the profile outline of which is more square than round. Ideally, the tip of the nose and the chin form an almost perpendicular line. Allowance to be made for somewhat broader heads and stud jowls in the adult male. Allow for sparse hair on chin, directly below lower lip. EARS: large, round-tipped, cupped at the base, wide-set but not flaring; tilted forward giving the cat an alert appearance. Little hair inside or outside. EYES: Shape: aperture oval in shape. Medium sized; set wide apart; brilliant, alert and expressive. Color: any vivid and level shade of green; the deeper the color the better. BODY AND NECK: torso medium in length, firm and muscular. Adult males tend to be larger than their female counterparts. Overall balance and proportion rather than size to be determining factor. The neck is medium in length and in proportion to the body. The general conformation is mid-range between the short-coupled, thick set and svelte breeds. LEGS AND FEET: the ideal specimen stands relatively high on its legs for a cat of medium proportions in trunk and tail. Legs are straight. The legs of females are slim and dainty; slenderness and length of leg will be less evident in the more powerfully muscled, mature males. Hind legs slightly longer than front. Paws are oval and compact. Toes: five in front and four behind. TAIL: medium in length and in proportion to the body; slender, neither whip-like nor blunt; tapering at the end. Not too broad at the base. COAT: short to medium in length, smooth and lustrous.

Health

N/A

Habitat

North America

Behavior

The Havana Brown is an intelligent cat that often uses its paws both to examine objects, and to communicate with its owners. The most likely explanation of the breed's name is that its coat color is very similar to that of Havana cigars. Picking up a Havana Brown for the first time can be a surprising experience, as this lithe-looking cat actually weighs more than it appears. Its medium-sized body must be firm and muscular, exhibiting a sense of power, yet also showing definite elegance and gracefulness. Males tend to be larger than their female counterparts, usually weighing around eight to ten pounds, while the females average six to eight. Kittens are born brown, all brown. Whiskers must be brown

Origin

Britain

History

Several theories exist as to how the breed got its name. Some historians insist it was named after the rabbit of the same color; however, most Havana Brown fans choose to believe that the breed got its name because it was the color of a fine Havana cigar. The medium sized eyes of the Havana Brown are green in color, oval in shape, expressive, and positioned lower on the head than those of most other breeds. This gives the appearance of a cat looking down its nose. The resulting high forehead accentuates large, round-tipped ears, which are tilted slightly forward, lending an alert appearance. Brown cats have been known for centuries. Their origins were probably from South East Asia as a branch of the Royal Cats of Siam. They first arrived in Britain in the 19th century along with the importation of the Siamese. Simpson's Book of the Cat published in London in 1903 (page 234) refers to them and The Encyclopedia Britannica 11th Edition mentions a "wholly chocolate-coloured strain of Siamese. Master Timkey Brown and his dam, Granny Grumps, were cats shown in London in 1894." They were described as "Siamese with coats of burnished chestnut with greeny-blue eyes." The self-brown Siamese, sometimes called Swiss Mountain Cat, lost favor and the breed was abandoned after the 1920s when the Siamese Cat Club of Britain issued a statement, "The club much regrets it is unable to encourage the breeding of any but blue-eyed Siamese." Roofspringer Mahogany Quinn was bred to Laurentide Brown Pilgrim of Norwood, also an import, and produced the very first Havana Brown reputedly to achieve the status of Grand Champion in CFA, Quinn's Brown Satin of Sidlo. All of the Havana Browns in North America today can trace their heritage back to this cat. This is the perfect cat for the person who wants a sociable, affectionate and intelligent feline friend. A cat as sweet in appearance and color as ... chocolate.

Common Foods

cat food, milk