Originated in England in 1950, Havana Brown is one of the popular breeds of cat. However these cats are now extremely rare. These cats are hard to find as it is estimated that less than 1000 cats of this breed is left in the world. There are two types of Havana Brown present in the world; The English Havana Brown and the North American Havana Brown.
The English Havana Brown includes Siamese influence whereas North American Havana Brown does not, and also the American breed is stockier than the English breed. Havana Brown is an excellent pet and a great human companion.
Havana Brown Cat History
The Havana brown has a bit clouded history. Some historians believe that this breed was created by an accident while others believe that it was intentional. In the early 1800s British people note the existence of brown cats. But it comes in existence in 1950 when a group of English breeders decided to create a new breed of cat that would produce brown cats consistently. Although Burmese and Russian Brown played a crucial role in the creation of this breed but their brown color was the result of the crossbreeding between a seal point Siamese and a black shorthair.
At first their breed name was ‘chestnut foreign shorthair’ but it was changed to Havana in 1970 and it was rumored that they were named after the Havana rabbit or Havana Cigar. This breed was first imported into USA in mid 1950s after which they become a popular breed. The phrase ‘Chocolate Delight’ is used to describe the charming chocolate brown color of this cat.
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Havana Brown Cat Facts
- Havana Browns are the only cats with breed standard which spells out whisker color complementing the color of their coat.
- It is recommended to keep Havana Brown inside the house in order to avoid any disease or infection spread by the other cats and to protect them from attacks by dogs.
- The owner should keep the litter box clean as Havana Brown is very particular about washroom hygiene.
- These cats behave quite well with strangers due to their adaptive and friendly nature.
Physical Appearance
Havana Brown has a big head but not much wide along with beautiful green eyes. They have a smooth chocolaty colored fur, rose or pink colored paw pads and forward title, wide set ears. Their face always has an alert expression with a brown nose and small brushy hairs on chin.
The color of Havana Brown is reddish brown. Their coat is smooth and lustrous and its length is short to medium. These cats weigh between 8 to 10 pounds and males are larger as well as heavier than females.
Health Issues
Every living being has health issues and Havana brown is no exception. This breed is generally healthy but there is a chance that they can develop calcium oxalate stones in their urinary tract. In addition to this they might also develop upper respiratory infections and these cats are prone to the latter disease only when they are young.
Along with these obesity is also a problem for these cats. Their owner should provide a healthy diet to these cats in order to maintain their weight and avoid other diseases. Physical activities on regular basis are also recommended to make them fit and healthy.
Behavior
The Havana Brown is human oriented, curious and playful. The owner has to dedicate his time to the cat as they love to spend time with people around them. They are always keen to get their owner’s attention. In comparison to other short hair breed these cats are moderately active and they love to play with other cats. Havana Brown is very friendly especially with the children.
They enjoy their company and love to play with them. Like most cats, the Havana Brown is demanding and talkative, but with a softer voice and a more subtle personality. They like to play with puzzle toys and other challenging games. After playing, the tired Havana Brown will happily ensconce themselves on their owner’s lap. Havana Brown gets highly attached with the people she is living and can also be an excellent travelling companion. They can be kept with other pets including dogs as they are dog friendly.
Lifespan
The Havana Brown is one of the long living breeds of cat as their average lifespan is about 15 to 20 years. Like other pets the lifespan of Havana Brown is dependent on their diet, enrichment and lifestyle, fitness level as well as genetics. All these factors decide that how much an individual cat will live.
Diet
Havana brown can eat anything whether it’s a homemade food or cat’s food available in the market. However the owner must take care of the quality of the food they eat. Their meals should be well scheduled and the quantity should be limited as over eating can lead to obesity which can cause some serious health issues for this cat.
Grooming
This breed has a very good quality of low shedding due to which their grooming procedure is not much complex. Brushing this cat once a week is quite sufficient. They should be bathed when necessary. Their nails should be trimmed once in a month or as required to keep shedding to its minimum level. Proper care should be taken of their oral hygiene in order to improve the overall health of the cat. Their mouth should be properly cleaned after every meal. Havana Brown’s ears are very delicate so it gets dirty very frequently, so their owner should clean it at regular intervals.
Havana Brown Cat Characteristics
- Havana Brown Cats are very mischievous in nature which creates an interesting home environment.
- These cats have a great adaptability feature. They get adapted very quickly with different conditions.
- Havana Brown cats are generally very active so if they are acting lethargic or sluggish, then there is a possibility that they are facing any health issue. So in that case they must be taken to the doctor immediately for check up.
