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| Breed Description
: The Havana is a very outgoing breed that loves following its people around. It is a very rare breed; one article estimates that there are fewer than 1,000 Havana Browns in existence, Though originally named for the brown color, a lavender frost color is also permitted in some associations
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The Havana Brown noted for its warm, chocolate brown colour originated in Great Britain. 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.
The Havana Brown cat was developed in the 1950s by crossing a British Seal Point Siamese with another black shorthaired cat of Siamese descent. An accidental breeding between a black shorthair and a seal point Siamese produced a self-chocolate male kitten named Elmtower Bronze Idol, the first Havana Brown to be registered in England and the forerunner of the present day breed. These cats were formerly known as Chestnut Brown Foreigns.
In the mid-1950s, Mrs. Elsie Quinn, Quinn Cattery, imported the very first Havana Brown from England, a female named Roofspringer Mahogany Quinn. She was bred to Laurentide Brown Pilgrim of Norwood, also an import, and produced the very first Havana Brown (Quinn's Brown Satin of Sidlo) to achieve grand champion status in CFA. All Havana Browns in North America today can trace their heritage to this cat. Once American breeders started developing and raising these cats the British and United States varieties began to take on different characteristics.
In England, the Havana has followed the Siamese type by breeding back to the Siamese and the word "brown" has been dropped from the breed name. In North America, the breed has retained the original look of the early imports, and the basic genetic theory that produced the Havana Brown has been reapplied to produce the wide range of Oriental solid colours.
All Havana Brown cats are a rich, glistening dark brown with just a hint of red. The colour must be even from nose to tail and from tip to root. Whiskers should be brown; nose leather and paw pads are a rose colour that harmonises with the coat. Since Havanas are a shorthair breed, routine grooming is kept to a minimum. The United States version of these cats is medium-sized and muscular exhibiting a sense of power, yet also showing definite elegance and gracefulness. The British version of these cats is built more like the Siamese.
The wide-set oval eyes are usually a bright shade of green and show much expression. They are positioned lower on the head than those of most other breeds. Eye colour becomes more enhanced and deeper as a cat matures. The Havana Brown has a distinctive head with ears that are quite large with rounded tips. Their legs appear long in proportion to their bodies and are more noticeable in females than in more muscular males. Males tend to be larger than females, usually weighing around eight to ten pounds, while the females average six to eight.
The Havana Brown not only has a unique appearance, with it's rich mahogany brown coat and brilliant green eyes, but also a truly unique personality. They are gentle and affectionate, people-oriented, soft voiced cats that are very loyal and loving toward their humans. They love human companionship and are very generous with their affections in return. Havana Brown cats are very playful even once they begin to mature.
They are very active and energetic cats that love biting paper and cardboard as well as playing tag and other games with their humans. They also often have the unusual habit of using their paws to investigate strange objects by touch, instead of relying on their sense of smell, as do most other breeds This is the perfect cat for the person who wants a sociable, affectionate and intelligent feline friend.
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