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The Havana Brown is a cat that cast quite a spell over a corner of the cat fancy, but it nearly went extinct in the late 20th century. Without careful maintenance, it still might, and these chocolate-coated beauties would be lost to future cat lovers.
History
Intercontinental Origins
Solid, or “self,” brown cats, while somewhat uncommon, have existed for a very, very long time. Images and descriptions of self-brown cats were included in the Tamra Maew, the Cat-Book Poems, which were written in Thailand as early as 1350 B.C. (1, 2). As a breed, however, they are a more recent development.
When the forebears of modern Siamese cats were first imported to England from Siam/Thailand, self-brown cats were included among them (2, 3). The Tamra Maew describes the Thai brown cats, named Suphalak or Thong Daeng, as copper-colored with eyes the color of pomegranates (1). The skin of Thai pomegranates is golden yellow, not red as in many other locales (1). There are records of self-brown cats being shown in English cats shows in the late 1800s (4, 5). We can imagine a cat rather like a Suphalak or a solid brown Siamese.
After a while, the self-brown cats fell out of favor. The Siamese Cat Club of Britain issued a statement in 1920, saying “the club much regrets it is unable to encourage the breeding of any but blue-eyed Siamese” (3, 4, 6). It’s thought that this caused the decline in self-brown cats. Fewer of them had blue eyes than the pointed Siamese, and those without blue eyes were excluded from shows and no longer bred (2-4, 6).
To the Brink and Back
In the 1950s, a group of British cat breeders set about to create self-brown cats and determine how the trait is inherited. There is some debate whether the first successful breeding was intentional or accidental (7), but the breeders kept meticulous records of all the matings and kittens in their programs, so we know what happened either way (6). Mrs. Munroe-Smith, owner of Elmtower Cattery, had a black Domestic Shorthair she-cat named Elmtower Susannah and a seal-point Siamese tom named Elmtower Tombee (6). Both carried the trait for chocolate fur, and when they mated–whether by human intention or not–they produced a self-brown tom kitten (2, 3, 6).
Elmtower Bronze Idol, born 1952, was the first Havana Brown to be registered, but more kittens soon followed (4-7). Although black Domestic Shorthairs and seal-point Siamese were the most common and successful contributors to the breed, chocolate-point Siamese and Russian Blues are part of their background as well (2-6). The very new breed was imported to the United States within a few years (2, 5, 6, 8). In England, Havana Browns continued to be bred back to Siamese, causing them to become less and less distinctly their own breed and eventually morph into a variety of Oriental Shorthair (3-6). In North America, the foundation type has been retained, and the Havana Brown remains a distinct breed (3-6).
Unfortunately, part of what has made that possible is a small gene pool. The Cat Fancier’s Association cut the Havana Brown off from outcrossing to other breeds in 1974, too soon according to many breeders (2, 4). Their fears were borne out as Havana Brown numbers and genetic diversity dwindled, and breeders struggled to keep the breed alive without damaging the health of the kittens they were breeding (2, 4).
Under pressure from breeders, in 1998 the Cat Fanciers’ Association opened up an out-crossing program that allows Havana Browns to be crossed to black or blue Domestic Shorthairs, most colors of Oriental Shorthair, and seal- or chocolate-point Siamese (2, 3, 9, 8). Kittens of a Havana Brown and an allowable out-cross are bred back to a Havana Brown, and the kittens thus produced can be registered as Havana Browns if they meet the standard (2, 3, 9). These efforts have so far helped bring the Havana Brown a few paces back from the brink of extinction, but they remain extremely rare, and there is still a significant risk of losing this breed for good (2).
Breed Characteristics
As I have made abundantly clear, Havana Browns are famous for their rich, brown coat. Their fur is short to medium in length, with a texture said to resemble mink (8, 9). Although all brown cats are referred to as “chocolate” in the cat fancy, Havana Browns tend toward more of a red-brown/mahogany hue (1, 2, 5, 8, 9). Brown coat color is a recessive genetic trait, which is why early breeders could only achieve brown cats when both parents carried an allele for brown coloration.
The Havana Brown’s eyes are vivid green. Although the Russian Blue is thought to have played a fairly minor role in creating the Havana Brown, it is interesting to note that while the Suphalak had amber eyes and the Siamese has blue eyes, the end result of the program has green.
Havana Browns are medium-sized cats with medium builds. They have a distinctive head shape, longer than it is wide. The muzzle appears a bit square. The shape is, amusingly, described as a “corn cob” stuck on the front of the cat’s otherwise rather triangular head (5, 7-9). I can see it, although I feel like that is not the most dignified thing one could say about a cat’s face.
A Havana Brown’s nose leather is rosy-brown, and their paw pads a.k.a toe beans are rose-toned (2, 3, 8, 9). The whiskers are also brown. In fact, the Havana Brown is the only breed wherein whisker color is part of the breed standard (3).
When it comes to personality, Havana Browns are a very kitten-ish bunch. They are playful, friendly, and people-oriented. While not a wildly active breed, they love their toys and playtime. They also love attention and spending time with their people. This is not a breed that does well spending a lot of time alone. They do, however, get along well with children and other pets. Sometimes they can be shy of strangers, though, so don’t rush the introductions.
While most cats scatter at the sound of a sudden crash, Havanas run toward the sound to see what caused it.
Richard C. Bilello, Havana Brown breeder
Havana Browns, like many breeds in the Siamese family, can be talkative, but they have much quieter voices than Siamese cats do (3, 8, 9). They also have an adorable habit of engaging the world with their paws. They investigate objects with their paws and even poke people or tap them on the shoulder to demand attention (2, 5, 8-10)! These intelligent and inquisitive cats are quite charming. Their need for attention and enthusiasm for, well, most things might be too much for some, but these cats are highly adaptable and do well with families.
Health and Home
One advantage of owning a Havana Brown is their low-maintenance coat, which needs very little grooming unless you intend to show them. They require no bathing and just need an occasional brush to remove dead hair, especially during shedding seasons. Fortunately, these cats are not heavy shedders (8, 9, 10).
Breeds that are rare and/or new have the least health information available, and the Havana Brown is a lot of the former and a little of the latter. As best as is known, it is a breed that experiences few health problems. They do seem to have a higher incidence of upper respiratory infections (3) and crystals in the urinary tract (10). Both of these conditions can be life-threatening if allowed to progress too far but are absolutely treatable. Always take your cat to the vet if they are showing any unusual symptoms. Cats hide their distress, so even a little change is worth asking the veterinarian about, just in case.
Havana Browns can be prone to overeating (4, 7). According to breeder Richard Bilello, “Havanas will eat all of their own food in seconds and then proceed to eat any other cat’s food if they can” (4). So you will probably need to control their portions and feed any other cats in the household separately.
If you would like a Havana Brown of your own, keep in mind that these are very, very rare cats. I will always say “adopt, don’t shop.” Of course, there are going to be few of these cats in shelters because there are few period. But even nearly-extinct purebred cats are sometimes surrendered, so always check if there is one up for adoption before buying from a breeder. The website https://havanabrown.rescueme.org/ showcases Havana Browns in need of forever homes in the United States. You can also visit their Facebook page for more listings.
Fun Facts
- The Havana Brown got its name either from the Havana rabbit or the tobacco in Cuban cigars (5, 6). Both are similar in color to the cat’s fur.
- This breed has gone by many names. Aside from those already mentioned: Swiss Mountain Cat, Chestnut Brown, Chestnut Foreign Shorthair, Havana (3-5, 7, 10).
- In some places it is called simply the Havana because a lilac (pink-ish grey) version of the cat is accepted as well as chocolate (5, 10).
- While North American breeders are trying to preserve the Havana Brown, the International Maew Boran Association is hard at work in Thailand trying to bring back the Suphalak (1).
Works Cited
- The International Maew Boran Association. (n.d.). Suphalak/Thong Daeng. http://www.timba.org/suphalak.html
- Petfinder. (n.d.). Havana. https://www.petfinder.com/cat-breeds/havana-brown/
- Cat Time. (n.d.). Havana Brown. TotallyHer Media, LLC. https://cattime.com/cat-breeds/havana-brown-cats#/slide/1
- Bilello, R.C. (1998). The Havana Brown: A brown delight and an endangered species. The Cat Fanciers’ Association. https://cfa.org/havana-brown/havana-brown-article-1998/
- The International Cat Association. (2018, August 13). Havana Brown. TICA.org. https://www.tica.org/nl/breeds/browse-all-breeds?view=article&id=842:havana-breed&catid=79
- Placchi, N. (1991, May). The cat in a not so plain brown wrapper. Cat Fancier’s Almanac, 8(5). As reproduced on the CFA Havana Brown Breed Council Website, http://www.havanabrowncfabc.com/History1.htm
- Hill’s Pet. (n.d.). Havana Brown cat: Information and personality traits. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/cat-breeds/havana-brown
- Cat Fanciers’ Association. (n.d.). About the Havana Brown. https://cfa.org/havana-brown/
- Cat Fanciers’ Association Havana Brown Breed Council. http://www.havanabrowncfabc.com/index.htm
- Houle, T. (n.d.). The Havana Brown. Pet Health Network. https://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-breeds/havana-brown
