OK now, if you’re from Cuba, or you have Cuban ancestry, we don’t want you to get too excited about the Havana Brown cat breed because despite its name, these little guys aren’t from Cuba.
In fact…
This little guy is actually from England of all places!
But just because…
This little guy wasn’t once “Castro’s companion” doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be interested in learning more about him, it just means that it’s not really going to make all that much sense if you decide to call him or her Fidel!
But don’t fret…
In this article, we’re going to talk all about the Havana Brown including:
- Where they come from
- How they got their name
- What they look like
- What it’s like to own one
- And what health concerns they have
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Havana Brown Cat Breed Fast Facts
Country of Origin: England
Size: Medium
Weight: 8 to 10 pounds
Eyes: Oval (emerald green)
Shape of Head: Long and narrow (think Doberman Pinscher)
Life Span: 12 to 15 years
Origin of the Havana Brown cat breed
Despite the fact that the Havana Brown has a bit of an “ancient” look to them, the truth is that this breed isn’t all that old at all. In fact, we can trace the existence of the Havana Brown breed back to the early 1950’s when several cat enthusiasts in England purposely decided to try cross breeding a chocolate-and-seal Siamese with a domestic black shorthair can in and effort to create brown cat with green eyes.
And as you can tell…
From the photo above, they were quite successful in their attempts. And while “how” these cats were created is well known and well documented, “why” they got the name “Havana Brown” is up for debate.
Well at least…
The “Havana” part is because it’s pretty obvious why they chose to call them “brown”. Now some believe they were called a “Havana” brown because their coloring is very reminiscent of a Cuban cigar, while others believe it has something to do with it’s similarity to a type of brown rabbit that is also called a Havana Brown.
That said…
Here at IndulgeYourPet, much prefer the “cigar” theory so if you ask us, we don’t know “nuttin” about any rabbit called a Havana brown.
Either way…
Shortly after they were created in England, a California breed spotted one and decided to bring them to the United States in 1956 where a successful breeding stock was established insuring the breed would be well represented her in the USA.
This “acceptance” in the…
United States “probably” helped the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) decide to “officially” accept the Havana Brown cat breed as its own unique breed just 3 years after their arrival into the USA in 1959.
And while it is…
True that the breed nearly disappeared by the late 1990’s, their numbers have grown at a steady pace since then, and now are in the hands of many cat-lovers today.
Havana Brown cat breed characteristics
The Havana Brown cat is one of those unique breeds where while it’s true that there will be some differences between one and another, at their core, all Havana Browns are going to look quite similar to one another.
For example, all Havana Brown cats are going to:
- Be about average size, weighing in around 8 to 10 pounds.
- They’re all going to have a shorthaired coat that is going to be a reddish-brown color.
- They’re all going to be really lean, strong cats that are going to “feel” much bigger than they actually are.
- And they are all going to have strikingly green eyes!
That and…
What many folks describe as an “uncommon” shaped head with is actually longer than it is wide. In fact, some of them actually have a bit of a Doberman Pinscher “type” face.
Which isn’t…
A bad thing, we’re just saying that the Havana Brown breed doesn’t have the typical “squished” face like most cats do.
Havana Brown cat temperament and personality
Right off the back we need to let you now that the Havana Brown cat breed can tend to be a bit demanding. This is because the REALLY like to be around people.
And by…
Being “around people” we mean, on your lap, running between your legs and even rubbing up against your arm while writing an article about different kinds of cats.
Basically…
If you’re home, they want to be around you. That and they’re very talkative. Now it’s not like they have an annoying “meow” it’s just that if you’re not paying attention to them, chances are they’re going to ask you why not?
Which is great if…
You like that kind of cat. If not, all this “attention” from your four-legged friend can be a bit overwhelming at times. It really comes down to what “kind” of cat person you are?
“Do you like cats that think you are the center of their universe?”
Or
“Do you prefer cats who really don’t care if you exist as long as their food and water bowl if full?”
We should also…
Point out that these little guys are highly intelligent and they enjoy a challenge. So, if you do decide to adopt one, be sure to provide them with plenty of toys that will challenge their minds and make them think, and they will love you for it!
Naturally curious…
These little guys won’t get frustrated or give up on learning a new skill or trick. Quite the opposite really, these guys will actually become more focus and more determined, the more difficult the task may be.
They also like…
Going on adventures. So, if you plan on keeping your Havana Brown inside, you better secure every and all exits tightly because these guys can tend to be rather accomplished escape artists.
But if you don’t mind…
Letting them go outside, you better warn everyone cause these guys are going to check out every corner of the neighborhood!
Havana Brown health issues
A Havana Brown is generally healthy, but there are a few things that they could come to develop. One of the most common things among Havana Browns is the development of:
- Calcium oxylate stones (or kidney stones) in their urinary tract.
- And upper respiratory infections.
These guys are also prone to…
Developing obesity simply because the LOVE to eat and will eat just about anything they can get their jaws on.
That said however…
There’s no need to get paranoid and allow these health problems to stop you from getting a Havana Brown. We just want to make sure that you’re aware of these conditions so that if you do decide to adopt a Havana Brown cat, you understand that you’re taking on a great responsibility because at the end of the day it will be you who is responsible for his or her wellbeing.
Which brings us to…
The last topic that we would like to talk about here in our article about the Havana Brown cat breed which is the importance of purchasing a pet insurance policy.
Now you may be thinking…
To yourself that you don’t need to get a pet insurance policy on your new kitten because he or she is perfectly healthy, but one never knows what the future may bring and all that we can tell you is that veterinarian bills are not “cheap”.
So before…
You automatically dismiss the idea of purchasing a pet insurance policy on any of your animals, we would encourage you to check out our article: Best Pet Insurance Companies so that you can read about some of the advantages and disadvantages of owning such a policy as well as find out how much one might cost.
