American Havana Brown

Notes

A deep chocolate cat with a distinctive tubular muzzle, American Havana Browns are a rare breed. The name refers to their colour — deep warm brown, like a Havana cigar. It was created in England by fanciers who crossed a Siamese to domestic black cats with the intent of creating a self chocolate cat, and in the 1950s it arrived in North America. Today the British Havana is essentially a chocolate Oriental Shorthair, while the American Havana follows the type of the early imports and indeed varies much from the Oriental. The American Havana remains extremely rare; outcrossing is very difficult as European and British cats are Orientals, and today’s show Orientals simply vary too much in type and personality. Limited outcrossing has been allowed, under the guidance of feline geneticist Leslie A. Lyons, but this has done little good; registration and entries of Havana Browns remain among the very lowest. Despite its uniqueness, fanciers are concerned that the Havana Brown may soon disappear from the show bench entirely.

Type & Judging Remarks
It is a medium size and well-muscled, with a distinctive head shape and a prominent whisker pinch. Nose leather is often quite light compared to the coat colour.

Breed Files