The Havana Brown: A Smoking Great Cat

Although brown cats have been around for centuries, the Havana Brown Cat first appeared in Britain in the nineteenth century and was considered to be a part of the Southeast Asian branch of the Royal Cats of Siam. But all of the North American Havana Browns in can be traced back to two cats in Norwood, both of them imports. It was this particular breeding that produced the first Havana Brown to achieve Grand Championship status. These cats are just the feline to have if you are looking for an affectionate, sociable, intelligent companion. They have all of the sweetness and color of a bar of chocolate. Plus, Havana Browns purr so loudly that you could swear they are vibrating.

The Havana Brown cat is a medium-sized cat that is elegant and graceful, though also muscular, and it simply exudes a sense of power. However, picking one up for the first time may surprise you. For such a lithesome looking cat, it actually weighs more than you might expect, with the females running from six to eight pounds and the males weighing from eight to ten pounds. Their whiskers are also brown, but as they age, will eventually turn white.

Like the Rex breed of cat in Britain that obtained the Rex part of their names from a curiously shorthaired breed of rabbit, some historians believe that the Havana Brown was also named after a rabbit of the same color. However, do not tell a Havana Brown fan that. They prefer to think that the name came about because the brown color of the breed resembles the color of a fine Havana cigar. Regardless of where the name originated, that glistening mahogany-toned brown color is the perfect thing to set off their green, oval shaped eyes that are expressive and positioned lower on the cat's head than most other cats.

The Havana Brown is a highly intelligent animal that is often more dog-like than cat. They can easily be halter and leash trained, know their name, and also the meaning of the word 'No'. They are also perfectly at home riding around with you in your car, truck, or motor home and have no qualms about sitting next to you in a seat on an airplane. Do not be surprised if your Havana Brown reaches out with a paw and touches you to get your attention. Another thing they love to do is to run like mad, and then suddenly flop onto the floor right in your path, waiting for an expectant tummy rub. They adapt easily to just about any home environment as long as the attention and love is there. But like any animal, they should not be left home alone for too long as it can get very lonely for them. Naturally, you should keep your Havana Brown inside the house for its own safety and protection from predators and disease.