Havana Brown
The Havana Brown is a cat well known in England and shown there since the 1890s. It is also known commonly as the Swiss Mountain cat. It is a breed that is similar to other full color cats, the non-blue eyed Siamese, and the Oriental shorthair. Although the breed's origin is much the same as the Oriental shorthair, it has come to resemble the Russian shorthair much more closely.
A Bit of History
During World War I and World War II many of the breeding programs of pedigreed cats suffered. It wasn't until after World War II that cat fanciers renewed their breeding efforts. During the 1950s British cat fanciers began working on restoring the Havana Brown cat breed. British breeders developed a solid chocolate Siamese type cat which was registered as a chestnut brown foreign cat breed in Britain, and a Havana Brown in North America. In the early 1970s the CFA accepted the Oriental Shorthair breed and Havana Browns were registered as chestnut Oriental Shorthairs.
Havanas require little maintenance in order to look good.
Those who have been given most of the credit in this effort to keep the Havana Brown cat breed active are Mrs. Armitage Hargreaves of Laurentide Cattery, Mrs. Munroe Smith of Elmtower Cattery, the Baroness Von Ullmann of Roofspringer Cattery, Mrs. Elsie Fisher of Praha Cattery, and Mrs. Judd of Crossways Cattery. Over the past decade the Havana Brown breed has struggled to exist. In order to overcome this hardship the CFA, in 1998 agreed to allow outcrossing again.
Appearance
Havana Browns have a grace all of their own. They fall in between the stocky Persian type and extremely svelte Siamese type but seem to have much more elegance. The Havana has probably one of the most unique head shapes in the cat fancy. The head is longer than it is wide, and then narrows to a rounded shape. Its muzzle is described sometimes as looking like a light bulb or a corn on the cob. The Havana is generally accepted in only one color and pattern; solid warm mahogany brown, however the Cat Fancier's Federation and the International Cat Association will accept the breed in solid lilac as well.
Temperament
Havanas in general are a gentle cat breed with remarkable abilities to adapt to new surroundings and people. They are quite intelligent. They are compared to royalty in some situations as they take any situation in stride with complete confidence and poise. As long as they have the love and attention from their owners they are content in whatever surrounding they are placed in.
If you love interactive cats, they make great companions. They are devoted, affectionate, and curious. They always want to be where you are and in fact would prefer to be in the middle of the action. They'll help you read the paper, work on the computer, and even want to help fix dinner. They can easily adjust to other pets as well as children which makes them a great addition to any family. They are quite dependent on human attention and affection however, so if you work all day and are out all night you may want to consider a different cat breed.
Grooming
Unless you're planning on having a Havana Brown for show, they generally require little maintenance and grooming in order to look good. Breeders have often warned that too much grooming with these cats will actually result in bald spots. Since the coat is short you only need to groom them with a brush about once a month to help remove any dead hairs and keep their fur nice and glossy.
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