Havana ~ Black
Havana ~ Brown
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Havana ~ Black
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Havana ~ Brown
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| Either a chestnut or lilac coat, but always green-eyed In the early 19th century in England, a female chestnut brown cat named Granny Grump was reported. Much later, around 1880, other cats of the same color were successfully shown. In 1950, after these cats had been forgotten for a half-century, Baroness Von Ulmann crossed chocolate point Siamese cats with black European Shorthairs in an effort to obtain a foreign-type cat with a solid chocolate coat. She was so successful that breeders copied her. Unlike the F.I.Fe., the G.C.C.F. recognized the new breed in 1958 as the Chestnut Havana or Havana Brown. Since 1971, the name Havana has been preferred, perhaps in reference to the color of the cigar or to the coat color of a breed of rabbit, and also after the lilac color was accepted by some federations. Since 1960, the breed has been highly successful in the United States, although it remains rare in Europe. Recently, a cross between a Havana Brown and a serval (a large, long-legged African wildcat with a spotted coat) produced a new breed called the Savannah. It is a large, svelte cat with a spotted coat known for its gentle nature. The first arrived in France in 1998, and the S.C.F.F. has just recognized the breed. |
| Pixieish, people-oriented cat. Needs to be with its owner, and hates to be ignored. Affectionate. Insists on intimacy. Less vocal than Siamese or Oriental Shorthair. |
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Head
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When viewed from above, the head is longer than it is wide, narrowing to a rounded muzzle with a pronounced break on both sides behind the whisker pads. The somewhat narrow muzzle and the whisker break are distinctive characteristics of the breed and must be evident in the typical specimen. When viewed in profile, there is a distinct stop at the eyes; the end of the muzzle appears almost square; this illusion is heightened by a well-developed chin, the profile outline of which is more square than round. Ideally, the tip of the nose and the chin form an almost perpendicular line. Allowance to be made for somewhat broader heads and stud jowls in the adult male. Allow for sparse hair on chin, directly below lower lip. |
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Eyes
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Large, oval, not globular, set near the bridge of the nose. Colors: all shades and intensities of green. A change in color are allowed until the age of one year. |
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Ears
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Large, round-tipped, cupped at the base, wide-set but not flaring; tilted forward giving the cat an alert appearance. Little hair inside or outside. |
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Neck
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Medium in size and length. |
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Body
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Medium in size and bone structure. Medium-limbed (American type) or long-limbed (English type). Firm muscles. |
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Paw
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Long, slender but not too thin. Compact, oval paws. |
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Tail
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medium in length and in proportion to the body; slender, neither whip-like nor blunt; tapering at the end. Not too broad at the base. |
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Coat
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Short, fine, silky, lying flat against the body. Very thick undercoat. Slightly fluffier fur allowed for lilac coats. Colors: - chocolate: chestnut brown, solid hazelnut brown. Brown whiskers and nose leather, pink paw pads. The C.F.A. recognizes this color only. - lilac: taupe with pink highlights. T.I.C.A. recognizes both these colors. Kittens are born with tabby ghost markings that disappear during the first year. |
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Fault
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Absence of break in the muzzle. Absence of chin. Kinked tail. |
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Disqualify
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Wrong eye color. White markings. Kinked tail, locket or button, incorrect number of toes, any eye color other than green, incorrect color of whiskers, nose leather or paw pads. |
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Character
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Havanas are lively, active, and playful but not aggressive cats. Standoffish toward strangers, they like tranquility and comfort. Calm, affectionate, and very gentle, they adore their owner. Less talkative than the Siamese, they also have a softer voice. In terms of grooming, weekly brushing is sufficient for this breed. |
| No known genetic defects. Quite hardy. |
Havana