Breed of shorthaired cat named for the rich, warm colour of its coat. Some breeders claim the name Havana refers to the tobacco of that name; others suggest it comes from the similarly coloured Havana rabbit. In Great Britain, a breed of cat known as the Havana preceded the Havana brown. However, these two breeds display different physical qualities, and are considered separate.

The Havana brown was produced by breeding the seal point Siamese cat with black domestic shorthair cats. The first well-defined examples of the Havana brown were developed in Great Britain in the 1950s. One set of these kittens later was used to develop the Oriental shorthair cat. Since its introduction in the United States in the mid-1950s, the Havana brown has become less like the Siamese cat in appearance. The Havana brown has a medium-sized, muscular body that is slightly rounded and sturdy. The back legs are slightly longer than the front legs. The head is longer than it is wide, with a distinctive, corncob-shaped muzzle and a well-developed chin. Medium to large oval eyes are set wide apart, and can be any shade of green. Large, round-tipped ears are set wide apart and tilt forward. The tail is slender and tapering.

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