Havana (HAV)

The overall impression of the ideal Havana (also called Havana Brown or Suffolk in other organizations) is a cat of medium size with a rich, solid colour coat and good muscle tone.

Its typical strong and square muzzle is a characteristic feature of the breed, distinguishing her from its oriental ancestors.

Through this muzzle, the coat colour, brilliant an expressive eyes and large forwarded tilted ears, the Havana is not comparable with any other breed.

The body is medium in length, firm and muscular but also graceful and elegant.

The general body shape can be described as a mixture of all other body shapes, such as short, cobby, long stretched, slender etc.

Overall balance and proportions rather than size to be determining factor.

Adult males tend to be larger than their female counterparts.

The neck is medium in length and well muscled, in proportion to the body.

The legs are long, straight, compared to the size of the cat, elegant with strong boning.

The legs of females are slim and dainty; slenderness and length of leg will be less evident in the more powerfully muscled, mature males.

Hind legs slightly longer than front.

Paws are oval and compact, in proportion to the legs. 

The tail is slender and medium long and extends at leasr to the middle of the body.

Not to broad at base, tapered at the end.

When viewed from above, the head is longer than it is wide, tapering to a round muzzle with a pronounced break on both sides behind the whisker pads and is well proportioned to the body.

Due to the pronounced whisker pads, the side headline (seen from above) is interrupted, which is typical for the Havana.

The end of the muzzle appears amost square.

The forehead is flat followed by a defined stop at eye level.

The chin is strong, well developed and should form a perpendicular line with the tip of the nose.

Sparse hair on the chin, directly below lower lip, is allowed.

Allowance to be made for broader heads and pronounced cheekbones at adult males.

The ears are large, round-tipped, wide-set but not flaring.

Tilted forward giving the cat an alert impression.

They are very slightly furnished.

Short to medium length, smooth and lustrous.

It lies close to the body, without undercoat.

• Brown:

The colour is rich even shade and tends from a warm brown to a red-brown (mahogany).

Nose leather: brown with a rusy flush

Paw pads: rosy toned

Whiskers: brown, complementing to the coat colour

•  Lilac:

Glacial grey with slight pink tinge

Nose leather: lavender-pink

Paw pads: lavender-pink

Whiskers: lavender-pink

Ghost tabby markings at kittens are allowed.

• No pinch or no stop

•  Weak chin

• Ghost marking at adults

• Oriental type

• Roman profile

• Narrow muzzle

• Kinked tail

• Lockets

• Any other eye colour than green

• Incorrect colour of whiskers, nose leather or paw pads as previously described

None