Brown Cat Breeds

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Brown tabby cats are not hard to come by, so there is a very high chance that you have come across one at some point in your life. Contrarily, solid brown cats are rare. The rarity of solid brown felines stems from the scarcity of the genes that produce brown coloration in cats.

Generally, the color of a cat’s fur is determined by melanin (the same protein that determines human skin color). Melanin comprises two components: eumelanin and pheomelanin. Of these two components, eumelanin produces brown and black colors in cats.

Specific dominant genes produce high levels of eumelanin, causing cat fur to appear black. Mutation of these genes forms recessive genes. These recessive genes give rise to levels of eumelanin that make cat fur brown.

In this article, we examine the details of these rare brown cat breeds. We talk about their breeding history, size, lifespan, and more.

Table of Contents

British Shorthair

As the name suggests, the British Shorthair originated from England. It is one of the oldest cat breeds known. In fact, between World War I and World War II, the British Shorthair almost went extinct.

The British Shorthair typically has blue fur, but it comes in many other colors, including deep brown. It has a short, thick coat with a chubby, rounded but compact body.

The eyes, head, paws, and cheeks of a British Shorthair are round. British Shorthairs have broad chests, strong legs, and thick, rounded tails.

British Shorthairs are a fun cat breed to keep as pets. They are generally affectionate and friendly, and they do not demand too much attention. Of course, from time to time, you should cuddle with your British Shorthair.

British Shorthairs do well with other pets; they are usually okay with other cats and dogs. On average, they live for around 14 to 20 years and weigh 7 to 17 pounds.

Burmese

The first Burmese cat originated from Burma. However, the current strain of Burmese came from a crossbreeding between a seal-point Siamese and a Burmese cat called Wong Mau.

Burmese cats have short, silky coats. They are typically dark brown, but they can come in other colors including champagne and sable. Burmese cats have large, round heads, compact bodies, and large gold/yellow eyes.

Burmese cats are highly energetic and playful. They are also pretty friendly and curious, and they love attention. So, if you cannot afford to spare much time, you must provide some activity to keep them busy.

You could get a toy or companion for your Burmese cat if you cannot always offer it your attention.

Burmese cats are described as being dog-like. This description is, in part, due to their loyalty. But besides that, their willingness to always be a part of whatever you do makes them dog-like.

Burmese cats can live for around 10 to 15 years. The males are typically larger than 12 pounds, while the females are usually about 8 to 12 pounds.

Devon Rex

Devon Rexes have English origin. At first, they were thought to be Cornish Rexes. But after about 10 years, the breed came to be through natural genetic mutation.

Devon Rexes have soft, curly coats with muscular, medium-sized bodies. Their bodies are slim, cheekbones high, and their large eyes can come in many colors. Devon Rexes have long tails with short fur and large eyes, their legs are also long, and their paws bear oval claws.

Devon Rexes are playful, friendly, and attentive; you can even have them around children and other pets. While they are at it, they can also be mischievous. Yet, they are typically active and alert.

If you fancy intelligent cats, then you should consider Devon Rexes. This breed is pretty smart and you can even teach them tricks.

On average, Devon Rexes live for 9 to 15 years. They typically weigh less than 8 pounds and are generally healthy.

Havana Brown

Havana Brown is another cat breed with English origins. It was formed from crossbreeding a chocolate-point Siamese with a shorthaired black cat.

Havana Browns came into the US in the 1950s. They have short, smooth, brown fur on their firm, muscular bodies.

Havana Browns have green eyes. As kittens and young adult cats, they may have tabby markings. But when they reach full adulthood, they become solid brown.

Playful and friendly, Havana Browns are great to have around even though they enjoy their alone time. So, they’re great for people who have less free time. That being said, Havana Brown cats are known to bond intensely with one person.

On average, Havana Brown cats live for around 11 to 15 years. The males weigh about 8 to 12 pounds, while the females are typically less than 8 pounds.

Oriental Shorthair

Oriental Shorthairs are a result of crossing various cat breeds. Some of them include the British Shorthair, Russian Blue, and Abyssinian.

As their name says, Oriental Shorthairs have short, smooth coats. Their fur comes in various colors and patterns. The eyes of Oriental Shorthairs can be green, gold, blue, or yellow, and they sit in a unique wedge-shaped head.

Oriental Shorthairs have slender, muscle bodies. So, it isn’t surprising that they are energetic.

Besides being full of energy and athletic, Oriental Shorthairs are playful, friendly, intelligent, and affectionate. They crave attention, so they may get distressed if you stay away from them for too long.

On average, Oriental Shorthairs weigh 8 to 10 pounds and live for 10 to 15 years. They shed moderately and are generally healthy.

Persian

Persian cats originated from Mesopotamia – an ancient place now part of modern-day Iran. They came into the US towards the end of the 19^th century and are currently the 4^th most popular cat breed in the US.

Persian cats have long, soft, thick, shiny, and fluffy coats. The coat comes in various colors, including chocolate brown.

Persian cats have round eyes. The eyes can be copper, green, or odd-eyed. Their legs are thick and short, cheeks are plump, their nose is tiny, and their paws house small-sized rounded claws.

Members of this breed are not the most active. But they can be playful when they feel like it. Persian cats are friendly and affectionate, nonetheless. They are great to have around kids. Still, they can be shy around unfamiliar faces.

The average Persian cat can live for around 10 to 18 years. While the males are typically over 12 pounds, the females are about 8 to 12 pounds heavy.

Persian cats need regular, thorough grooming to keep their coat from matting and knotting. The grooming also helps keep them active.

Due to their facial structure, Persian cats are prone to some diseases such as cherry eye, polycystic kidney disease, and more.

York Chocolate

You can probably guess that York Chocolates are an American breed from New York. They came from the crossing between an all-black male farm cat and a black & white female cat.

As their name hints, York Chocolates have dark-brown coats like chocolate. Their fur is long, and their body is medium-sized. York Chocolates have fully round chests, long legs, and medium-sized tails.

York Chocolates are loyal to their owners. They are generally very friendly but can be shy around strange faces.

York Chocolates are curious and energetic. On average, they live for 13-15 years. The males can weigh 14 to 16 pounds, while the females are typically around 10 to 12 pounds.