Your guide to finding and caring for a Havana in Wichita
A Havana suits Wichita best when someone's home a good part of the day. These chocolate-brown cats follow you from room to room, which works in an older College Hill house with sunny windows or a newer apartment near Bradley Fair. They're curious, a little chatty and happiest with a daily play session. The breed is rare, so many brown shorthairs you'll meet here are Havana-like mixes, and the listings on this page are the place to watch.
Give a Havana Brown a home
While we don't have enough cats near Wichita, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
M, 4 y., 131 miles
Siamese
F, 1 y., 132 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
M, 5 y., 135 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Bombay
M, 3 y., 141 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 2 mo., 141 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
M, 2 mo., 141 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
F, 6 mo.-2 y., 142 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
F, 2 y., 151 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
F, 1 y., 152 miles
Burmese, Domestic Short Hair
F, 0-6 mo., 166 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
The Havana, called the Havana Brown by some registries, came out of Britain in the 1950s, when chocolate-carrying Siamese cats were paired with black domestic shorthairs. The look is unmistakable: a glossy chocolate coat, brown whiskers, vivid green eyes, large forward-tilted ears and a squared-off muzzle on a medium, muscular body of roughly 6 to 10 pounds.
Personality is the real draw. Havanas are curious, people-focused cats that investigate with a paw and talk in a softer voice than a Siamese. In Wichita, that suits households where someone is home often or another friendly pet is around. Because the breed is rare, most adoptable brown cats are shorthaired mixes, and each cat's own personality tells you more than a breed label does.
Having a Havana in Wichita
Havanas pair a sleek, low-shedding coat with a strong wish to be part of family life. In Wichita, the main questions are how much company a cat gets on workdays and how to keep a curious indoor cat busy through hot summers and cold winters.
Havanas are often affectionate and interactive, greeting visitors with interest rather than hiding. Many get along with considerate children and calm dogs. They're so people-oriented that some get lonely during long workdays, so a Havana tends to suit a Wichita household with flexible hours or a friendly companion pet.
Most Havanas are moderately active and enjoy wand toys, balls and anything they can bat with a paw. Two or three short play sessions a day usually work better than one long one. Puzzle feeders and a tall perch by a window give a curious cat something to do indoors all year.
Havanas have no well-documented breed-specific genetic disease, though gum inflammation may be somewhat more common. The breed's small gene pool means records are limited, so regular dental care and routine checkups matter. A veterinarian can check gums and teeth at the first visit and talk through screening.
A Havana adapts to an apartment or a house because companionship and enrichment matter more than square footage. With roughly 40% of Wichita households renting, that flexibility helps. Window perches, a sturdy cat tree and a few hiding spots keep an indoor Havana content.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $450 to $1,150 per year | $450 to $1,150 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,200 to $2,700 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, flea and tick prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and other supplies, and minimal home grooming for the short coat.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Wichita.
Wichita's shelters and rescues take in cats all year, and the groups below list the ones ready for adoption. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Wichita area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Havana is coming in.
Yes, for many households. Havanas are social and curious, so they do best where someone is home part of the day or another friendly pet keeps them company. Both older Wichita houses and apartments can work if the cat has perches and daily play. They're a weaker match for people gone long hours, since a bored Havana can get loud or destructive.
Yes. No known breed rules apply to cats in Wichita, so owning a Havana comes down to the same basics as any cat. Because a registered Havana is rare, the cats you'll meet here are mostly brown shorthairs and Havana mixes. Watch the listings on this page, browse similar breeds and nearby cities, or save a search to hear about new cats.
It works well for an indoor Havana. The short coat offers little insulation against Wichita's cold snaps, and summer afternoons often top 90°F, so a climate-controlled home matters more than anything else. Limit outdoor time to supervised, harnessed moments in mild weather, and keep water available in several spots through the hottest months.
Yes. A Havana's needs are about attention and enrichment, not square footage. Give it a tall cat tree, a window perch, puzzle feeders and daily play. Its voice is softer than a Siamese's, which helps with shared walls, though a lonely cat may chatter more. Before applying, make sure your lease allows cats.
Yes, in a carrier. Wichita Transit runs buses only, and a non-service pet may ride if it's in an approved carrier that fully contains it. Choose a sturdy, well-ventilated carrier and let your Havana practice at home first. Check current rules and fares with Wichita Transit before your first trip.
Very little. The short, close coat needs a weekly brush at most, and Wichita's heat and dry winter air don't call for extra coat care. Trim nails every few weeks and keep up with dental care, since gum inflammation can be a concern. Home grooming costs stay small and fall within the Other costs line.
A Havana cat, also called the Havana Brown, is a rare shorthaired breed developed in Britain in the 1950s from Siamese and black domestic cats. It is recognized by its rich chocolate-brown coat, brown whiskers, green eyes and distinctive muzzle. Havanas tend to be social, curious and people-focused, and few are available, so brown shorthaired mixes are more common in shelters.
Plan on roughly $25 to $50 a month for food and $25 to $50 a month for insurance, about $150 to $350 a year for routine vet care, and $450 to $1,150 a year for everything else, including litter, dental care and flea prevention. The short coat keeps grooming costs very low.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Wichita.
