Your guide to finding and caring for a Havana in Boston
A Havana suits Boston's apartment-heavy streets because this cat wants company more than room. In a Dorchester triple-decker or a Fenway one-bedroom, a sunny window perch and a wand toy go a long way with a curious Havana. Long winters mean plenty of time indoors, which suits a sociable cat that likes to supervise your day. The breed is rare, so you're more likely to meet a brown shorthair or a Havana mix. Expect a soft-voiced cat that follows you from kitchen to couch.
Give a Havana Brown a home
F, 0-6 mo., 1226 miles
Siamese
M, 0-6 mo., 1226 miles
Siamese, Russian Blue
F, 6 mo.-2 y., 1227 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
F, 3-7 y., 1229 miles
Siamese
F, 6 mo.-2 y., 1229 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Bombay
M, 3-7 y., 1229 miles
Siamese
F, 6 mo.-2 y., 1229 miles
Siamese
M, 2 y., 1229 miles
Siamese
M, 3 y., 1229 miles
Siamese
M, 5 y., 1229 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
The Havana, called the Havana Brown by some registries, was developed in Britain in the 1950s from chocolate-carrying Siamese and black domestic shorthairs. It's known for a glossy chocolate coat, brown whiskers, green eyes, large forward-tilted ears and a squared-off muzzle. The body is medium and muscular, usually 6 to 10 pounds, and many live 10 to 15 years.
Many Havanas are curious, people-focused and talkative in a softer voice than a Siamese. The short coat sheds little and needs minimal care. In a compact Boston rental, that need for attention is easiest to meet when someone is home for part of the day. Cats vary, and a Havana mix may share only some of these traits.
Having a Havana in Boston
A Havana tends to pair an easy-care coat with a strong wish to take part in family life. How its curiosity and gentle chatter show up day to day matters more for a match than the striking chocolate color.
Havanas are often affectionate and interactive, following people from room to room and greeting visitors with interest instead of hiding. Many get along with considerate children and calm dogs. Because they're so people-oriented, some get lonely during long workdays. In a busy Boston household, a cat's own personality tells you more than the breed label does.
Most Havanas are moderately active and enjoy daily play with wand toys, balls and anything they can bat with a paw. Puzzle feeders, climbing perches and short games of fetch give a curious mind work to do. Two or three short sessions a day usually satisfy them better than one long one, even in a small apartment.
Havanas have no well-documented breed-specific genetic disease, though gum inflammation may be somewhat more common. The small gene pool means health records are limited, so regular tooth care and yearly checkups matter. A veterinarian can check a new cat's teeth, weight and overall condition, and can advise on screening that suits that cat.
Boston's many apartments and triple-deckers work well for a Havana, since companionship and enrichment matter more than square footage. A cat tree, window perches and a few hiding spots help. Many do best indoors with someone home part of the day, or with another friendly pet, because long stretches alone can leave them bored.
| 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 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 Boston.
Boston has an active network of shelters and rescues caring for cats of every coat, age and personality. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Boston area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Havana is coming in.
Yes, as long as your Havana rides in a secure carrier. The MBTA allows small pets at all times in a carrier, ideally on your lap and away from the doors. Cats can't ride loose or on a seat. Staff can restrict pets when trains are crowded, so avoid holidays and big events like the Boston Marathon.
Yes, if they live indoors. Boston sees about 90 freezing nights and roughly 49 inches of snow a year, and a Havana's short coat offers little insulation. Keep this cat inside, provide a warm bed and a perch away from drafts, and wipe paws after any salted-sidewalk carrier trip. Massachusetts law also bars leaving animals in cold cars.
Yes, a Havana does well in a Boston apartment. This cat cares more about company and enrichment than floor space, so a cat tree, window perches and daily play sessions matter most. Fit secure screens on windows, and if your building is noisy or you travel often, consider a second friendly cat for company.
Yes. Massachusetts bars cities from regulating pets by breed, so a Havana faces no special rules in Boston. Cats 6 months and older need a rabies vaccination, and renters should read the lease for pet clauses. A microchip and ID tag aren't required but make it much easier to reunite a lost cat.
A Havana fits Boston well if someone is home part of the day, since this social cat can get bored or lonely during long commutes. Compact rentals, long indoor winters and a love of window-watching all suit the breed. Because Havanas are rare, watch the listings on this page for brown shorthairs and mixes, or save a search.
Very little. A Havana's short, low-shedding coat needs only a weekly brush, a bit more in spring and fall. Boston's dry, heated winter air can make coats and skin feel dull, so keep water available. Plan on nail trims and regular tooth care. Professional grooming isn't usually needed, and home supplies fall within the Other cost 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.
A Havana typically costs roughly $1,200 to $2,700 a year. That adds up food at $25 to $50 a month, pet insurance at $25 to $50 a month, routine vet care at $150 to $350 a year, and other costs at $450 to $1,150 a year, including litter, flea prevention and a dental allowance.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Boston.
