Ukrainian Levkoy vs Havana Brown - Breed Comparison

The rare Havana Brown cat seems to be a result of a planned breeding between Siamese and domestic black cats.

It was in the 1950s that cat fanciers in the UK became the early breeders. These breeders called themselves the Havana Group. They created the foundation of the modern-day Havana Brown cat.

These breeders managed to produce chocolate shaded kittens which became known as the Chestnut Brown Oriental. Kittens arrived in the US and were crossbred with the Chocolate and Seal Point Siamese to produce chocolate-colored kittens.

In 1964, the Havana Brown was accepted for Championship status by the Cat Fanciers Association.

The Ukrainian Levkoy is a distinctive looking cat with its folded ears. This is a new breed of cat, only being developed recently early in the 2000s.

The cat was first developed by Elena Biriukova in Ukraine, by crossing the hairless Donskoy cat with the Scottish Fold. Also, Oriental and domestic cats were also brought into the mix.

This particular cat breed was recognized in 2005 in Ukraine and recognized in Russia in 2010. The cat isn’t recognized by any of the major international cat organizations.

The Havana Brown is a medium-sized cat, being somewhat slender and weighing between 3 and 6kg. The body is long and muscular and the cat has a beautiful brown short to medium-length coat.

The coat color is in fact a rich reddish-brown shade. The ears are fairly large and round-shaped and the oval-shaped eyes are a beautiful green.

Temperament:

The Havana Brown is an intelligent, playful, curious cat who enjoys being in the company of its human family. They tend to gravitate towards one favorite family member.

They’re cats that don’t like being left alone for long periods of time. They get on well with children and he also won’t object to becoming friends with the family dog as well.

Friendly though they may be, they also enjoy spending some time on their own. Individual personalities vary but most are playful and talkative.

With his distinctive appearance, the medium-sized, muscular but slender Ukrainian Levkoy cat weighs in the region of 3 to 6kg.

He has these inward-folding ears with very little hair. These are two distinctive features of this cat. The skin is soft and wrinkled, the eyes large and almond-shaped while the ears are also large and set wide apart and high on the wedge-shaped head.

He has long, slender legs and a narrow tail. The litter size of these cats is generally 3 to 6.

Temperament:

Friendly and playful, the Ukranian Levkoy is also intelligent and enjoys having human companionship.

He is social and will make friends of other pets in the house. He is also compatible with children.

There is a good reason why the Havana Brown cat is so popular. People love the unusually rich brown coat which always has a gleam to it.

They also love that this chocolate-colored cat has a wonderful personality and can be a solid companion for humans. So long as you don’t leave him alone for a long time on his own, as that is part of his charm – wanting to be constantly involved with his human family.

The Ukrainian Levkoy, even though he is fairly docile, is a very sociable cat that thrives on human interaction. He is able to get on well with children as well as with other pets. He is also quite a vocal cat and will let you know when he is hungry or wants to play. Some call them ugly and others call them sweet - whatever you make of the Ukranian Levkoy, he needs your love and care to be the best pet he can be.

There are no known genetic diseases associated with this breed. They may have a bit of a higher occurrence of gingivitis than other cat breeds, and this thought to come from them having their Siamese ancestry.

Beware of bladder stones with your cat which can start at any age. The stones can start off small but can grow larger, rubbing against the bladder walls and resulting in inflammation.

Bladder stones can also lead to blockage of the urethra so that your cat isn’t able to urinate. There are symptoms to indicate your pet may have bladder stones and these can be straining to urinate, painful and little urination, urinary tract infections, and blood in the urine.

This is a time when you want to get your pet to the vet just as soon as possible.

Also, be on the watch for eye infections. Conjunctivitis is one of these to look out for but there are other eye infections your cat can experience. They can come about because of an upper respiratory infection that spreads to the eyes, but they can be caused by any number of things such as bacteria, parasites, and viral infections.

You’ll notice your cat pawing at his eyes and there may even be redness, discharge, and swelling. You vet will be able to treat eye infections with ointments and eye drops.

These cats are generally considered to be healthy cats. Having said that, they can be predisposed to the same conditions that the Donskoy and Scottish Fold breeds face.

It is always beneficial to know and recognize some of the symptoms of a sick cat - lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, heavy breathing and lack of appetite. Then it's time to schedule a visit to your local vet.

While there aren't any breed-specific health problems associated with the Ukrainian Levkoy, it is imperative to have him vaccinated against the deadly cat diseases that there are.

With the cat’s short coat, he experiences little shedding so very little grooming is required. A gentle brush once a week will be enough. These cats love attention and submit easily to a brush and body rub with a soft rubber brush.

Check inside the mouth as periodontal disease is a problem with cats. You want to make sure that there aren’t any bad teeth as this can cause a lot of pain.

A vet can also be useful in examining your cat and pinpointing problems.

Check the inside of the ears too because they can become somewhat clogged with wax and dirt. If you don’t want to probe inside the cat’s ears with a cotton ball with warm water and apple cider vinegar, you can take your cat to the vet or to a professional cat groomer.

Keep the litter box of your cat spotlessly clean as these cats are fussy with cleanliness.

As with all cats, it's important to keep up your Ukrainian Levkoy's regular veterinary checkups. This means you can get to any health concerns early so that your vet can come up with a treatment plan for your pet.

Some cat lovers make a point of scheduling yearly wellness visits with their vet, and this can be a good thing. Cats are natural scratchers so make sure you invest in a scratching post for him.

The inside of the Ukrainian Levkoy's ears should be examined regularly for signs of dirt and wax build-up. It can lead to infection. Speak to your vet about your cat's ears if yourself.

The Ukrainian Levkoy is an active cat and if he is an indoor cat, he will definitely need a climbing tree or some kind of cat perch to leap up onto.

The Ukrainian Levkoy is a hairless cat, so you won't brushing your cat's hair but he will need to have a bath. The skin can become oily and attract dirt. Diet is absolutely important. You'll need to make sure you're feeding your cat a high protein diet as every cat is a carnivore. A cat like this needs to stay in shape to avoid cat diseases related to being overweight.

Most Ukrainian Levkoys need to be kept warm, so you might well have to invest in a jacket or jersey to keep him warm on a cold day.