Toyger vs Havana Brown - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

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 Toyger is a domestic cat developed from breeding Shorthaired Tabbies to look like a small Tiger.

It has the striped coat of the Tiger. The person to develop the Toyger is Judy Sugden.

The unusual-looking cat has been recognized for registration by the International Cat Association in the 1990s. It was accepted as a full championship breed in 2007.

Today this designer cat is recognized by the ICA but not the Cat Fancier's Association.

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.

The Toyger is a medium to large-sized cat that can weigh between 5 and 9kg. As with any cat, with these newer kinds of cats, the size of the cat can vary.

It is a shorthair cat that is quite a bit bigger than your regular cat. The coat of this mixed breed cat has markings similar to that of a tiger - vertical orange striping with rosettes.

The coat of the cat is short and he is a brown mackerel tabby with stripes being a dark brown to black. The eyes of the cat can be a blue, aquamarine, green, or gold.

Temperament:

These cats have a laid back disposition, and will comfortably slot into a busy household.

They are playful and intelligent and can be taught tricks and to walk on the lead.

This cat enjoys the company of people and will get on well with other pets too. People who have owned them say they are the most affectionate and loving cats there are and will enjoy being petted and pampered by their human family.

They get on well in busy households where there are children and other pets. They’re super smart and can be trained with ease.

Unlike many other cat breeds, he seems to also enjoy playing in water.

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.

Toygers are expensive cats and there aren’t many breeders in the world. If you do decide to invest in a Toyger, he will need careful looking after, after all, you've spent a lot of money on him.

Diet is of absolute importance to keep such a cat healthy. The right environment is also important as cats and dogs for that matter too, can become ill and depressed if they find themselves in homes where they are unloved and abused.

Don't get a cat if you aren't prepared to love and care for him. Because the question is then 'why get a cat?'

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.

Just like in human beings, obesity can reduce the lifespan of your cat. Make sure you keep your Toyger’s weight under control.

These cats are considered to be fairly healthy. He can be predisposed to some of the same cat conditions that the Bengal and Domestic Shorthair face.

When your Toyger shows any signs of illness, get him to the vet. Some of the common health problems your Toygers might have to contend with include obesity and heart murmurs.

A heart murmur is an abnormal heart sound, and is caused by turbulent blood flow within the heart. When you vet examines your cat, a heart murmur is detected when the vet listens to your cat's heart with a stethoscope. The vet will discuss with you the way forward for your cat.

If you get a Toyger kitten, you will have to make sure he is up to date with his vaccinations. This is part of being a responsible cat owner.

The breeder will have a record of his vaccinations and will hand this over to you.

At 6 – 8 weeks kittens start with their first injections which include vaccinations for distemper, feline rhinotracheitis, and feline calici virus.

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.

Toygers should be brushed weekly and have their nails trimmed regularly. As with all domesticated cats, you should check inside his ears to make sure they don’t become clogged with dirt and wax.

These are smart cats so they will need to be provided with attention in the form of clever games and toys that get him thinking.

Toygers need to be fed much like any other domestic cat. The most important thing to remember when feeding a cat is that they are carnivores and they require meaty food high in protein.

Speak to your vet about the absolute necessity of getting your cat’s diet right. For your convenience, cat food manufacturers have brought out many excellent cat foods that cater to the time of life your cat is in.

Make sure your Toyger has a constant supply of fresh, cool water.