The Havana Brown was the result of a planned breeding between Siamese and domestic black cats, by a group of cat fanciers in England, in the 1950s. Early breeders introduced a Siamese type Russian Blue into their breeding. However, using current genetic testing, it is believed that almost none remain in the gene pool.

It has been documented that selfbrown cats were shown in Europe in the 1890s, one name given to these was the Swiss Mountain Cat. These disappeared until postWorld War II, with the most likely explanation that the Siamese Cat Club of Britain discouraged their breeding.
The Swiss Mountain Cat was never used in the breeding programs of the modern Havana Brown. However, they likely share genetics inherited from the Siamese.
The Havana Brown is a well balanced, moderately sized, muscular shorthaired cat with a body of average length. Sterilized animals can tend to become larger and somewhat chubby. They are a moderately active breed, compared to other shorthair cat breeds. The coat color must be warm brown, typically reddishbrown, with no obvious tabby markings (note that kittens will always show markings but they resolve as the cat ages and dissolve completely by one year). Whiskers must also be brown and the eye color green. The head should be slightly longer than wide, but should never appear like a wedge. In profile, the nose/muzzle should have a distinct stop and change in direction at the eyes. Paw pads must be pink or rosecolored but should never be black. Ears tend to be moderately large. A Havana Brown should have no extreme features; specimens should be attractive and moderate. Males tend to be larger than females and are average in weight compared with other breeds.