# Havana Brown/Abyssinian



## Velocity (Aug 13, 2010)

So I'm looking at getting a pure bred cat from a breeder in the next year. I've done the rescue and farm cat thing my whole life and I just want a pure bred. I love the looks of the Havana Brown and Abyssinian. I want something that is sturdy, since I have a kid, and will be OK with dogs. The dogs are properly socialized with cats of course. 

What do I look for in a breeder? Health testing? Pedigrees? Health Guarantees? Ect?

Ive looked at a few breeder's websites but I really don't know what I'm looking at.


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## Sol (Feb 20, 2003)

I know nothing about Havana Browns but when it comes to Abys you should demand nothing less thant parents tested for PRA and PK-deficiency. You can read about these hereditary disease here and here.

Abys should be DNA-tested and undergo ophtalmoscopic examinations when it comes to PRA. DNA alone isn't enough.

Both PRA and PK-deficiency are recessive traits so carriers may be used for breeding but they should only be bred with non-carriers. Cats that are affected should of course not be used in breeding at all.

I like Abys. Active, social and friendly cats that I belive work well with both dogs and children (which most purebreeds do with proper socialization).

Visit different breeders (if possible) and make sure that the cats are well cared for. Kittens should be at least 12 weeks old when they move and they should be vaccinated against panleukipenia and cat flu. Never accept a kitten that hasn't been recently checked by a vet. It's usually a good idea to take the kitten to your own vet as well.

When it comes to health guarantees I'm not useful. In Sweden pet buyers are protected by strict legislation so there's no need for us breeders to give any guarantees. The law has already given the buyers full health guarantees to up 'til 3 years.


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## tate (Jan 17, 2010)

I can only stress getting a contract with a written health guarantee, no matter what. You will usually be required to take the kitten to your vet within a certain timeframe - 3 days in my experience - or it is void. I purchased a lovely 6 month old Siamese at a cat show & she died three days later as a result of a virus she picked up there. Subsequently I was given a kitten from the breeders next litter. After the first kitten passed on I visited the breeders home - yes, i know i should've done this first! - before I decided to wait on another kitten from her, all of her cats were healthy & well socialized. So as unlikely as it is that something will happen to your kitten you'd be out of luck without a contract. 
Socialization socialization socialization! I cannot stress this enough. If the kittens are caged just walk away. If a kitten spends most of it's time in a cage how can it possibly be well socialized? When was it able to explore? You also have to wonder why someone would breed if not to enjoy the kittens. I fell for a breeders justification of having caged kittens once & boy was that a mistake! Nala was a sweet kitten but she was afraid everytime someone came to the door & couldn't particularly be bothered with people - not typical for a Siamese at all! And to a lesser degree if possible make sure the kittens have been around different types of people - men, women, children. Ruin's breeder is an elderly woman who lives alone & while she adores women she is terrified of men & has been since the day I brought her home. Completely unexpected as the moment you walk into the breeder's house you're swarmed by Siamese greeting you!
ETA: If a breeder cannot tell you about the individual personalities of the kittens this is IMO a huge red flag.
Good luck with finding your perfect kitten!


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## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

Abyssinian and Havana browns are both very inbred varieties of cats. The cats currently being bred have lost size, muscle tone and vigor. Most breeders don't even know that 30 years ago these were big healthy cats. When you choose a cat for its color or markings, you get just that. I don't mean to be harsh, but purebred cats are expensive and they tend to have many more problems and live shorter lives than the average house cat. Breeders are breeding towards an ideal which is not necessarily the most healthy cat.
Good luck to you, when I was young I wanted an Abyssinian or a burmese. I was fortunate to be able to have a couple of different Abyssinians who were gorgeous, big sweet cats. (And neither lived past 8 years old)


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## NRD (Mar 31, 2010)

OK, I understand that you don't want a rescue cat this time, but on the theory that if I don't tell you, you might not know, there happens to be an Abyssinian/Havana Brown mix available on Petfinder right now, just went on about three days ago, in Clarkesville, VA, south of Richmond. there are so few breeders of HBs and Abys, I assume you were prepared to get on a plane anyway. If the concerns expressed here about purebreds give you pause, might you consider a mix of the two breeds in which you are interested? If so, there it is, though likely not for long. I adopted two Havana Brown mixes the past six months, and they are among the best things that have ever happened to me.


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## Sol (Feb 20, 2003)

mimitabby said:


> Abyssinian and Havana browns are both very inbred varieties of cats. The cats currently being bred have lost size, muscle tone and vigor. Most breeders don't even know that 30 years ago these were big healthy cats. When you choose a cat for its color or markings, you get just that. I don't mean to be harsh, but purebred cats are expensive and they tend to have many more problems and live shorter lives than the average house cat. Breeders are breeding towards an ideal which is not necessarily the most healthy cat.
> Good luck to you, when I was young I wanted an Abyssinian or a burmese. I was fortunate to be able to have a couple of different Abyssinians who were gorgeous, big sweet cats. (And neither lived past 8 years old)


This is not necessarily universally true. We breeders are individuals and we think differently. We have different experiences, knowledge and education.

Some breeders are very careful and avoid inbreeding, screen their cats for different diseases and so on. Some don't care about much else than producing beautyful cats and the cats pay the prize.

This is way you need to visit breeders. Talk to them, see their cats ask them *everything*.


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## Velocity (Aug 13, 2010)

Thank you for your imput.

Im not afraid of the "pure bred issues". I show and breed dogs. I am also aware of the prices for purebred animals. I do plan on getting the kitten shipped, as I cant find a breeder of any of the breeds I like in my Province.


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