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9 Brown Cat Breeds (With Pictures)

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

Brown Burmese cat in the garden

Have you ever wondered why you rarely see a pure brown cat? Most cats have brown coloring or patterns in their coats, but solid brown cats are difficult to find. That’s why we gathered nine brown cat breeds that are worth checking out. While they aren’t all solid brown, they are all beautiful.

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The 9 Brown Cat Breeds

1. Havana Brown Cats

Havana Brown in red background
Image Credit: Zoonar GmbH, Shutterstock
Lifespan 8–13 years
Weight 8–12 pounds
Temperament Sensitive, playful, affectionate

Havana Brown cats are also known as “Chocolate Delights.” They are extremely rare. Breeders are making efforts to save this breed from extinction.

Their coats resemble the color of a Havana cigar, giving them their name. These beautiful cats are great companions for other pets and children in the household. They enjoy having company and tend to bond strongly with their owners.

If a Havana Brown cat is bored, watch out. They can become destructive while trying to entertain themselves. These cats like to be active. Plenty of toys can keep them occupied and happy.


2. York Chocolate Cats

York chocolate cat on the grass
Image Credit: Ciprian Gherghias, Shutterstock
Lifespan 13–15 years
Weight 10–16 pounds
Temperament Affectionate, friendly, active

York Chocolate cats have medium-length coats with soft, fluffy undercoats. They can appear to be chocolate brown or lavender. There is feathering of the fur between the toes and in the ears. They have golden, green, or hazel eyes.

These cats are friendly and affectionate, enjoying other animals and kids. They like attention but can be shy around strangers.

They also like to talk! A York Chocolate cat will meow and trill as if they are having a conversation with you. These cats love to exercise and are efficient hunters.


3. Burmese Cats

burmese kittens
Image Credit: Dyadya_Lyosha, Pixabay
Lifespan 9–16 years
Weight 8–15 pounds
Temperament Active, curious, playful

Burmese cats have short, sleek coats that are a rich brown or sable color. They can also have shades of blue, lilac, and champagne in their fur. Their eyes are yellow or gold.

These stunning cats act more like dogs. They are playful and energetic and even warm up quickly to strangers. They are curious by nature and like to be where the action is. They never lose their kitten-like playfulness.

They also want to be around their human companions all the time and tend to have separation anxiety when they are away from them for long periods.


4. Devon Rex

Devon Rex cat standing in gray background
Image Credit: Seregraff, Shutterstock
Lifespan 10–15 years
Weight 8 pounds
Temperament Active, friendly, intelligent

Devon Rex cats have soft, curly coats with elf-like features. They have large ears, high cheekbones, and unique eyes. While they are mostly brown, they can also have cream, lilac, and blue coats with various markings. Their legs are long and they have small, oval claws.

Rough brushing can damage their curly coats, so care should be taken while grooming these cats. They’re playful and active. Their high intelligence levels make them easily trainable as well.

These cats also love the company of humans and are friendly with strangers.


5. Oriental Shorthair Cats

Domestic cat - oriental shorthair
Image Credit: Jolanta Jd, Shutterstock
Lifespan 13–14 years
Weight 8–12 pounds
Temperament Affectionate, sociable, intelligent

Oriental Shorthair cats have large ears and angular faces that cause them to command a room once they enter it. These striking cats may look standoffish, but they are actually the opposite. They are friendly toward people and other pets.

In addition to brown, these Oriental Shorthair cats can have coats of silver, grey, beige, lilac, orange, and white. They are frequently vocal and quite active.

They’re called “Velcro” cats because they stick with you wherever you go and are always interested in what you’re doing. Oriental Shorthairs aren’t as rare as some other cats on this list. Still, they are beautiful and make wonderful additions to families.


6. British Shorthair Cats

Chocolate British Shorthair cat
Image Credit: Waldemar Dabrowski, Shutterstock
Lifespan 14–20 years
Weight 12–17 pounds
Temperament Easy-going, calm, friendly

British Shorthair cats can come in various colors and patterns, but their brown coats are something to behold. Dense and soft, these cats look like pure velvet. They have teddy-bear-like features. Their stocky bodies and large eyes make them look extra cuddly.

These cats like people and get along well with children and pets, but they don’t demand attention. They are affectionate, but they’re also happy to be independent and enjoy time to themselves.

Originally, they were known for their hunting abilities. Today, they are intelligent and can be easily trained.


7. Persian Cats

female brown tortoise persian cat
Image Credit: dien, Shutterstock
Lifespan 10–18 years
Weight 8–15 pounds
Temperament Quiet, affectionate, intelligent

Persian cats are known for their unique coats and facial features. They have long, thick, soft coats that require regular grooming to stay looking their best. They also have round eyes, short noses, and full cheeks that give them a sweet look.

These cats are playful and affectionate. While they aren’t that active, they do enjoy playing with toys or interacting with people occasionally.

They make good lap cats and like to curl up and watch the activity rather than join in. You’ll find a Persian cat lying on the couch being observant and happy to be around you.


8. Chausie

Chausie cat on dark background
Image Credit: Tania__Wild, Shutterstock
Lifespan 15–20 years
Weight 9–20 pounds
Temperament Intelligent, energetic, adventurous

Chausie cats have coarse, short, brown-ticked coats. They resemble cougars with wedge-shaped heads and high cheekbones. This look is complete with tufts on the tops of their ears. Their tall, long bodies make them some of the largest domestic cat breeds.

The Chausie cat was created by breeding domestic cats with wild cats called Jungle Cats. They maintain their wild appearance, but this breed is fully domesticated and makes a good pet.

These cats have high activity levels and get along well with other pets and kids.


9. Scottish Fold

chocolate brown Scottish fold cat
Image Credit: Vladyslav Starozhylov, Shutterstock
Lifespan 14–16 years
Weight 6–13 pounds
Temperament Intelligent, affectionate, social

The Scottish Fold is a medium-sized cat that can come in various colors, including brown. Their main features, however, are their ears. Scottish Folds are aptly named due to their ears that fold forward. They have large, round eyes, snub noses, and stocky bodies. While not all Scottish Folds have folded ears, those that do are the only ones allowed to be professionally shown.

This breed was started in Scotland by one cat named Susie that was born with folded ears. When she had kittens, they also had folded ears. From there, breeders worked to establish Scottish Folds by breeding these kittens with American and British Shorthair cats.

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Wrapping It Up

The brown cat breeds on this list are rare, gorgeous, and interesting to learn about. Only a few of the breeds are solid brown, but they’re all unique in their own ways. We hope that you’ve enjoyed reading about these brown cats and their different features and temperaments.

See also:


Featured Image Credit: jojosmb, Shutterstock

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