Are Brown Cats Rare? Why This Coat Color Is Unique

Have you ever seen a brown cat? If you have, they undoubtedly stood out. But chances are you’ve never seen a brown cat — it’s more likely that the cats you’ve been exposed to were of more common colors: black, white, tabby, and orange. But brown cats do exist, and this article will explain how rare they are, the genetics behind a brown coat color, and if certain cat breeds are more likely to have brown coats.

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What causes brown coat color in cats?

Cat colors are determined by their genes, and one of the main ones is the B gene, which controls black pigment. Think of “B” as the “black gene” and “b” as the “lighter brown” version.

Here’s the straightforward breakdown:

• B = black (strong gene)
  b = brown (weaker gene)

Because the black gene (B) is the stronger one, a cat only needs one B to look black. The brown gene (b) only shows up if the cat gets two copies of it. Then the cat will be brown.

How a cat ends up brown

It works like this:

• bb = brown cat

• Bb or BB = black cat

If a cat gets a “b” from both parents, that black pigment gets lightened, and the coat turns a true chocolate brown. If the cat gets even one B, the black wins, and the cat looks black on the outside.

Why are brown cats rare?

For a cat to be brown, both parents have to carry the brown gene, even if they don’t look brown. That doesn’t happen all that often, which is why you don’t see a ton of brown cats.

There is also a dilution gene that lightens the chocolate, resulting in lilac. Pattern genes determine if the cat is solid, tabby, pointed, or shaded. There are also modifier genes that can deepen or soften the tone. All of these genes have to work together properly to produce a pure, solid brown coat, which is why it’s so rare.

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How common are brown cats?

Unless a cat is a purebred, it’s unlikely to be brown. Brown cats are uncommon, because most cats simply don’t carry the right genes to make brown fur.

It’s much more common to see:

• Black cats

• Gray cats

• Orange cats

• Tabby-patterned cats

Brown cats do exist, but solid brown cats without stripes and patterns are very rare. It would be very unusual to walk into a shelter and find a solid brown cat.

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Are brown cats considered rare?

Yes, solid brown cats are considered rare for the following reasons.

• They require a particular gene combination.

• That gene combination has to come from inheriting a brown gene from both parents, which is rare.

• Most cats only carry the black gene. This gene is far more common in the cat population.

• Even if a cat inherits the brown genes, most of them will still show stripes or other patterns, so a completely solid brown coat is very rare.

• It’s unusual for a cat breeder to focus on brown coloring. Very few intentionally produce a chocolate or cinnamon cat.

The Havana Brown is the rarest of all brown cats. They were developed specifically for their warm, rich chocolate coloring.

Breeds who exhibit brown coats

Several breeds have brown, chocolate, or cinnamon colored coats. 

Havana Brown

This breed was developed in the 1950s by crossing Siamese cats with black Domestic Shorthairs who carried the chocolate gene. Brown is the breed’s hallmark, and it’s always solid brown with no pattern. Noted for their beautiful, solid chocolate coat, their key traits include:

• Smooth, glossy brown fur

• Bright green eyes

• An attentive, curious personality

• Distinctive head shape and forward-tilted ears

Havana Browns are one of the few breeds consistently producing solid brown cats.

Burmese

Burmese cats also come in brown coats, most often a rich sable brown, which is one of the breed’s hallmark colors. They are known for:

• Muscular bodies

• Silky coats

• Golden eyes

• A very affectionate temperament

Sable brown is one of the most recognizable shades found in the Burmese breed.

European Burmese

Closely related to the Burmese, the European version comes in a broader range of colors:

• Brown

• Chocolate

• Cinnamon

Compared to the American Burmese, this breed tends to have softer or slightly lighter brown shades.

Oriental Shorthair

This breed has hundreds of possible coat variations. They have more brown coats than the general cat population, but brown is still not common. The Oriental Shorthair is one of the most color-diverse breeds in the world. The most common variations are:

• Solid chocolate

• Cinnamon

• Lilac

• Fawn

The Oriental Shorthair has a slender body and large ears, which tend to make these brown shades even more striking. 

RagaMuffin 

Plush coats and gentle personalities are the hallmark of RagaMuffins. They’re not always brown, but they can show:

• Chocolate

• Chocolate mink

• Brown

• Cinnamon tones

• Chocolate-shaded patterns

Although solid brown RagaMuffins do exist, patterned ones are more common.

Bottom line

Brown cats are beautiful and genetically unique, but they are also uncommon. To have a brown cat, a kitten must inherit a brown gene from both parents, and that doesn’t happen very often. In fact, solid brown cats are especially rare.

Certain breeds, such as the Havana Brown, Burmese, European Burmese, Oriental Shorthair, and RagaMuffin, commonly show brown coloring.

If you run into a brown cat, consider it your lucky day. They are truly among the most distinctive and exquisite cats in the feline world, due to their coat colors.

References

• González-Ramírez, Mónica Teresa, and René Landero-Hernández. “Cat Coat Color, Personality Traits and the Cat-Owner Relationship Scale: A Study with Cat Owners in Mexico.” Animals, vol. 12, no. 8, 15 Apr. 2022, p. 1030. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12081030.

• Kaelin, Christopher B., et al. “Developmental Genetics of Color Pattern Establishment in Cats.” Nature Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, 7 Sept. 2021, p. 5127. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25348-2.

• Morris, James G., et al. “Red Hair in Black Cats Is Reversed by Addition of Tyrosine to the Diet.” The Journal of Nutrition, vol. 132, no. 6, 1 June 2002, pp. 1646S1648S. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/132.6.1646s.