Savannah | Cat Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

Last Updated on August 5, 2023 by Pets Feed

Wild and domestic. Cat and leopard. Thus, the Savannah cat could be defined as a real duality that has captivated people from all over the world. Not only for its beauty and physical characteristics, but also for its psychological capabilities and its close resemblance to some of the big cats in appearance and size.

And it is that, anyone who has always dreamed of having a wild cat nearby, will be closer than ever to them thanks to the Savannah cat.

With an exotic and unique appearance, the Savannah cat looks like an authentic miniature leopard. But this does not deceive us, we are talking about a domestic feline which adapts perfectly to coexistence within the home.

There are many characteristics of this breed that are distinguished from any other breed of domestic cat. For starters, its size is much larger, easily reaching 100 centimeters high. This height is mainly determined by its legs, very long and thin, like the rest of its body.

Considerably large, cat specimens of the Savannah breed stand out as one of the giant cat breeds. Although it usually weighs between 7 and 15 kilograms, one individual broke the record by 23 kilograms. They reach between 50 and 60 cm. to the cross, although it may be larger. In addition, this feline breed has sexual dimorphism, as generally females are smaller than males.

• The head of the animal is small compared to the body. In its shape, it resembles a triangle, to which the ears do not belong. A cat’s vibrating pads are discreet.
• The animal’s ears are wide, erect. Their tips are rounded. The width of the ears at the base is so wide that the distance is almost imperceptible from the side. On the outer surface of the ears of the serval’s ancestor, there should be “wild spots”. If present, then these are obvious marks of the breed.
• The shape of the animal’s eyes is unique. Their upper part resembles a boomerang, and the lower part has an almond shape. Eye color: green, yellow, copper, gold.
• The nose is wide with a convex lobe of red, black or red color.
• The size of an adult is surprising. Thus, the weight of the animal reaches 14 kg, and the height is 50 cm at the withers. It especially makes an impressive impression on the guests of the house in which the savannah lives.
• The animal’s body is athletic, the hips and shoulders are strong, and the chest is powerful.
• The legs of the animal are very long and thin. The fat is not visible here, but the powerful muscles of the cat are clearly visible. The legs are small, oval in shape. Savannah paw pads are exclusively charcoal or charcoal brown.
• The cat’s tail is relatively short. In its standing position, the tail does not touch the ground. Its thickness is medium. The tail color is bright.
• Savannah hair is very different to the touch from the hair of other feline breeds. She is tough and rough. And although the undercoat looks soft, it is tightly covered with guard hairs.

But to know Savannah the cat in depth, it must be understood that the variety is determined by its degree of purity. And there is not just one type of Savannah cat. In fact, there are up to four variants of the breed, which are named according to the percentage of Serval that the animal has in its genetics.

• Thus, the first-generation cat is called Savannah F1. Which means he has 53% Serval genetics.
• Next comes F2, which would be a second generation, with 29% of Serval in its DNA.
• Third, there is F3, a third-generation cat with 16% Serval.
• And finally, there is the F4, or even the F5, which are the most purely Savannah specimens. Whose features have been softened compared to first generation servals. Be less fierce in appearance and smaller in size.

Getting a Savannah F1 cat is very complicated and is even illegal in many countries due to the wild characteristics of the animal and it could be dangerous. So, if you want to live with this breed, it will have to be with one of the other variables. Although in any case, you will need to start preparing for the investment, as it is one of the most expensive cat breeds that exist.

As these cats are not common, it is difficult to make generalizations about their personality traits and how predictable they can be. This may depend, to a large extent, on how close they are to the first crossing.

According to reports, some are very sociable and friendly with strangers, with other cats and with dogs, while others can run to hide, or hiss and growl, when they see a stranger.

It seems that the Savannah cat can jump very high (2.43 m) from a standing position, as well as learn quickly. It is not a “beginner” cat and is quite large and strong (articles frequently use the word “assertive” and, as they are mostly the work of breeders of these cats, it is difficult to know more).

Will it behave very territorially with other cats if he goes out? Will it be a great predator for local wildlife? It is said that the Savannah chirps like a serval or meow like a domestic cat, or a mixture of both. They also whistle intensely, which sounds quite alarming.

The health of the Savannah cat is one of the strongest among domestic cats. Their genetics have been strengthened due to crossbreeding and hybridization with a multitude of breeds, so no inherited or more breed-prone disease is known.

The only thing necessary to ensure that your cat is always in the best condition will be to give it a healthy life and to go to the veterinarian several times a year to check it and to keep up to date its vaccination and deworming calendar.

As with other breeds, the Savannah cat requires regular grooming. Brush him weekly to keep the coat in good condition. Cut the claws if necessary.

This breed loves water, so give it the opportunity to bathe or swim in water.

Please note that cats of this breed do not like the cold, so be sure to keep it indoors during the winter.

• One of the versions of the origin of the breed says that such cats appeared because people liked that they would have the appearance of a mini-cheetah. Scientists pursued good goals. After all, they hoped that luxury lovers would no longer keep real big predators in captivity if they owned an expensive mini-version.
• The Savannah cat breed is formed only by the age of three. This is the period for growing up a cheetah pet.
• Scientists have come to the conclusion that the coloring of the Savannah cat depends on the genetic material of the domestic cat with which the cat is crossed.
• The reason for exclusion from the fight for the title of feline champion may be marks on the chest in white, different from black and brown color of spots, a tiger print on the fur.
• The first generation is marked F1, which means the presence of half of the serval. If after that you cross such a pet with a domestic cat, then there will be F2, that is, 25% of the serval. These are the two most valuable varieties, then the price starts to decrease.
• Savannah cat males cannot have offspring until the fourth generation.
• It is noteworthy that a swindler named Simon Brody became the person who wanted to warm his hands on the Savannah cat breed with unfair methods. He called her personally bred “Ashera”, so many people believed in it. As a result, the fraudster gets a serious punishment, and he has to hide from justice.
• The Savannah cat is the most expensive breed in the world. Caring for such a cat also takes effort and time.
• The average cost of a Savannah kitten will be approximately $ 10,000-250,000. The kennel “A1 SAVANNAHS” under the leadership of breeder Joyce Srouf is recognized as the leader in the genetic makeup of the breed. Males infertile up to the fourth generation will be cheaper.
• Cats of this species love to spend time at high points in the house. They love water, walks, and also play a leadership role in the society of other animals.

The Savannah breed is a fluke.

In 1986, Bengal cat breeder Judy Frank crossed a male Serval with a Siamese cat.

She did not expect to have offspring, but an amazing female kitten was born in due time.

The baby was given the nickname Savannah. She became the first official representative of the cat breed, called the Savannah.

At that time, no one tried to work with serval hybrids.

The owner of a happy father-serval, Susie Woods, suggested that it is possible to get offspring from mating Savannah with a domestic cat.

Her theory was confirmed when Savannah became the mother of several litters of second generation F2 kittens.

Suzy Woods has convincingly proved that first-generation F1 hybrids produce offspring, therefore a new breed can be created.

True, the breeder did not plan to seriously engage in breeding a new breed.

In 1989, Patrick Kelly took over the savannahs. He bought from Judy Frank the only female Savannah gave birth to, and started breeding.

In collaboration with another well-known breeder, Joyce Strauf managed to get healthy offspring – third generation F3 hybrids.

In 1996, the first breed standard was presented to the TICA Council.

A year later, Joyce Strauf presented the Savannah breed at an exhibition in New York.

Only in 2001, the representatives of the breed were allowed to register, in 2003 the Savannah received the official status of a new breed, and in 2004 the status of an advanced new breed.