Savannah Breed Profile
(according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_(cat)
http://www.catbreedadvice.com/Cat-Breed-Pages/Savannah.html )

The Savannah is a fairly new hybrid domestic cat breed. It is a cross between the serval, a medium sized wildcat native to Africa, and a domestic cat. The goal of the Savannah breeding program is to create a uniquely beautiful domestic cat which has physical features distinctive to the Serval cat, and with the loving, dependable temperament of the typical domestic cat. Savannahs are known to be extremely friendly and talkative, and very playful and curious in nature. They are the largest hybrid cat available at this time, but large size is mostly relative to the higher generations. This breed was named for the native African grasslands where the Serval makes its home. The Savannah's exotic looks combined with their domestic temperament makes them a superior alternative to owning a wild cat as a family pet for most people.

BREED HISTORY

APPEARANCE

Savannahs are considered one of the larger breeds of domesticated cats. Their tall and slim build gives Savannahs the appearance of greater size than their actual weight. The first (F1) and second generations (F2) are usually the largest, due to the stronger genetic influence of the African Serval ancestor. Male Savannahs tend to be larger than females. Early generation Savannahs may weigh 10 to 20 lbs. Size is also very dependent on generation and sex, with F1 male cats usually being the largest. Later generation Savannahs are usually between 8-17 lbs. Because of the random factors in Savannah hybrid genetics, there can be significant variation in size, even in one litter.

The coat of a Savannah depends a lot on the breed of cat used for the domestic cross. Early generations have some form of dark spotting on a lighter coat. The International Cat Association (TICA) breed standard calls for brown spotted tabby (cool to warm brown, tan or gold with black or dark brown spots), silver spotted tabby (silver coat with black or dark grey spots), black (black with black spots), and black smoke (black tipped silver with black spots) only. In addition, the Savannah can come in nonstandard variations such as the classic or marble patterns, snow coloration, and blue or other diluted colors derived from domestic sources of cat coat genetics.

A Savannah's wild look is often due to the presence of many distinguishing Serval characteristics. Most prominent of these include the various color markings and tall, erect ears. The bodies of Savannahs are long and leggy—when a Savannah is standing, their hind-end is often higher than their shoulders. The head is taller than wide, and they have a long slender neck. The breed standard calls for a head shape that is longer than it is wide. When the face is viewed from the front it should form a distinct triangle. The head of the Savannah is slightly smaller than in proportion to the body. In profile, the nose is long but with a small chin and should add to the cat's wild appearance.

The ears of the Savannah are to be large and alert, with a wide base and slightly rounded tips. The backs of the ears have ocelli, a central light band bordered by black, dark grey or brown, giving an eye-like effect. The three-quarter length tail has black rings, with a solid black tip. The eyes are blue as a kitten (as in other cats), and may be green, brown, gold or a blended shade as an adult. The eyes have a "boomerang" shape, with a slightly hooded brow to protect them from harsh sunlight. Black or dark "tear-streak" or "cheetah tear" markings run from the corner of the eyes down the sides of the nose to the whiskers, much like a cheetah's.

Most F1 generation Savannahs will possess many or all of these traits, while their presence often diminishes in later generations. Being a hybridized-breed of cats, appearance can vary far more than cat owners may be used to.

REPRODUCTION & GENETICS

As Savannahs are produced by crossbreeding Servals and domestic cats, each generation of Savannahs is marked with a filial number. For example, the cats produced directly from a Serval/domestic Cat cross are the F1 generation, and they are typically 50% serval. The F2 generation, which has a Serval grandparent and is the offspring of the F1 generation, is 25% Serval. The F3 generation has a Serval great grandparent, and is 12.5% Serval. Earlier generation Savannahs are typically more expensive to purchase due to scarcity.

Being Hybrids, Savannahs typically exhibit some characteristics of hybrid inviability. Because the male Savannah is the heterozygous sex, they are most commonly affected, in accordance with Haldane's rule. Male Savannahs are typically larger in size and sterile until the F5 generation or so, although the females are fertile from the F1 generation and so on. As a result, females are usually more expensive than males, especially when sold for the explicit purpose of breeding.

As the breed progresses, more lower generation fertile males are being produced, allowing breeders to breed Savannah to Savannah more often. Typically a F5, F6, F7 male is bred to a higher generation female Savannah, such as F1, F2, F3 in order to "set" the breed traits in their offspring better than with outcross breeding. This is one of the most desirable breedings now referred to as "SV x SV" breeding, (SV for Savannah), and an important step in the breed progress towards TICA Championship Status. When a SVxSV breeding takes place, the mother's generation is used as the filial number to determine the filial generation of the offspring. In other words, an F7 male bred to an F2 female will produce an F3 kitten.

TEMPERAMENT

Savannahs have been described as friendly, assertive, active, playful and interested in dogs and children. They are commonly compared to dogs in their loyalty, and they will follow their owners around the house like a canine. They can also be trained to walk on a leash like a dog, and even fetch. They have a lot of energy and are social animals that do well with both cats and dogs. They are NOT lap cats however, preferring to be near you, but not necessarily held.

Savannahs often greet people with head-butts, or an unexpected pounce. Some Savannahs are reported as being very social and friendly with new people, and other cats and dogs, while others may run and hide or revert to hissing and growling when seeing a stranger. Exposure to other people and pets is the key factor in sociability as the Savannah kitten grows up.

Owners of Savannahs say that they are very impressed with the intelligence of this breed of cat. An often noted trait of the Savannah is its jumping ability. Savannahs are known to jump up on top of doors, refrigerators and high cabinets. Some Savannahs can leap about 8 feet high from a standing position. Savannahs are very inquisitive, and have been known to get into all sorts of things; they often learn how to open doors and cupboards, and anyone buying a Savannah will likely need to take special precautions to prevent the cat from getting into things.

Water isn't a fear of the Savannah cat; they will jump right into the bathtub or shower with people sometimes, and get into pools and streams like their wild ancestors.

Vocally, Savannahs may either chirp like their Serval father, meow like their domestic mother, or do both, sometimes producing sounds which are a mixture of the two. Chirping, when present, is observed more often in earlier generations. Savannahs may also "hiss"—a Serval-like hiss is quite different from a domestic cat's hiss, sounding more like a very loud snake hiss, and can be alarming to humans not acquainted to such a sound coming from a cat. Hissing, and even aggressive behavior which involves hissing, is more frequent in F1 or occasionally F2 generations, and may subside or disappear as the cat is socialized.

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

Savannah cats have no special care or food requirements; they can eat high quality cat food like any other domestic cat. However, the higher generations, F1 and F2 in particular, usually thrive better on raw meat diets. Savannahs will use a litterbox like other domestic cats, and a normal veterinarian is qualified to care for one that needs a checkup or is sick.

Savannahs are considered to have hybrid vigor. Different individuals contain different amounts of Serval and of varied domestic cat breeds, and there are currently no established Savannah breed specific health issues.

Some veterinarians have noted that Servals have smaller livers relative to their body size than domestic cats, and some Savannahs inherit this. For this reason, care is advised in prescribing some medications. Lower doses per weight of the cat may be necessary. In addition, the blood values of Savannahs may vary from the typical domestic cat, due to the serval genes.

There is much anecdotal evidence that Savannahs and other domestic hybrids (such as Bengals) do not respond well to anesthesia containing Ketamine. Many Savannah breeders request in their contracts that Ketamine not be used for surgeries.

Some (but not all) experienced Savannah breeders believe strongly that modified live vaccines should not be used on Savannahs, that only killed virus vaccines should be used.

OWNERSHIP LAWS

Laws governing ownership of Savannah cats in the United States vary according to state. Most notably, hybrid cats—defined as a domestic / wild species' cross—such as the Savannah are illegal to own as pets in the state of New York as of 2005. The majority of states, however, follow federal and USDA code, which define wild / domesticated Hybrid crosses as domesticated.

Other states known to have laws restricting hybrid cat ownership include but are not necessarily limited to: AK, IA, HI, MA, and GA. Savannahs more than 5 generations from the Serval are allowed to be owned in NY state, but not in the city of New York. Wild Trax will not sell Savannahs or Bengals to persons who live in states or cities that restrict hybrid cat ownership. Visit the Hybrid Law website below to check your state laws. Note: you will have to check your local city and state laws directly with those offices.

IS A SAVANNAH RIGHT FOR YOU?

You can also find more info about the Savannah breed on our FAQ page and be sure to check out our Breed Comparison Chart if you need help deciding on which of our breeds is the best fit for your family. After you have researched more about the Savannah breed, if you are still unsure if a Savannah is right for you, please contact us and we will be happy to help evaluate your home for compatibility with a Savannah.