Beautiful and unusual, the Savannah is a domestic hybrid that has the exotic look of its ancestor, the African Serval, with striking dark spots, bold markings, hooded eyes, and a short, thick tail. Known for her remarkable personality, the adventurous Savannah loves to play in water, can be trained to walk on leash and enjoys playing fetch. This affectionate cat forms strong bonds with her family and does best with daily interaction.
DID YOU KNOW? The Savannah resulted from the crossbreeding of a domestic female cat to a male African Serval. The kitten, born April 7, 1986, was named “Savannah,” from which the breed takes its name. This first-generation hybrid cross had traits of both domestic cats and African Serval.
The need-to-know
- Highly active and inquisitive cat
- Friendly but independent cat
- Somehow talkative cat
- Lean and elegant cat breed
- Requires grooming once a week
- Outdoor cat
- May require familiarisation before living with children
Personality
As Savannah cats are not common, it is difficult to generalise about their personality traits and how predictable they are. Some say they are 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. Apparently Savannah cats can also jump very high (8ft) from a standing position and learn quickly. This is probably not a first cat. It is quite large and strong and is frequently described as 'assertive'. Savannahs are said to both 'chirp' like a Serval or meow like a domestic cat or a mixture of the two. They are also said to hiss quite loudly.
History and Origins
Country of Origin: USASavannah cats are rather controversial. They are the result of crossing a domestic cat and a Serval — a medium-sized, large-eared wild African cat. These first crosses are then bred again and the resulting cats are termed domestic. The breed began in the mid 1980s and is recognised by one of the cat fancy organisations.
Nutrition and Feeding
Every cat is unique and each has their own particular likes, dislikes, and needs when it comes to food. However, cats are carnivores and every cat must obtain 41 different and specific nutrients from their food. The proportion of these nutrients will vary depending on age, lifestyle and overall health, so it's not surprising that a growing, energetic kitten needs a different balance of nutrients in her diet than a less active senior cat. Other considerations to bear in mind are feeding the right quantity of food to maintain 'ideal body condition' in accordance with feeding guidelines and catering to individual preference regarding wet or dry food recipes.
Other Information
Health and common issues
It is too early to know whether the Savannah cat breed has any health problems as none are yet cited in the veterinary literature.
Best cat breeds for children
While this breed is not widely recognised as one of the best breeds for children, all cats are different and with the proper familiarisation may still be able to live with children.