A Savannah cat is a cross between a domestic cat and the African Serval, a medium-sized, large-eared wild African cat. The unusual cross became popular among breeders at the end of the 1990s, and in 2001 the International Cat Association accepted it as a new registered breed. In May 2012, TICA accepted it as a championship breed.

The Savannahs’ tall and slim build gives them the appearance of greater size than their actual weight. Size is very dependent on generation and sex, with F1 hybrid male cats usually being the largest.
F1 and F2 generations are usually the largest, due to the stronger genetic influence of the African serval ancestor. Most first generation cats will possess many or all of the serval’s exotic looking traits, while these traits often diminish in later generations.

The coat of a Savannah should have a spotted pattern, the only pattern accepted by the TICA breed standard. The spotted pattern is the only accepted pattern because it is the only pattern found on the African Serval Cat. Non-standard patterns & colors include: Rosette, marble, snow color (point), blue color, cinnamon color, chocolate color, lilac (lavender) and other diluted colors derived from domestic sources of cat coat genetics. Breeders prefer to use a Savannah with the serval to produce F1s, rather than a non-Savannah breed in order to maintain as much breed type as possible.
A Savannah’s exotic look is often due to the presence of many distinguishing serval characteristics. Most prominent of these include the various color markings; tall, deeply cupped, wide, rounded, erect ears; very long legs; fat, puffy noses, and hooded eyes. The bodies of Savannahs are long and leggy; when a Savannah is standing, its hind-end is often higher than its prominent shoulders. The small head is taller than wide, and it has a long, slender neck, The backs of the ears have ocelli, a central light band bordered by black, dark grey or brown, giving an eye-like effect. The short 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 hooded brow to protect them from harsh sunlight. Ideally, 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 that of a cheetah.

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 1 generation, and they are 50% serval.

F1 generation Savannahs are very difficult to produce, due to the significant difference in gestation periods between the serval and a domestic cat (75 days for a serval and 65 days for a domestic cat), and sex chromosomes. Pregnancies are often absorbed or aborted, or kittens are born prematurely. Also, servals can be very picky in choosing mates, and often will not mate with a domestic cat.

F1 Savannahs can be as high as 75% serval. All 75% F1s (technically a backcross, or BC1) are the offspring of a 50% F1 (true F1) female bred back to a serval. Cases of 87.5% F1 (technically BC2) Savannah cats are known, but fertility is questionable at those percentage Serval levels. More common than a 75% F1 is a 62.5% F1, which is the product of an “F2A” (25% serval, female) bred back to a serval. The F2 generation, which has a serval grandparent and is the offspring of the F1 generation female, ranges from 25% to 37.5% serval. The F3 generation has a serval great grandparent, and is 12.5% Serval.

A Savannah/Savannah cross may also be referred to by breeders as “SV xSV” (SV is the TICA code for the Savannah breed), in addition to the filial number. Savannah generation filial numbers also have a letter designator that refers to the generation of SV-to-SV breeding. The designation A means one parent is a Savannah and the other is an outcross. B is used for both parents are Savannahs with one of them being an A. The C designation is when both parents are Savannahs and one of them is a B. Therefore, A x (any SV) = B; B x (B,C,SBT) = C; C x (C, SBT) = SBT, SBT x SBT = SBT. F1 generation Savannahs are always A, since the father is a nondomestic outcross (the serval father). The F2 generation can be A or B. The F3 generation can be A, B or C. The F4 generation is the first generation that can be a “stud book tradition” (SBT) cat, and is considered “purebred”.

Being hybrids, Savannahs typically exhibit some characteristics of hybrid inviability. Because the male Savannah is the heterogametic 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. Currently (2011), breeders are noticing a resurgence in sterility in males at the F5 and F6 generations. Presumably, this is due to the higher serval percentage in C and SBT cats. The problem may also be compounded by the secondary nondomestic genes coming from the Asian leopard cat in the Bengal outcrosses that were used heavily in the foundation of the breed.
Females of the F1-F3 generations are usually held back for breeding, with only the males being offered as pets. The reverse occurs in the F5-F7 generations, but to a lesser degree, with the males being held as breeding cats, and females primarily offered as pets.

For more information, please visit the TICA Official Savannah Breed Section

Prepare the outdoor living space

The F1 Savannah cat is just one generation removed from its wild ancestor, the African Serval cat. These cats have tremendous energy levels, and they need space to run around and jump. An outdoor area with fencing, a roof, and high cat walks are ideal for this breed.

Provide a diet high in protein

Replicate the diet of a wild cat by purchasing cat food with protein as the first ingredient, that is grain free. Another key element of the Savannah’s diet is taurine, an essential amino acid. A homemade raw mixture is a good treat for the Savannah and can be prepared with raw chicken legs, thighs, gizzards, heart, or liver.

Socialize the Savannah with people and other pets

Early socialization with other pets and humans is an important for living in harmony with this hybrid cat. The Savannah loves to play, but it may not like being held. The Savannah cat is vocal and loves to chirp, so be sure to talk back to the Savannah to encourage social behaviors.

F1 Savannah Veterinary Care

Hybrid cats require the same vet care as domestic cats. Only a few minor differences should be taken into account.  When vetting a hybrid feline, the most important difference is their reaction to anesthesia. Hybrids are more susceptible to some injectable forms of anesthesia than a domestic cat. When putting a hybrid under for surgeries, Beautiful Exotics recommends the use of isoflurane gas as opposed to an injectable anesthetic. Some vets will give a combination, a very small amount of injectable anesthetic to relax the kitten in preparation for gas anesthesia. Beautiful Exotics recommends spaying/neutering of kittens at five to six months of age. If your kitten is a pet only, it’s your responsibility to have your pet spayed or neutered. Although males are sterile until the later generations, they may tend to spray if not neutered.  Most vets will recommend a spay/neuter and declaw at the same time, if that is your choice. This way the kitten undergoes anesthesia once. If these procedures are done before five to six months of age, most vets will wait until the kitten is at least four pounds before placing the kitten under anesthesia.

At Beautiful Exotics we use Killed Fel-O-Vax PCT +CaliciVax for our kittens, a three-way vaccination providing protection against Panleukopenia (distemper), Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus. The manufacturer recommends boostering annually. However, many individuals are choosing to booster every other year or every third year, depending on their situation

Research indicates a higher chance of incurring cancer at vaccine injection sites. Since studies show immunity gained from vaccinations last several years and boostering annually is not necessary, some individuals whose cats are primarily indoor cats, opt to lower their cancer odds by less frequent boostering. This is a choice to be made by individuals with advice from their veterinarians.

Beautiful Exotics does not vaccinate kittens for Feline Leukemia since kittens seem to experience strong side effects from the FeLeuk vaccine.  We do randomly test our adult cats yearly for Feline Leukemia. If you take your kitten outside often, we recommend vaccinating for the disease after your kitten is four months old and can handle the vaccine. However, this vaccine is likely not necessary for an indoor cat or one only taken outside on a harness since this disease is transmitted by direct contact with the feces or saliva of an infected cat.