Questions about the breed?
What is a Savannah?
A Savannah is a hybrid between an African Serval and a domestic cat.
What do all these letters and numbers mean (F1,2,3.. and A,B,C or SBT)?
The F is the simplest and stands for filial generation. This indicates it is a generation that has two distinct types of parents as with the Savannah, which has a serval and a domestic cat parent. The letter immediately following the F tells you what generation a Savannah is from it's serval ancestor. For example, an F1 is a first-generation Savannah that has a serval parent, while an F4 Savannah is a fourth-generation Savannah with a serval as their great-grandparent.
The A, B, C and SBT is harder to explain, but basically tells you how many successive generations of Savannah x Savannah matings are present in the immediate lineage of the cat in question. The "A" represents Savannah offspring that have an outcross parent, such as an Egyptian Mau or serval. For example, an F1 can only be an "A", due to the serval parent and is referred to as an F1A. A "B" indicates that there is one generation of strictly SV x SV breeding; their parents and would imply an outcross in the previous generation or grandparent generation. A "C" indicates the two previous generations as being SV x SV (parents and grandparents). "SBT" class means Stud Book Traditional and is what TICA considers to be a purebred Savannah cat, indicating three successive SV x SV generations (parents, grandparents and great-grandparents), and is the only
What colors do Savannahs come in?
Most Savannahs are brown-spotted (either with a cool or warm-colored coat) or black-spotted silvers, though the TICA permissible, or standard colors, include brown, silver, melanistic (black panther), and black smoke. Savannahs also can come in other non-standard colors, with some of the most popular being snow/lynx, marble, blue and cinnamon.
How big will my kitten get?
It's really hard to tell unfortunately... You can usually tell by their weight/size as they are growing, but most are the approximate weight of your regular housecat when they are adults. Savannahs tend to be longer in proportion to a domestic cat which falsely gives them the appearance of a much larger cat. The BIG Savannahs you are thinking of (or saw in a YouTube video) are rare, most-likely male, and are a F1 or other lower generation cat and tend to be very expensive. Even then, a good breeder shouldn't guarantee you size.
Do Savannahs like water?
Ummm, yes and no. Though servals like water, regular housecats usually do not. In my personal opinion, you have about a 50/50 chance. Do my SV's like water? Yes, they all do to some degree. We have one that loves it so much he will shower with me and one that doesn't mind it as long as it is on their terms.
Do all Savannahs play fetch?
So I hear this is a hit-and-miss trait as well, where many do and many don't. However, every Savannah I have ever owned plays fetch and will initiate games of fetch with me on their own. They don't all fetch the same thing (and maybe that's the issue), but each one has their own favorite bell ball, scrunchy tinfoil ball, or stuffed mousey they choose over anything else and harass me to throw it for them all day long (or at 4 am...).
The Savannah Breed Standard as outlined by The International Cat Association (TICA) can be found here: http://www.tica.org/members/publications/standards/sv.pdf
A Savannah is a hybrid between an African Serval and a domestic cat.
What do all these letters and numbers mean (F1,2,3.. and A,B,C or SBT)?
The F is the simplest and stands for filial generation. This indicates it is a generation that has two distinct types of parents as with the Savannah, which has a serval and a domestic cat parent. The letter immediately following the F tells you what generation a Savannah is from it's serval ancestor. For example, an F1 is a first-generation Savannah that has a serval parent, while an F4 Savannah is a fourth-generation Savannah with a serval as their great-grandparent.
The A, B, C and SBT is harder to explain, but basically tells you how many successive generations of Savannah x Savannah matings are present in the immediate lineage of the cat in question. The "A" represents Savannah offspring that have an outcross parent, such as an Egyptian Mau or serval. For example, an F1 can only be an "A", due to the serval parent and is referred to as an F1A. A "B" indicates that there is one generation of strictly SV x SV breeding; their parents and would imply an outcross in the previous generation or grandparent generation. A "C" indicates the two previous generations as being SV x SV (parents and grandparents). "SBT" class means Stud Book Traditional and is what TICA considers to be a purebred Savannah cat, indicating three successive SV x SV generations (parents, grandparents and great-grandparents), and is the only
What colors do Savannahs come in?
Most Savannahs are brown-spotted (either with a cool or warm-colored coat) or black-spotted silvers, though the TICA permissible, or standard colors, include brown, silver, melanistic (black panther), and black smoke. Savannahs also can come in other non-standard colors, with some of the most popular being snow/lynx, marble, blue and cinnamon.
How big will my kitten get?
It's really hard to tell unfortunately... You can usually tell by their weight/size as they are growing, but most are the approximate weight of your regular housecat when they are adults. Savannahs tend to be longer in proportion to a domestic cat which falsely gives them the appearance of a much larger cat. The BIG Savannahs you are thinking of (or saw in a YouTube video) are rare, most-likely male, and are a F1 or other lower generation cat and tend to be very expensive. Even then, a good breeder shouldn't guarantee you size.
Do Savannahs like water?
Ummm, yes and no. Though servals like water, regular housecats usually do not. In my personal opinion, you have about a 50/50 chance. Do my SV's like water? Yes, they all do to some degree. We have one that loves it so much he will shower with me and one that doesn't mind it as long as it is on their terms.
Do all Savannahs play fetch?
So I hear this is a hit-and-miss trait as well, where many do and many don't. However, every Savannah I have ever owned plays fetch and will initiate games of fetch with me on their own. They don't all fetch the same thing (and maybe that's the issue), but each one has their own favorite bell ball, scrunchy tinfoil ball, or stuffed mousey they choose over anything else and harass me to throw it for them all day long (or at 4 am...).
The Savannah Breed Standard as outlined by The International Cat Association (TICA) can be found here: http://www.tica.org/members/publications/standards/sv.pdf
What to expect...
For first-time Savannah owners...
So you want a Savannah? Awesome! You've come to the right place! Now I want to make sure you have the right place for one of my kittens.
Savannahs will usually follow you around the house much like a canine companion and are social felines by nature. They also require a few moments of your time everyday for your attention and love and are extremely loyal cats in nature.
Savannahs require play, much like dogs do. Just 20 minutes of quality play time a day can avoid bad habits and behaviors and unwind unnecessary energy built up during the day. You may even want to consider daily walks, adding an enclosure onto your home or building a small place for them to play outside (fully enclosed). Changing out toys every few days also keeps their interest peaked and leaves less time stricken with boredom exposed to the same everyday stimuli. I personally use treat balls or hide raw meat, catnip or sardines in objects that they have to work or play with a bit to get a reward. My Savannahs LOVE these kinds of toys and also like the act of figuring things out...they are the smartest cats I've ever met. Your Savannah will also figure out how to open all your cupboards and drawers, understand that nothing is safe from them!
I'm sure there is much I haven't touched base on, but in all honestly, I wouldn't go another day with owning one of these magnificent cats in all their mischief and glory. Their quirky, energetic personality lights up my day and never gives my house a dull moment!
So you want a Savannah? Awesome! You've come to the right place! Now I want to make sure you have the right place for one of my kittens.
Savannahs will usually follow you around the house much like a canine companion and are social felines by nature. They also require a few moments of your time everyday for your attention and love and are extremely loyal cats in nature.
Savannahs require play, much like dogs do. Just 20 minutes of quality play time a day can avoid bad habits and behaviors and unwind unnecessary energy built up during the day. You may even want to consider daily walks, adding an enclosure onto your home or building a small place for them to play outside (fully enclosed). Changing out toys every few days also keeps their interest peaked and leaves less time stricken with boredom exposed to the same everyday stimuli. I personally use treat balls or hide raw meat, catnip or sardines in objects that they have to work or play with a bit to get a reward. My Savannahs LOVE these kinds of toys and also like the act of figuring things out...they are the smartest cats I've ever met. Your Savannah will also figure out how to open all your cupboards and drawers, understand that nothing is safe from them!
I'm sure there is much I haven't touched base on, but in all honestly, I wouldn't go another day with owning one of these magnificent cats in all their mischief and glory. Their quirky, energetic personality lights up my day and never gives my house a dull moment!