Savannah cats are a very fascinating breed and quite different from the ordinary domestic cat. For those of you not familiar with this exotic house pet, please read on to find out just where they come from and what makes them so special.

The domestic Savannah cat is the largest hybrid available and is derived from a wild African Serval mating with a domestic cat. Typically, a Serval male is bred with a domestic female. Breeding Savannah’s can be very challenging with the difference in body type, behavior, and temperament between the two breeds. It is for this reason that Savannah’s are in such high demand. The first successful breeding was in the 1980’s by a Bengal cat breeder in Pennsylvania named Judy Frank. The Savannah’s are named after the Native American Grasslands where Servals make their home.

Once the mating process is over there is not much difference in the breeding of Savannah’s compared to a normal domestic cat, though a Savannah will carry her kittens for about 10 days longer. Generally kittens go home to their new families two weeks after their first vaccine, at about ten weeks. Wild Serval’s take a little longer to wean themselves from their mother’s; therefore we tend to give Savannah’s a few extra weeks to adjust before they experience life without their family.

Savannah’s coats are beautifully marked with stripes and spots just like their Serval ancestors. Their colors can vary from silver to amber or tabby, with black, brown, silver or smoke colored spots. They have “tear-drop” marking on their eyes and the back of their ears. On Servals these markings are called “follow me spots” and are very important in the camouflaged grasslands for the kittens to be able to spot their mother and quickly follow her when danger is near. Savannah’s have very graceful bodies, with long legs and a lean frame. Their heads are typically longer than they are wide and they have very large, alert ears.

These sweet animals are very content being indoor cats and make great companions or family pets. While the Servals can range from 30-50 pounds, Savannah’s are normally about 18-25 pounds. They are litter box trained and require no special diets, veterinary care or facilities.

We are currently in the process of breeding our Savannah cat, Chai, an F2 Savannah. If you are interested in owning a Savannah cat as a family pet please check back for future articles including: Understanding a Savannah’s family Tree and Why Savannah’s make excellent family pets. In these articles we will explain the F1, F2, or F3 classifications and why these animals are such great additions to any family.

For now, here is a quick look at the break down of a Savannah.

F1 ~ About 50% Serval

F2 ~ About 30% Serval

F3 ~ About 15% Serval

The higher the number the further removed they are from their wild roots.