Cat Breed of the Month--The Savannah

The Savannah cat is known to be the largest domestic cat breed, although they are hybrids. They are a cross between an African serval and a domestic cat.

History

In Pennsylvania, a Bengal breeder named Judee Frank gained possession of a male African serval that weighed 30-35 pounds. The serval named Ernie sired a kitten with Frank’s seal point Siamese female on April 7th of 1986. The kitten was named Miracle. It’s unclear if she had siblings, but likely not.

Miracle weighed 8 oz at birth and grew to be 15 lbs, which is quite large for a female as they are generally smaller than males.

The kitten was then given to another breeder named Suzi Mustacio who renamed her, Savannah.

Savannah was bred to a 13 pound white Turkish Angora male. She gave birth to three kittens on April 5th, 1989, though one was stillborn.

A woman named Lori Buchko was given ownership of one of the kittens. And Patrick Kelley, the founder of https://savannahcat.com/public/index.php, purchased the other.

Kelley went on to further develop the breed alongside another breed named Joyce Sroufe.

The Savannah cat was accepted by TICA as a breed in the late 90s.

Although the Savannah is a fairly new breed, it has become very popular among cat enthusiasts.

Behavior & Personality

The Savannah cat has a dog-like personality; she’s loyal, athletic, and sociable.

Despite the breed’s wild ancestry, they are quite loving, and affectionate, and tend to bond closely with their owner.

Savannahs are good with older children and dogs.

Because of the breed’s boundless energy and love for exploring, they should be allowed some time outdoors in a fenced-in yard or walking on a leash.

Savannah cats tend to enjoy an occasional bath or swim.

Appearance & Physical Traits

Savannah cats have a long, lean, elegant body with large ears like their serval ancestors.

As mentioned before, they are the largest domestic cat with females weighing between 12-15 pounds, and males around 20-25 pounds. Savannahs can reach 17 inches in height. Later generations (removed from the serval parent) are known to be smaller.

Accepted colors are brown spotted tabby, sliver spotted, black, and black smoke.

Health & Care

There isn’t much known about diseases and illnesses that the Savannah is prone to, but they are susceptible to common health problems found in cats, just like other cat breeds.

Savannahs are generally a healthy breed and have a lifespan of about 12-20 years.

The breed’s teeth should be brushed daily, and her coat groomed once a week.

A bath periodically is beneficial to keep her coat healthy.

It’s important to keep your Savannah both mentally and physically stimulated.

Bans & Regulations

Because of the wild blood in the Savannah cat, some countries and states ban the ownership of these cats.

States with bans or restrictions of Savannah include Alaska, Hawaii, Georgia, Rhode Island, Colorado, New York, Oregon, Texas, etc. Some of these only ban earlier generations and allow later generations that are more predictable to be purchased.

Be sure to check with your state laws concerning this breed upon purchasing.

Quick Facts:

The Savannah cat is the most expensive domestic cat breed in the world with prices ranging from $1,000 to 20,000 USD
Pop singer Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey own two Savannah cats named Sushi and Tuna
An 18.07 inch tall Savannah cat named Scarlett’s Magic was given the title of the “Tallest Cat in The World” twice by the Guinness Book of World Records, and the “Longest Cat in The World”, measuring 42.72 inches in length from nose to tail
Savannah cats are capable of jumping up to 8 feet in height!
They love water
Serval is the Portuguese word for “wolf-deer”
Savannah cats are very vocal like their Serval ancestors
Male Savannahs are generally infertile until the sixth-generation removed from the serval parent