SavannahCharacteristics, history, behaviour and care

On 7 April 1986, the breeder Judee Frank crossed a male serval, belonging to Suzi Wood, with a Siamese cat. The first Savannah cat was born, a female named Savannah herself. She had kittens with a Turkish Angora male in 1989. In 1996, Patrick Kelley and Joyce Sroufe wrote the first breed standard. TICA accepted it as a new breed in 2001 and gave it championship status in 2012, for the F4 generation onwards.

How the breed developed

• 7 April 1986 – the first Savannah cat is born.
• 1989 – the first second-generation (F2) kittens.
• 1996 – the first standard.
• 2001 – accepted by TICA.
• 2012 – championship status at TICA.
• 2016 – an F2 male becomes the tallest cat in the world (48.4 cm).

The generation matters a lot: F1 means one parent is a serval, and F5 that the serval is five generations back.

• Experienced families with plenty of space. It is very active and jumps very high.
• Later generations (F4, F5). The first generations can show wild and territorial behaviour.
• People who check the law. In some US states and in Australia ownership is restricted.
• People who are patient with the litter tray. Litter problems are a common reason these cats end up in shelters.

Its tall, slender body makes it look bigger than it is. Size depends a lot on generation and sex: F1–F2 usually weigh 4.5–11 kg, and some much more; later generations weigh 3.5–8.2 kg, like other large breeds.

General appearance

The ears are very large, taller than they are wide, with a light “eye” spot on the back. The neck is long. The eyes are boomerang-shaped, with prominent brows, and dark stripes, “cheetah tear marks”, run from the corners of the eyes. The tail is short, with black rings and a black tip.

The TICA standard accepts only the spotted pattern and four colours: black spotted tabby (on a brown, beige or golden ground), silver spotted, black and black smoke.

Related breeds and how to tell them apart

The Bengal and the Chausie are also hybrids with wild cats: the Asian leopard cat and the jungle cat, respectively. The Savannah has taken the Maine Coon's place as the largest cat breed, but only in the first generations.

French Wikipedia describes it as very intelligent, curious, sociable, active, gentle and affectionate. Many Savannahs are not afraid of water and even get into it.

Wikipedia warns that, especially in the first generations, they can show wild or territorial behaviour, and males can be aggressive and mark their territory.

Socialisation

German Wikipedia says they are friendly, sociable and playful and get on well with other pets.

A kitten gets used to new people, noises and other animals most easily in its first months of life.

Habits at home

Like all cats, it sleeps a lot: usually 12–16 hours a day. It is most active early in the morning and in the evening, but partly adapts to the family's routine.

Cats instinctively bury their droppings, so it quickly learns to use a litter tray. It scratches rough surfaces to shed the old outer layer of its claws, so it needs a scratching post or board.

It is very active, jumps exceptionally high and has faster reflexes than an ordinary cat. It needs plenty of space, daily play and very tall, stable climbing trees.

Tips for a balanced life

• Change its toys from time to time, so it does not get bored.
• Play with it in short sessions, several times a day.
• If it goes outside, let it do so in a fenced area or on a balcony with a safety net.

Coat care

The short coat is easy to look after: one brushing a week.

Common health problems

Wikipedia says Savannahs develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy more often than other breeds. The breeders' association also recommends testing for progressive retinal atrophy and pyruvate kinase deficiency, which can lead to blindness and anaemia, respectively.

Recommended genetic tests

The Savannah breeders' association recommends a heart ultrasound and genetic tests for retinal atrophy and pyruvate kinase deficiency.

Is it hypoallergenic?

Cat allergy is caused mainly by the Fel d 1 protein, found in saliva and skin glands; it is behind the allergy in 90% of people who are allergic to cats. Kittens, females and neutered males produce less of it, but still enough to trigger symptoms. No breed is completely hypoallergenic.

Other care

• A check-up at the vet once a year.
• Vaccinations and parasite treatment on the schedule set by the vet.
• Trim the claws if they do not wear down on their own.
• Clean its teeth or give it food that helps keep them clean.

The cat is a carnivore: it needs animal protein. Unlike a dog, it must get vitamin A, arachidonic acid and taurine from its food. Water is very important, because cats usually drink little; several water bowls around the house encourage it to drink.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual for a healthy adult cat. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram. If you also feed wet food, reduce the dry portion.

• Adjust the portion to its weight: neutered cats put on weight easily.
• Weigh it monthly; the ribs should be easy to feel under your fingers.
• Kittens need more calories: Merck recommends 2.5 times the resting energy requirement.

Dangerous foods and substances

Some common household items are dangerous for cats:

• Lilies (and daylilies): they can destroy a cat's kidneys. Even the pollen or the water in the vase is dangerous.
• Paracetamol: extremely toxic to cats, which lack the enzyme that breaks it down. Never give it human medicines.
• Flea spot-ons and collars for dogs containing permethrin: the concentration meant for dogs is dangerous for cats.
• Foods: chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.

Maturity

Females usually reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. The age varies from breed to breed.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy in cats lasts 64–67 days, 65 on average. A first litter usually has fewer kittens than later ones. Only healthy cats that match the breed standard are used for breeding.

Blood type

Cats have blood type A, B or AB. Type A is the most common: in a study from England, 87.1% of non-pedigree cats and 54.6% of pedigree cats had type A. This matters for breeding: if the mother is type B and the kittens are type A, the antibodies in her first milk (colostrum) can destroy their red blood cells. The condition is called neonatal isoerythrolysis. That is why breeders test the blood type of both parents.

We found no published data on how common type B is in this breed; the test is done before mating anyway.

Caring for the kittens

Kittens are weaned at 6–7 weeks. They are ready to go to their new home at about 12 weeks, when they can be separated from their mother.

Neutering

Neutering used to be done at 6–9 months, but it is more and more often done before puberty, at around 3–6 months. It prevents unwanted kittens, urine marking in males and the loud “calling” of females in heat. A 2024 study found that neutered cats live one year longer on average. After the operation, the metabolism slows down and appetite increases, so the portion has to be reduced.

How to choose a kitten

• Ask for the pedigree from a recognised cat association (for example, TICA).
• The kitten leaves its mother at about 12 weeks.
• Ask which generation the kitten is (F1–F5) and check what the law says for that generation.
• Ask for the parents' heart ultrasound and genetic tests.
• Look at the mother and at the place where the kittens are raised: it should be clean, with kittens used to people.
• Ask about vaccinations, parasite treatment and the blood type of the parents.

• The tallest cat. In 2016, an F2 Savannah male entered the Guinness World Records at 48.4 cm tall.
• Named after the first cat. The breed bears the name of the first cat, a female called Savannah.
• “Cheetah tear marks”. The stripes at the corners of the eyes are prized at shows.
• Banned in some places. New York State allows F5 and later generations, but New York City does not.

What do F1, F2... mean?

An F1 has a serval parent; with each generation, the serval is one generation further back. Later generations are smaller and calmer.

How big does it get?

Later generations weigh 3.5–8.2 kg; the first generations can be much larger.

Does it like water?

Yes, many play in water and even get into it.

Is it legal everywhere?

No. Some US states and Australia restrict or ban ownership.