|
Savannah
Cat
The Savannah Cat is a new and still
fairly rare exotic domestic cat breed that is the result of a cross between
an African Serval
and a domestic cat.
As Savannah cats are produced by
crossbreeding servals and domestic cats, each generation of Savannah cats is
marked with a filial number.
For example, the cats produced directly from a
Serval/domestic cat cross are the F1 generation, and they are typically 50%
serval (although if you use a F1 Savannah as the domestic cat, the
percentage of serval blood can jump to 75%).
The F2 generation, which has a
serval grandparent and is the offspring of the F1 generation, is 25% serval.
The F3 generation has a serval great grandparent, and is 12.5% serval.
Male Savannah cats are typically sterile
until the F5 generation or so, although the females are fertile
from the F1 generation and on.
Savannah cats tend to be one of the larger
breeds of cats, ranging up to 32 pounds (most other domestic cats range in
the area of 5.5 and 16 pounds).
The earlier generations, F1's to F3's or so,
tend to be larger than the later generations. Also, the males are often
larger than the females.
The bodies of Savannah cats are long and
leggy--when a Savannah cat is sitting, their hind legs are often higher than
their spine, like a Cheetah.
Their heads tend to be longer than they are wide, and like their serval
ancestors, they have long necks. Also like servals, they tend to have spots
on their ears, and their tails are about 3/4ths the length of other cats'.
The coat of a Savannah cat depends a lot on
the breed of cat used for the domestic cross.
Early generations always have
some form of dark spotting on a lighter coat, and many breeders employ
"wild"-looking spotted breeds such as the Bengal
and Egyptian Mau
for the cross to preserve these markings in later generations.
The Savannah cat can have a tan coat with
black or brownish spots, or a silver coat with dark spots, a marble pattern,
and many other patterns and combinations, although the TICA breed standard
limits member cats to Black, Brown Spotted Tabby, Silver Spotted Tabby and
Black Smoke types only
Temperamentally, Savannah cats have been
compared to dogs in their loyalty, and they will follow their owners around
the house like a canine.
They greet people with head-butts or sometimes
pounces out of nowhere (many a guest entering a house with a Savannah have
been pounced upon in the entry way!)
They have a lot of energy and are
social animals that do well with both cats and dogs.
Owners of Savannah cats say that they are
very impressed with the intelligence of this breed of cat.
Savannah cats
have been known to get into all sorts of things; they often learn how to
open doors, cupboards, and anyone buying a Savannah will definitely have to
"Savannah-proof" the house to prevent their pet from getting into
things it shouldn't! Also, many owners have trained their Savannah cats to walk
on a harness and do various tricks like fetching toys.
Water isn't a fear of the Savannah cat;
they will jump right into the bathtub or shower with people sometimes, and
get into pools and streams like their wild ancestors.
Vocally, like their serval parents and
grandparents, Savannah cats normally "chirp" instead of meow.
Savannah cats have no special care or food
requirements; they can eat cat food like any other domestic cat, use the
litter box, and a normal veterinarian is qualified to care for one that
needs a checkup or is sick.
|
