It’s common knowledge that owning a wild animal is a bad idea.  Animal refuges are full of tigers, lions, cougars and other wild animals that started as pets, and then became too much for their owners to handle.  What if you could have that wild look on a loving pet?  What if you could have that beautiful spotted African cat without worrying about your safety?

Well, the good news is that you can.  In the mid-1980s Judee Frank bred the first African serval to a domestic cat.  The resulting kitten was named “Savannah”, suggestive of the sub-Saharan grasslands in which the ancestral servals originate.  Now, after 20 years and generations of breeding with domestic short hair cats, the fascinating spotted cat breed originated by Judee Frank bears the same name.

Owning a Savannah Cat

A Savannah is not your typical housecat.  Although they eat cat food and use litter boxes, they bear significant differences from other breeds.  Physically, they are noted for their tall, slender builds and big ears.  Twenty years is a short period of time in cat breeding, so many of the cats for sale today are “foundational” cats.  These are designated by the letter “F” and a number.  An F1 is only one generation away from the African serval.  An F2 is two generations away from the ancestral serval.  SBT (Stud Book Traditional) cats are those who have had at least three generations of Savannah to Savannah breeding in their pedigrees.  These cats are considered "pure-bred" tend to be similar in look and disposition.  While early generation Savannahs are larger than later ones, all Savannahs are the have the wonderful exotic look of the ancestral serval. 

Savannahs differ from traditional housecats in a variety of ways.  Savannahs are high-energy cats; if you are not home for many hours of the day, you might consider a second cat.  It’s better to have two cats entertaining themselves than one entertaining himself with your furniture or draperies.  Make sure there are plenty of toys that capture their attention and imagination, and burn off excess energy.  Several manufacturers make cat exercise wheels (imagine a hamster wheel that is 4-feet in diameter).  Savannahs typically love to run on these, staying in shape and preventing boredom.

Some owners tend to compare Savannahs to dogs (blasphemy – I know!).  They come when called.  They can be “clicker” trained.  Savannahs will walk on a leash, although walking jackets are recommended rather than a traditional harness.  Many Savannahs love water.  Don’t take this as a given, though.  Many will play “fetch” with you (and bring the toy back).  They love to be near their owners, and while some are lap-cats and others are not, they definitely want to be to be in the same room as you.

Showing Savannah Cats

Savannah cats are currently not recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), but are recognized by The International Cat Association (TICA).  They are not currently shown to Championship status, but are recognized and shown as an Advanced New Breed and are gaining ground quickly.  As an Advanced New Breed, only “C” Savannahs (those with at least two generations of Savannah to Savannah breeding) and SBT Savannahs (those with at least three generations of Savannah to Savannah breeding) are eligible to be shown in TICA shows.

It is important that Savannah cats exhibit that wild look, while maintaining a docile disposition.  Any cat showing aggression is immediately disqualified. 

In rating Savannahs, judges are allotted 100 points: 40 for the head, 40 for the body and 20 for the coat/color/pattern.*  The shape of the head should form an equilateral triangle. The head is small in proportion to the body.  Ears should be large and high on the head.  Light colored, horizontal bars (occelli) on the back of the ear are desirable.  The eyes should resemble a boomerang set at the exact angle so that the corner of the eye slopes down the line of the nose.  The eyes should be set relatively deep and low on the forehead with at least one eye width apart.  “Cheetah-like” tear stain markings should be present along and between the eye and the nose.

The Savannah has a “semi-foreign” body type very similar to that of its serval ancestry.  The legs should be long, lean, slender and strong.  The Savannah’s back legs should be slightly longer than the front legs.  The Savannah’s tail should be of medium length and thickness, and should not touch the ground when standing.  The tail should be articulated and expressive, tapering to a blunt end.

The short to medium coat of a Savannah should have “remarkable substance and texture”.  The coat is not inordinately dense and lies relatively flat against the body.  The only colors allowed are black, brown spotted tabby, silver spotted tabby and black smoke. The ground colors may be gold to orange with bold dark markings, silver with bold dark markings, solid black and black smoke.  Markings should be dark-brown to black with round, oval and elongated spots fanning out from parallel stripes that run from the back of the head to just over the shoulder blades.

Living with a Savannah

While the stunning look of these cats may draw a potential owner to them, it is ultimately their personality that wins hearts.  A Savannah pet is truly pleased to see you come home.  They are good with children, and love their interaction and level of activity.  Because the ancestral servals generally hunt at dusk and dawn (they are not nocturnal hunters), you will find that most Savannahs sleep through the night.  They generally pick a spot in your bed and snuggle up next to you.

They are smarter that the average housecat, and will find ways to “surprise” you (e.g., opening drawers and doors), and with a vertical leap of seven to eleven feet you may find them watching you from a vantage point on top of your bookshelf.  Comics that they are, some find ways to wrap the inside of your house with toilet paper.  Ultimately, though, you have to just laugh it off and realize your cat may be smarter than you are.