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| Savannah Cat |
Savannah Cat Breed Information
What is a savannah cat?
If you’re thinking of a feline addition to your family, then
you have probably gone through numerous cat breeds looking for the most
appropriate breed for you and your family’s lifestyle. While many people go for
popular breeds because that’s what they grew up with or what they’re used to,
some look for more exotic breeds which will fully match their personality.
If you are a person with an active lifestyle, or simply have
a passion for interesting and fascinating pets, then you probably aren’t best
served by looking for a regular domestic cat.
What you should look into are Savannah cats – the exploration alone is
worth your time.
The Savannah cat is a relatively new domestic cat breed,
with the first cat being born on April 7th, 1986. It is the result of mating
between a medium-large, wild African cat (the serval) and a domestic cat
(regardless of its breed). Even though
it may look like a regular cat at first glance (especially if it’s young), the
Savannah cat is larger than any domestic cat you’ll ever see.
The Savannah essentially has taken the friendly nature of a
regular domestic cat and combined it with the unique physical characteristics
of the serval, which features a yellowish or tanned fur with black spots (and
sometimes even black lines), long legs (which make it look larger and heavier
than it really is), and large ears.
The Savannah cat has also taken a lot of the behavioral
features from the serval. This
intelligent cat can be taught to walk with a leash (like a dog), play fetch,
and loves to play in the water (something a normal cat hates to do). In addition
to that, Savannah cats are extremely social both with human beings and other
animals. So if you have children or
other animals in your house, this cat should not cause you any issues.
Read also: Colorpoint Shorthair Cat Breed Information
Savannah cats were recognized as a breed by TICA in 2001,
and are legal in most U.S. states. There
are states, however, that have certain rules and regulations regarding this
breed, so you should explore the rules for your state before actually
purchasing a Savannah.
Overall, Savannah cats can be great companions, especially
for those who have long dreamed of an active, playful, and sociable cat. Its
exotic look and friendly personality will capture the heart of everyone who
meets it.
Types of savannah cats
Although the Savannah cat stands in a class of its own when
it comes to domestic cats, there are several different types of Savannah cats,
which vary primarily based on the cat’s generation (how far removed it is from
the original domestic cat/Serval mating).
Each generation of Savannah cat is marked by a filial number (F1, F2,
etc.). The different types are explained
below:
F1 Generation
This is the most difficult type of Savannah cat to produce,
as it is the offspring of the domestic cat and Serval. In other words, this Savannah is generally
50% Serval. In some cases, F1 Savannah cats contain a
higher percentage of Serval genes – for example, if an F1 Savannah (50% Serval)
mates with a Serval, you would have a Savannah that is 75% Serval.
These types of Savannah cats (F1) are the largest and most
exotic due to their close proximity to the Serval. F1 males are 17-30 pounds
and F1 females are 13 to 19 pounds.
Because of the F1′s highly Serval nature, this Savannah will typically
only bond to one or two people (presumably, its owners) and will not have
interest in socializing with others. Despite this, they are not aggressive with people, so this shouldn’t be
a concern.
F2 Generation
F2 males generally range from 16 to 30 pounds and females
range from 12 to 16 pounds. Because this
Savannah cat is further removed from the Serval, it’s usually more social than
an F1 Savannah, but still is not a lap cat (nor does it really like being
held).
Despite this, they love to play and be petted, which makes
them preferable over the F1 as a family pet.
They still retain the exotic look and intelligent behavior displayed by
the F1 Savannah, so the F2 might be called “the best of both worlds.”
F3 Generation
F3 males range from 14 to 20 pounds and females range from
10 to 13 pounds. Although these Savannah
cats are not quite as large as the F1 and F2 types, they are still very large
for domestic cats, and have incredibly social and friendly temperaments. These Savannahs like human contact a bit more
(meaning they usually like to be held and will sit on your lap), making them a
great, intelligent family-friendly pet.
F4 Generation
We’re grouping these together because they are very similar
in appearance and temperament. In terms
of weight, these types of Savannah cats are actually very similar to the F3
generation, except that they are more likely to develop toward the lower end of
the range. Of all Savannah cats, these
are the most social and hands-on types, however they are also the furthest from
the Serval predecessor. Even so, this
Savannah’s character is still more active and intelligent when compared to
normal domestic cats.
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The African serval
The African serval is a very peculiar wild cat residing in
Africa, and it’s what makes the Savannah cat exotic both in appearance and
behavior. It is believed to have been the father of cheetahs, due to the many
common traits shared between them. The African serval is a medium-sized wild
cat. Although it has a very small head
compared to other wild cats, the serval is still able to find prey around its
territory. This type of wild cat mainly feeds on small prey such as rodents,
frogs, fish, birds, and insects. At
times it has also been observed to prey on deer. Being such a small cat
compared to other wild cats, it must prey at night as it can easily fall prey
to bigger cats during the day.
Being a medium-sized wild cat, the African serval is a
perfect choice for a pet, for wild cat lovers. Even though there are no laws
against the serval being kept as a pet, it is highly recommended to obtain a
serval at a very early age to start socializing with it. The key to making sure
the African serval does not turn lethal, is to socialize the cat with other
people and animals at a very early age so it knows how to behave in the future.
Keeping an African serval as a pet can have great benefits in terms of security
and for the beauty it has. It is one of the few wild cats with long ears, which
makes it look more adorable.
The serval has been known to be wild at times when owned as
a pet. If at any moment the serval is left alone with any smaller animals or
childdren, it can turn lethal depending on the type of training it has
received. The accidents that have occurred are mainly the result of little to
no supervision of the pet. As a side note, bigger servals that have been in the
wild most of their life are very lethal. Those types of servals are not
recommended for anybody to keep as a pet, thus the reason they are left in the
wild.
As of now, the African serval (as its name implies) is
mainly found in the African continent. Recently, it has gone extinct in some
countries within Africa. South Africa
has been one of the countries where the African serval no longer exist due to
little to no control of poachers. The serval is sought by millions of poachers
thanks to its beautiful fur. Currently, the serval is found mainly in countries
such as Algeria, Tanzania, and Tunisia. For more details and information about savannah cat breed, click here.