Savannah

Developed in the 1980s by crossing Serval cats (a wild African cat with large ears and striking markings) with domestic cats. The Savannah Cat is only recognised by the TICA (The International Cat Association) and the permitted domestic breeds for crossbreeding with Servals are the Egyptian Mau, the Ocicat, the Oriental Shorthair, and the Domestic Shorthair. Some breeders have been known to use Bengals for stronger spotting, and Maine Coon for a longer coat.  

The size and appearance of even the first cross can be variable, in subsequent generations, size tends to drop and markings become even more variable.  

The first crosses are bred again to one another and the second generation can then be considered a domestic cat.  

The Savannah requires a lot of outdoor space, however make sure you cat proof your garden. That space must be 100% secure as a loose Savannah is likely to result in calls to the police about stray wild cats and they are a high risk for pet-theft. With their propensity for damage to the house when unsupervised, it would be wise to construct a cat room indoors, that links to a large and fully secure cat-run outdoors so that your Savannah is completely safe and can choose where they would prefer to be. 

The Savannah Cat will need a large amount of space to play, climb, and relax. It is not recommended to let the larger Savannah cats roam your house unsupervised, unless you have managed to cat-proof the entire property. You’ll need extensive cat-trees, climbing ramps and platforms and an inexhaustible supply of food dispensing toys and puzzles to keep that semi-wild mind active.  

It would be wise to socialise your Savannah cat much like dog owners do, to trips to the vet for regular cat health check-ups, travel in the car in a crate, all over body handling and husbandry practice. Trying to wrangle a large adult Savannah into a travel box against their wishes will end in serious injury — to you! Find out helpful tips that will help you travel with your cat safely with our easy guide.  

The Savannah can be aggressive towards other neighbourhood cats — and sometimes even dogs!  

Every cat is unique and each has their own particular likes, dislikes, and needs when it comes to food. However, cats are carnivores and every cat must obtain 41 different and specific nutrients from their food. The proportion of these nutrients will vary depending on age, lifestyle, and overall health, so it's not surprising that a growing, energetic kitten needs a different balance of nutrients in her diet than a less active senior cat. Other considerations to bear in mind are feeding the right quantity of food to maintain 'ideal body condition' in accordance with feeding guidelines and catering to individual preference regarding wet or dry cat food recipes. Find out more about cat feeding guidelines with our article. 

The Savannah cat should manage most of their own grooming, however it is imperative that you habituate yours to cat grooming and full body handling so that you can deal with any injuries or parasites, such as cat fleas, as soon as they occur.  

Remember that a greasy coat can be evidence that your cat is no longer attempting to groom themselves, which can be indicative of poor or failing health. As with all cats, Savannahs benefit from regular vaccination, parasite control, and annual veterinary cat health check. 

The Savannah Cat is a highly specialist cat for those already very familiar with large, wild cat behaviour. This cat is not recommended for the family home, nor is it recommended as a first-time cat.