The Savannah is a hybrid between the African wild serval and the domestic cat. They are active, inquisitive cats with a balanced character. Easily adapt to any conditions, but, as they are quite large animals, need a large space for play. They are sociable and do not tolerate loneliness, love walks in the fresh air, show interest in water.

History of the breed

In the 1980s, it was fashionable to breed new breeds of cats that resembled predators. However, breeders were faced with the fact that all spotted cats were rather modest in size. In 1986, a domestic cat was crossed with an African Serval and finally got offspring with the necessary proportions and color. The new breed was officially recognized only by TICA in 2001.

Care

Care for savannahs is not complicated. These cats take excellent care of themselves. They can be combed, bathed and clipped their claws, if they allow it: it is useless to fight with such an animal. Food is preferred natural, but they can also eat ready-made food. This is a healthy breed, not prone to any diseases.

Savannah is a really large animal: height at the withers - 60 cm, weight - up to 7 kg for females, up to 15 kg for males.

Breeding

Savannahs reach physical maturity late, by about three years of age. The colors accepted by the standard are brown, chocolate, silver, golden or cinnamon. Bengal, Siamese, Oriental cats, Egyptian Mau and ordinary domestic cats are used for breeding. Hybrid male offspring are sterile until the fourth generation.

The cost of a kitten depends on the percentage of serval blood. Thus, the first generation is labeled as F1, the second - F2 and so on up to seven. Each subsequent offspring will increasingly resemble a domestic cat, respectively, and the price of the animal will decrease. If the savannah is crossed again with a serval, the kittens will have a completely "wild" appearance with a calm, friendly character.