How to Idenitfy A Savannah Cat

By John Albers

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Your Eyes
Cat

How To Identify A Savannah Cat

Step 1:
Start by looking at the cat’s build. You should see a large cat roughly three feet in length and two feet high. It should have a very slim build with a thin body and legs. Because of this the cat will typically weigh no more than 17 pounds, despite its size, though some Savannahs on record were over forty pounds thanks to their genetic heritage. They should have thick, rounded haunches that taper to a narrow chest. Their paws should be very small, usually thinner than the connecting joint to the leg.
Step 2:
Examine the cat’s fur. The backs of the ears have ocelli, a central light band bordered by black, dark grey or brown, giving an eye-like effect. The short tail has black rings, with a solid black tip. The fur itself will be short and appear very silky, making it difficult to discern the individual hairs of the cat. Currently the only accepted color patterns are black, brown spotted tabby, and silver spotted tabby. The colors will look very much like that of its Serval parent. Because of the species’ youth there may be other color configurations that have not been officially accepted yet.
Step 3:
Examine the cat’s head. The skull shape and size should be almost identical to that of the common housecat, which makes it seem a little small for such a large body. The eyes are blue as a kitten and may be green, brown, gold or a blended shade as an adult. Black markings run from the corner of the eyes down the sides of the nose to the whiskers, similar to the markings a cheetah has. These marks reduce glare from the sun in the cat’s eyes to aid it while hunting. No other domestic cat has these markings and if the cat you’re examining possesses them then you’re looking at a savannah.

Tips & Warnings

The appearance of the Savannah is dependent on the generation, with the generation closest to that of the Serval parent larger and wilder. As a result this species is classified by which generation of the species they belong to. As one would expect this species is most definitely not a lap cat, though they can learn to live by indoor rules quickly thanks to a very high intelligence level. They are also very curious and love to explore their surroundings, meaning they will open up drawers and cupboards if they can. Child proofing your house might not be a bad idea to keep your belongings from being strewn about the floor. Despite this they are very friendly and enjoy spending time with people, showing dog like characteristics. They will often watch over and guard children who they are familiar with and see as their charges, but are never at all violent. Savannahs also love to go for walks with the family, so they leash train very well and are not aggressive toward other animals or strangers, thought thanks to their size and powerful jaws have no trouble defending themselves if they are attacked.
The Serval as well as the hybrid Savannahs are both renowned for their ability to leap more than eight feet straight up. Though they don't climb you will often find them at the top of shelves and other furniture, so be aware of this danger to your possessions if you are interested in getting one. Savannahs are one of the few species of cat that will happily go swimming and enjoying playing with water. For this reason they will typically bat at and turn over their water dishes until they learn the purpose of the water dish. Be prepared to mop up the floor a few times.

Resources

List of Certified Savannah Breeders

Photo/Video Credit

www.candcsavannahs.com

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