What Is A Savannah Cat

Initial Cost Of Savannah Cat Ownership

Before going out to get a Savannah cat, remember that there is a financial responsibility that comes along with owning one.

In this section, we will look at the initial cost of owning one of these kitties. Here, you will find out how much money you need to prepare if you plan on getting a Savannah.

Here are some initial supplies you would need to have for your Savannah cat especially for the first few weeks:

Below is a summary of the initial cost of owning a Savannah cat breed:

As you can see, you will need around $230 to $520 for your Savannah cats initial supplies.

Keep in mind that this is on top of the price of the cat itself. Also, the costs of vaccinations, vitamins, and vet check-ups are not yet included here.

You can save a bit of money from the expenses mentioned above by looking at the freebies offered by breeders. Often, breeders bundle their Savannahs with a couple of free accessories such as a cat hairbrush, toys, or a collar.

How Do Savannah Gets With Other Animals:

Most of them get along pretty well but bringing a savannah or any animal into a home where other animals currently reside, can be scary and make them act standoffish. But the majority get over it and they become buddies in no time.

Savannahs NEED play mates!

So having a dog or another savannah is the best. Some cat breed works but usually regular domestic cats cant keep up with the savannah energy and get annoyed.

Coat And Grooming Needs

The Savannah Cat is a breeze to groom. Weekly brushing with a short-bristled brush will do the trick, and you dont need to worry about bathing, although you can bathe them is your Savannah loves water.

One thing that you will want to add to your grooming routine is regular nail clipping. Again, the closer a Savannah is to their wild ancestors, the more hunting, climbing, and scratching your home may have to endure. Luckily, when you start with nail clipping early, youll be able to minimise the damage.

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Savannah Cat As House Pet

If the Savannah cat is kept busy, mentally stimulated and entertained, they can make wonderful pets.

If given enough toys and attention, Savannah cats can adjust to an indoor-only life.

They do enjoy spending time outdoors, however. Some owners have even successfully trained their Savannahs to walk on a leash!

The Savannah cat temperament can vary, but these cats are almost always highly active.

They love to play, run and climb all skills hard-earned for survival by servals and passed down through the generations.

A happy cat is one with plenty of opportunities to act naturally. For a Savannah, this could also mean lots of cat trees and condos, for climbing and keeping watch from without feeling overlooked.

Some owners describe the Savannah cat as being a lifelong kitten and a stash of suitable toys will enrich their environment and help them play.

Serval Cats Vs Savannah Cats: Grooming Difficulties

Servals are wild cats, and they groom themselves when required, especially in hot season grooming frequency increased to provide a cooling effect to the body and remove dead hair.

While Savannah is a low-shedding cat breed that requires less grooming than other cats, but their coat should be kept healthy and brushed weekly without loose or dead hair.

Owners must trim their nails as needed. Usually, weekly trimming is preferred. Make it trouble-free for both you and your cat to get in the habit of trimming their nails and start trimming when they are a kitten.

You must check their ears weekly for infections that will present themselves with unusual redness, odour, and occasional discharge. To prevent infection, clean them when the cotton or use soft cleanser with cotton recommended by your pet doctor.

Finally, brush their teeth frequently to reduce veterinary clinic visits for expensive dental treatment or avoid tartar build-up and gum disease.

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What Is A Sbt Savannah

The History of the SBT Savannahs starts here at A1 Savannahs. An SBT is also bred down from the Serval but is is at least 4 Generations removed. While many Savannahs F1 through F5 are diluted with blood of regular house cats, the SBT Savannah is a “pure” Savannah that has guaranteed only Savannahs as parents for at least 3 Generations.

The size or appearence of an SBT Savannah can be compared to an F4 or an F5 Savannah but there are several advantages to own an SBT.

SBT Savannahs are more consistent in their type. Personality and size are better forseeable and the temperament is predictable. An SBT Savannah is the perfect choice for a family with other pets and children.

The History Of The Savannah

A kitten sired by a serval on a female domestic cat in 1986 was the beginning of the Savannah as a breed. This first-generation cross was named Savannah, and when breeder Patrick Kelly heard about her, he decided to create a new breed. Kelly and fellow breeder Joyce Sroufe began a breeding program and wrote a standard for the new cats.

The Savannah was recognized as a breed by The International Cat Association in 2012.

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Serval Cats Vs Savannah Cats: Hunting Behaviour Differences

The Servals long legs and large ears are the keys to its hunting strategy. These cats are most active during the crepuscular hours . Later they will listen and wait for the prey before going for a dramatic pounce. And its dramatic!

The serval can jump 7-8 feet in the air to snatch the birds as e discussed above. With the help of long, flexible toes, they hunt the frog very quickly from bushes.

Servals can stay active for more extended periods on cold or rainy days. On hot afternoons, they rest or groom themselves in the shade of bushes and grass. Although they may be less careful when large carnivores or predators are not around, they are cautious of their surroundings.

While Savannah cats are somewhat domestic and have less desire to hunt, they never let other small pets with savannah cats if they are not familiar with each other from the beginning.

F1 Savannah Cat Appearance

Savannah cats are the tallest domestic cat. They even hold a Guinness World Record for this title. Savannahs are exotic by nature with eyes that are expressive and very large ears. Their ears are perhaps the largest ears of any known cat breed. Typically, the F1 Savannah will be the tallest and largest of all of the generations of Savannah cats due to the fact they have 50% African Serval genes.

A F1 Savannah cats coat can be warm golden orange tones or cool silver tones depending on the type of domesticated cat it was bred with. Golden orange tones are the most common but it is possible to find Savannah cats that are prominently black and white in coloration. Savannah cats are long and skinny and they dont weigh nearly as much as it looks like they might.

Females can weigh anywhere from up to 19 pounds while males can weigh more than 25 pounds. F1 Savannah cats are the largest of Savannah cat breeds and therefore will be on the heavier side because they are 50% African Serval which are larger than domesticated cats. The F1 Savannah cat is also the most expensive generation in terms of price.

Savannah cats are categorized as F1 to F5. The classification is based on how much African Serval is in the breed. F1 Savannah cats have approximately 50% serval in them, which is the highest percentage breed available. Savannah cats will always be backcrossed to either a domesticated cat or a another Savannah cat.

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F1 Savannah Cat Full Grown

Here are the other details about the F1 savannah cat full grown. F1 Savannahs appear to grow for approximately three years. The majority of the height of a Savannah will be attained in the very first year, but still an inch or more might be added in the future. More muscle mass is built in the second year, and the body will submit over a year or two once it is not growing upwards so quick.

F2 males weight are about 16 to 25 pounds with some reaching 30+ pounds. They measure 15 to 18 inches at the shoulder and are 20 to 22 inches long. Females vary from 12 to 16 pounds. There will be a little portion of F2s, most likely 20%, whose personalities lean to that of an F1. The rest will be very social with their immediate household, consisting of kids. They are not lap felines and do not want to be held, however, will wish to be cuddled and will play nonstop with you.

F3 males are 14 to 20 pounds, stand roughly 14 to 17 inches at the shoulder, and are 18 to 21 inches long. This is still a large frame for a cat. Women vary from 10 to 13 pounds. Almost all F3s will be extremely bonded with their families and social with unfamiliar people who come into their home.

Males vary from 14 to 20 pounds, stand 14 to 16 inches at the shoulder, and are 16 to 18 inches long. Women range from 10 to 13 pounds on a tall, slender frame. These generations are similar to the F3s in personality. Much more hands on, theyll want to be cuddled and had fun with typically.

What Does All This Mean For Savannah Cat Personality Traits

The distinction between an early generation hybrid and a later generation true Savannah can be an important indicator of a cats temperament.

The earlier generations have a much more wild temperament, and can be far more unpredictable than the average pet owner would like.

Thats not to say they cant make good pets for the right owners, but they are best suited to experienced wild cat keepers.

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The F1 Savannah cat temperament requires specialized knowledge, plenty of space, and a lot of patience.

If you havent had direct experience of looking after a wild cat hybrid before, you should be cautious in getting a F1, F2 or F3 generation

On the other hand, F4 Savannah cats and their offspring have a more predictable, typically-Savannah temperament, which is also closer to that of any other domestic cat.

Thus, for most potential Savannah cat owners, an F4 Savannah cat or later generation makes a more amenable house pet.

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What Is An F1 Savannah Cat Price

The price of a F1 Savannah cats varies greatly depending upon whether you want male or female and based on the breeders prices. You can expect an F1 Savannah cat to cost anywhere between $12,000 and $20,000.

Male kittens of the F1 category are more affordable. The male price range is more likely to fall into the $12,000 to $16,000 range. The female kittens of the F1 category are more expensive and will cost somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000. The price of female F1 Savannah cats is typically higher because they can be used to breed other cats.

The price is so high partly because these are exotic cats mixed with African Serval. However, the primary reason the price is high is to dissuade people from getting one unless they are serious about the investment. These are part wild, part domestic cats and the care they require will be very specific and quite difficult for a new cat owner.

F1 Savannah cats are the hardest to breed, which is another factor that contributes to this cost of this cat. This makes them harder to find, again leading to a higher price. It takes experienced breeders and a lot of hard work to produce F1 Savannah cats or any Savannah cat for that matter.

This is no small investment and its important to take the time to understand what youre getting into and whether youre willing to take excellent care of this cat.

Savannah Cat Breeders Why Subscribe

The staff started Savannah Cat Association in order for honest breeders who have Savannah cats for sale to show they are not scam artists. Because in todays world, it is so hard to tell who is legit online, we provide many ways for you to show your clients how hard it is to be legitimate.Our Savannah cat breeder members pay their dues and our staff all work as volunteers without pay. The funds are used to assist FIP research. FIP is the worst disease that affects a cat or kitten and the scientists we support, make great progress with our contributionsIn addition, we provide owners and would-be owners with many articles about Savannah cats to make your job choosing a breeder easier. For instance, the care a responsible breeder takes. As opposed to a backyard breeder who will throw two cats together and sell sick and unregistered kittens that get little to no attention. In addition, there are articles so Savannah cat owners may do a better job raising and care for their cats. Also for buyers, there are lists and advice to figure out which kitten is best for them.

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Savannah Cats Cost A Pretty Penny

These impressive-looking cats do not come cheap. Prices fall somewhere in the range of $1,000-$20,000 depending on several factors, including:

• Filial Numberthis number refers to a Savannahs generation, or how far removed he is from his original serval ancestor. F1 Savannahs have a higher percentage of serval DNA, earning these cats a higher sticker price.
• Gendermales in the F1, F2, and F3 generations are typically sterile, making female Savannahs more valuable and expensive.
• Conformation to Breed Standardsa show cats kittens will fetch a higher price than the kittens born of an ordinary pet cat.

How Big Does A Savannah Get

The Size of the Savannah Cat depends very much on the size and type of their parents and also of the percentage of wild blood they have from the Serval.

The biggest cats are F1 Savannahs and males of the F2 Generations. They get about 2 and a half times bigger than regular house cats with their weight from 15 up to 28 pounds and occasionally over 30 pounds. F3 males often still considerably bigger than a regular house cat. We have produced F3 males ranging in the lower twenties with their weight but rule is 15 to 18 lean pounds.

F3 females and all cats of further generations decrease in size but keep their long legs, big ears and the wild appearance. Savannahs need up to 3 years to reach their full size.

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Which Savannah Is Right For You

There are so many varieties and levels of Savannah Cats, much less exotic cats in general, it can be very fun and exciting deciding which Savannah is right for you and your family. That being said, it can also be very overwhelming. Which do you choose? Where do you buy?

Thats why weve created this section. Read on to find out the differences between F1, F2, F3, F4 and F5 Savannahs and why one of them may be a better fit for your situation.

Savannah Cat Personality Traits

Its no surprise that a Savannah Cat doesnt display domesticated cat personality traits. You probably wont find them snuggling up on their Owners lap or waiting patiently for food or treats. Instead, this is a cat with a personality that allowed them to thrive for thousands of years in the African plains.

The most obvious example of this is with the Savannahs hunting drive. And to understand it, lets loop back to the Serval. Several adaptations make the Serval an excellent hunter. This wildcat has larger ears than other felines for better hearing. Theyre sometimes called giraffe cats because, out of all felines, they have the longest legs in proportion to their bodies better for walking through tall grass, jumping to catch birds, and digging for ground prey. They also have the perfect camouflage as well as special eye markings that reflect light for better vision.

These advantages allow the Serval to successfully catch 10 to 20 meals per day. Unlike other feline species with a success rate of 1 in every 5 attempts, Serval hunts are successful about half the time.

So, you can probably guess what happens when you cross one of the worlds best feline hunters with a domestic house cat. You get a hybrid that is energetic, motivated, playful, stubborn, focused, adventurous, and persistent. Its a mix of traits that would overwhelm anyone save for the most experienced Pet Owners.

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Their Wild Personality Traits

A Savannah cats wild personality tends to appear in different ways. F1 Savannahs, as they are the earliest generation and therefore the wildest, need a lot of attention because of their temperament. While they are still very friendly, F1s are known to be loners and will need some space from everyone from time to time.

All cats like their alone time, so its important to ensure your Savannah has an area they can run off to and be alone. Cat trees are great areas to destress for them. A Savannahs exotic personality can also show up as a territorial attitude. All cats are territorial, and all cats act differently when things in their house change or when strangers appear in their home.

F1s are the mostterritorial and therefore may be a little less friendly to strangers in your house. Theyll just be wary, though, and never aggressive. Allow your F1 Savannah enough time to get to know any strangers, and theyll be fine. A Savannahs exotic traits also appear in their insane energy levels, jumping skills, and their excellent hunting instinct.