Breed Standard
The cats are known for their loyalty, and they will follow their owners around the house. They can also be trained to walk on a leash and to fetch.
Some Savannahs are reported to be very social and friendly with new people and other cats and dogs, while others may run and hide or revert to hissing and growling when seeing a stranger. Exposure to other people and pets is most likely the key factor in sociability as Savannah kittens grow up. Breeders report that roughly 50% of first generation savannah kittens exhibit fear and anxious behaviors when initially placed in their new home. These behaviors if not corrected at an early age carry through to adulthood.
An often-noted trait of the Savannah is its jumping ability, which complements its natural tendency to seek out high places. They are known to jump on top of doors, refrigerators and high cabinets. Some Savannahs can leap about 8 feet (2.5 m) high from a standing position. Savannahs are very inquisitive. They often learn how to open doors and cupboards, and anyone buying a Savannah will likely need to take special precautions to prevent the cat from getting into trouble.
Many Savannah cats do not fear water, and will play or even immerse themselves in water. Some owners even shower with their Savannah cats. Presenting a water bowl to a Savannah may also prove a challenge, as some will promptly begin to "bat" all the water out of the bowl until it is empty, using their front paws.
History
The Serval cat is the foundation cat for the Savannah Breed. The first and subsequent generations derived from the breeding of a Serval cat to a domestic cat or a Serval cat to a Savannah cat is recognized as a domestic Savannah cat. The goal of the Savannah breeding program is to create a domestic cat which has physical features distinctive to the Serval cat, and with the loving, dependable temperament of the typical domestic cat. The overall impression of the Savannah is a tall, lean, graceful cat with striking large spots and/or randomly swirling bold markings on a luxurious clear light background (except for solid colors, which have no defined markings). The Savannah cat is bred to resemble the tall, lean, muscular Serval cat of the African plains from which it's ancestors originated. Affectionate and outgoing, with exceptionally long neck, legs and ears, as well as a short, three-quarter length tail, the Savannah is both unusual and beautiful. The Savannah is also an exceptionally graceful, well-balanced cat with striking color and/or pattern.
Behavior
Savannahs have been described as friendly, assertive, active, and interested in dogs and children. They are commonly compared to dogs in their loyalty, and they will follow their owners around the house like a canine. They can also be trained to walk on a leash like a dog, and even fetch.
Savannahs often greet people with head-butts, or an unexpected pounce. Some savannahs are reported as being very social and friendly with other cats and dogs, while others may run and hide or revert to hissing and growling when seeing a stranger. Exposure to other people and pets is most likely the key factor in sociability as the Savannah kitten grows up.
Owners of Savannahs say that they are very impressed with the intelligence of this breed of cat. Savannahs have been known to get into all sorts of things; they often learn how to open doors and cupboards, and anyone buying a Savannah will likely need to take special precautions to prevent the cat from getting into things.
Water isn't a fear of the Savannah cat; many will play or even immerse themselves in water. Presenting a water bowl to a Savannah may also prove a challenge, as some will promptly begin to "bat" all the water out of the bowl until it is empty, using their front paws.
Vocally, savannahs may either chirp like their serval father, meow like their domestic mother, or do both, sometimes producing sounds which are a mixture of the two. Chirping, when present, is usually observed more often in earlier generations. Savannahs may also "hiss"-a serval-like hiss is quite different from a domestic cat's hiss, sounding more like a very loud snake hiss, and can be alarming to humans not acquainted to such a sound coming from a cat. Hissing, and even aggressive behavior which involves hissing, is usually more frequent in F1 or occasionally F2 generations, and may subside or disappear as the cat is socialized.
Health
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a health concern in many pure breed cats. The Bengal cat (a similar hybrid) is prone to HCM, and servals may themselves be prone to HCM. Several Bengal breeders have their breeder cats scanned for HCM on an annual basis, though this practice is not as widespread in the Savannah community.
Some veterinarians have noted servals have smaller livers relative to their body sizes than domestic cats, and some Savannahs inherit this, but it is not known to be of any medical consequence. There are no known medical peculiarities of hybrid cats requiring different medical treatments than domestic cats, despite what many breeders may believe. The blood test reference ranges of Savannahs are not known to be different from the typical domestic cat, despite its serval genes.
Like domestic cats, Savannahs and other domestic hybrids require appropriate anesthesia based on their medical needs but do not have specific requirements. It is unclear among the veterinary community why ketamine has been listed as causing ill effects; this is not accurate. It is possible this comes from a misunderstanding of the drug and its common effects, since ketamine cannot be used alone as an anesthetic. Ketamine has been found safe for use in servals together with medetomidine and butorphanol and with the antagonist atipamezole.
In the United States, rabies vaccines are recommended but not approved for non-domestic cats. If a non-domestic cat bites someone, it will be treated as "unvaccinated", whether it has been given a vaccine or not. This means a state veterinarian may require a cat who has bitten someone to be euthanized or quarantined according to state laws.
Some breeders say that Savannah cats have no known special care or food requirements, while others recommend a diet with no grains or byproducts. Some recommend a partial or complete raw food diet with at least 32% protein and no byproducts. Some recommend calcium and other supplements, especially for growing cats and earlier generations. Others consider it unnecessary or even harmful. Most Savannah breeders agree that Savannahs have a need for more taurine than the average domestic cat and therefore recommend taurine supplements, which can be added to any food type.
