Savannah Cat Breed Overview: Traits, Care, and History

Did you ever wonder how a domestic cat came to look like a wild tiger?

Or

Did you ever imagine how the Savannah cat got its natural body stripes and designs?

Well, I think I know how.

All you have to do is follow me on this exciting journey.

If you are a cat lover or you intend to become one because you just love the look and traits of a Savannah cat, then you might just learn something good for yourself today.

We’ll start with a brief history, then move on to its characteristics, care and others.

Let’s get on with it!

Origin of the Savannah Cat Breed.

The Savannah cat breed originated from the United States of America as far back as the nineteenth century when Judee Frank decided to crossbreed a male Serval cat and a female Siamese domestic cat producing the first Savannah Cat in 1986.

In 1996, a group of people wrote out the pattern used in crossbreeding the two species and presented it to The International Cat Association (TICA) board and it was accepted in 2001 setting the beginning of the standard way to crossbreed its kind.

Since then, the Savannah cat has had many generations, each generation decreasing in its wild habit.

The cat was originally an African wild cat crossbred with a domestic Siamese making it a hybrid cat.

Now, that we know a little of its history, let us check out its characteristics.

Physical Characteristics of the Savannah Cat Breed.

1. Appearance:

The Savannah cat has a natural wild look. It definitely looks carefree and loose and this is as a result of its wild nature and the physical looks it possesses.

Head: The Savannah cat has a small head with large long ears that are always standing, eyes as though it is partially closed, fat straight nose and two tear mark design running straight from under their eyes.

Neck: They generally have long necks that are visible.

Bodies: They have full shoulders and long bodies that make up their tall figure.

Legs: They also have long legs.

Tail: Their tail is short but very prominent when they stand.

Coat: The most popular coat colour for a Savannah cat is usually patterned shades of brown and black and it is short-coated.

2. Size:

Weight: The Savannah cat can weigh between 3.5kg and 7.7kg. Early generations used to weigh more but with time and other conditions, they have reduced.

Height: The cat is a tall breed and so towers up to 17 inches.

3. Energy level:

This breed of cat has a high energy level. It enjoys playing, catching and being up and about. Although the domestic traits depend on the early training it gets, they are usually active and ready to go.

This means they require lots of attention and exercise because they don’t stay in a place.

4. Life Expectancy:

A Savannah cat can live between 17 to 20 years.

5. Adaptation Tendency:

When a kitten Savannah is newly brought to a home, it sometimes tends to be shy and keeps away from new faces but at other times, it is very accepting and plays around. It generally depends on how fast it can adapt.

The personality of the Savannah Cat Breed.

The Savannah cat is quite sweet and gentle. They are loyal and love to follow their owners everywhere. They are known to have a dog-like nature; loyal and playful. They also try to protect their owners by being hostile to strangers sometimes.

They have great jumping abilities. They can jump from far surfaces onto high ones and this makes them easy to be trained. They can be trained for cat shows and can be put on a leash just like a dog. They learn very quickly. This also means they should be well exercised because they are not meant to stay in a place.

They are smart and nosy animals. Since they can jump well, they like to get to certain heights or surfaces and find out what is there. They try to open cupboards, wardrobes and cabinets. They can also return things to the exact places they found them. They are basically explorers.

They enjoy playing with water and they are good swimmers. They are not afraid of water.

Generally, the Savannah is an outgoing cat as long as it is allowed to move around and have its way. It also loves being an inclusive family member.

How to Care For A Savannah Cat Breed.

Caring for a Savannah cat requires your full attention just like owning it generally does. So, if you plan to get one or you want to know how to care for yours, go through this section carefully.

Feeding:

The most essential care is necessary for your Savannah. Knowing their history as partial wild animals, they tend to be hungry animals. So it is important you set up a diet as quickly as you own one.

Their food must contain all the needed nutrients to give them a healthy life. Savannahs are good eaters and must be well fed. It is advisable you feed them with enough protein. They also need carbohydrates to give them energy since they do a lot of jumping and moving around.

They can be fed on dry or wet foods or a combination of both. Study your cat to know which works very well for it.

Also, when trying out new food, start in small quantities to avoid reactions.

Try to avoid giving them foods with grains to avoid digestion problems.

You can also give them raw meat and fish. They eat raw foods without problems.

Don’t forget to reward them with Treats. It keeps their good behaviour in check.

You can feed them as frequently every day because they exercise out all the carbs and calories. So, you shouldn’t be bothered about them eating too much and getting fat.

Environment:

The Savannah cat’s surroundings should be free from any harmful object because they are very playful and can hurt themselves easily. It’s best you remove all sharp and pointy objects to avoid causing an accident to them.

Make sure the environment is neat and tidy at all times because they tend to enter every corner of the house. To avoid them gathering germs, sweep and clean daily.

Make sure that there are no water puddles in the house. Water naturally attracts them but mop unwanted water that can make them slip and fall. Also, do not keep buckets or bowls of water lying around. Their playful nature can force them to spill it all out.

Clean out their kitten box daily to avoid infections.

Exercise:

This breed of cat naturally exercises itself with its athletic nature of jumping and running. This is why it is important that you help it keep up its active nature by mapping out an exercise routine for it.

You can allow it to run along with you on a leash to run errands.

You can play catch and fetch games with it to make it increase its movements.

You can keep things on high surfaces and make it run for them.

Swimming is also a good way to exercise it. Since it is a water lover, this shouldn’t be hard.

Dental Care:

Do well to constantly check your Savannah’s teeth because this is one of the most forgotten places that are prone to health disorders. Make sure you clean out its teeth as often as you can so you can easily notice when something is unusual.

Grooming:

This encompasses the general care of the outer body.

Starting with its head down to its paw, the Savannah must be well-groomed.

They have short and dense coats, so it is easy to groom. Just make sure to brush out daily to avoid matting. You can bath them once a week or twice a month since they play very often and are sometimes found outside the home. Use the right grooming materials that would not cause reactions.

Trim their nails as often as they grow out. Don’t wait till you are scratched or till your furniture is torn before you trim the nails. They play well, so they can accidentally scratch anywhere. Prevent it.

Check their eyes frequently because cats are easily prone to eye diseases. Avoid using shampoos that can harm their eyes.

Health Care:

Frequent veterinarian checks are also advisable. Being a recent hybrid, there are lots of unidentified health problems with them. So it is important you visit the vet as often as possible to prevent them.

Also, don’t self-medicate them and don’t use human drugs on them either.

Note: They have the genes of a wild cat, so not all that works on a plain domestic cat will work on them. Always visit the vet.

Training:

They can be trained to do some things. Due to their smart nature, training isn’t so hard with them. You can train them to use their litter box, swim, catch and fetch and keep things in a certain place.

Problems associated with the Savannah Cat.

1. Behavioural Problem:

The Savannah cat might tend to be too playful and not know when to withdraw. It is their nature, so it might be hard to contain it. If you have one, you just have to put up with its excesses.

2. Adaptation Problem:

When a Savannah is new to a place, it might take a while for it to warm up to its owners. There might be times it would shy away and times it would be too clingy due to fear, but after a while, it gives in. It might not be so friendly to strangers; it just depends on it.

3. Health Problems:

Such problems include:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM): This is a common disorder in crossbred animals and the Savannah cats are not excluded from being at risk. It has to do with the thickening of the heart muscle causing it to tighten and lose blood supply which can lead to death. They are prone to having it anytime in their lifetime, so it’s advisable you frequent the vet for checkups to prevent it.

Dental disorder: Different kinds of dental disease can spring up as a result of lack of attention to the teeth. Cats love to nibble at anything, so as an owner, you should pay good attention.

Heartworm infection: This is an infection of the heart by parasites known as heartworms. It slowly eats it up causing pains and maybe death.

Kidney Failure: This can happen to a Savannah cat when one of two of the kidneys begin to malfunction or cease functioning. Urgent help and medication are required for this.

Arterial thromboembolism: This can happen to Cats that already have heart diseases. It is when the blood in the arteries begin to clot and blood flow is restricted. This requires emergency help.

They are also prone to rabies, hookworm and roundworm infections, ear mites and others and as such should be vaccinated against them early.

4. Allergies:

Savannah cat breeds are also allergic to some foods, Treats, drugs and products. So it is advisable you check the ingredients before giving them to avoid such allergies.

Is the Savannah Cat Breed a good one?

Left to me alone, I would say every cat lover should own one. From its very exotic and beautiful nature to its tall graceful figure and to its very loyal and playful nature, it is a very good cat.

So if you are considering getting one, go on ahead!

Just be ready to be a faithful owner because a lot of attention is needed.

Conclusion

I have revealed how the Savannah cat came to be and how it got all its glorious nature. I hope I satisfied your curiosity.

Well, what are you waiting for?

Kindly share your thoughts with me in the comment section.

Let me know what you think of this breed.

Also, remember to share this article with your loved ones.