Seeing a large, graceful beast resembling a cheetah on the street, people freeze and look around enthusiastically. This cat savannah went for a walk. The owner leads the animal on a leash, and at first glance no one dares to call him a cat. This beast is smart and affectionate, it does not require special care and an iron cage, but it has its own characteristics, which are interesting to learn about.
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History of breed origin
The breeding of cats of this breed began in the 80s of the twentieth century. Breeders from the United States have set themselves the task - to get large domestic cats with a beautiful spotted color. Their attempts were crowned with success.
Small animals resembling wild leopards appeared from wild African serval cats and domestic cats in 1986. They interested fans not only in appearance, but also in character.
In 2015, this cat breed was recognized as the most expensive in the world. Generation F1 is especially valued, where dad is a wild serval and mom is a domestic cat. Such kittens have 50% of the blood of a wild animal, large size, beautiful spotted color, long limbs. Generation f2 already has about 30% of the blood of a wild ancestor, and f4 kittens are more reminiscent of domestic murks than wild African cats.
The savannah cat breed is still in the process of development. In addition to savannahs and servals, Bengal, Oriental Shorthair, Egyptian Mau, Siamese cats were used for crossing.Today, breeders prefer pure mating, only between savannas and serval.
Description of cat savannah, color variety
Such an animal is more like a small leopard than a cat. The height at the withers of some individuals from the F1 generation is 60 cm, the same as that of the snow leopard. The cat is thin, with long limbs, short-haired.
The hair of the savannah is decorated with a spotted pattern. The spots are small, solid, black or brown, on the legs and tail they merge into stripes.
Basic coat colors permitted by the standard:
- tabby - the main background is orange-golden, yellow-sand with bright contrasting spots;
- black smoky and homogeneous - a shadow depiction of spots is visible on a black background of wool;
- silver - contrasting black spots stand out clearly against the main silver background;
- brown - contrasting brown spots are visible on a chocolate background, the color can vary from dark to lighter.
Cats' eyes are golden, yellow or greenish. On large ears, a pattern in the form of wide transverse stripes is visible. The nose is colored red, brown or black, corresponding to the main coat color.
Life span
Savannahs live 15 to 20 years with good care.
This hybrid cat breed has one hereditary disease - male infertility up to the fourth generation. Otherwise, she is in good health.
In case of malaise, the savannah is brought to the usual veterinarian, vaccinations are made according to age, like all domestic cats.
Character and habits
Many call the savannah a cat-dog. She is incredibly attached to her master, likes to wear toys in her teeth, bathes with great desire and plays with water. The savannah has a well-developed hunting instinct, it is happy to hunt small animals that run and fly. May pose a potential threat to indoor birds, hamsters, and other ornamental animals. Savannah jumps higher and further than all domestic cats.
The breed is suitable for people who have free time to watch a pet. Loneliness adversely affects the character of the savannah cat. She is distinguished by high intelligence and amenable to training.
The owners claim that even savannas from the F1 generation never show aggression to humans.
They begin to engage in their socialization from birth in the nursery. Kittens adopt the habits and behavior of a cat-mom and the exotic, beautiful appearance of a serval dad.
Breed standard and kitten selection
In appearance, these are large graceful cats with long limbs, the weight of some individuals reaches 15 kg. The appearance of animals largely depends on which generation they belong to, how much wild serval blood flows in their veins. There are no strict evaluation criteria, only general requirements.
Description of the breed, external features:
- a small head resembling an outline of an equilateral triangle;
- wedge-shaped muzzle;
- wide nose;
- eyes almond-shaped, widely spaced;
- small dark marks are noticeable near the eyes, resembling flowing tears;
- ears are large, erect, with rounded tips and an edge on the inside;
- neck elongated, gracefully bearing the head;
- body up to 135 cm in length (without tail), strong and muscular;
- the tail is of medium length, tapering to the tip;
- long, slender limbs, hind legs slightly longer than the front;
- paws are oval, with extended toes;
- coat with soft undercoat, hair core is coarse, coarser than that of domestic cats.
Breeders sell savannah kittens at the age of 3-4 months. Their cost is quite high - from 4 to 22 thousand dollars. You will not see the dad of the offspring of the African serval, but you should look at the cat mom, evaluate how she looks, behaves. Kittens must not be taken from an aggressive or exhausted animal.
The breeder must provide a pedigree and all documents on the health of kittens vaccinated.
Upon purchase, a sales contract is executed, confirming that the buyer is now the owner of the animal and its potential offspring.
Features of the content, feeding and education
To maintain the savannah, you need a large living space in a city apartment or a country house and a courtyard with a spacious aviary. The cat is very active, she needs a place for games. It is advisable to purchase a game complex with several floors, with obstacles, playgrounds and shelter. In order that the animal does not spoil the furniture, he is accustomed to the scratching post.
Care for hair, ears, claws
Short hair does not require complicated care. The savannah willingly bathes in the warm season and in winter, if the room is warm. She swims with pleasure and will not refuse to take a bath. The water temperature should be slightly warmer than room temperature, about 36 ° C. Shampoo is rarely used, not more than 1 time per month. The animal’s head cannot be washed, only the body.
From spring to late autumn, it is necessary to process the wool of the savannah from insect parasites if it walks on the street. The cat is combed with a rubberized glove, which gives the coat a shine and removes dead hair. During molting, you can comb with a furminator.
To care for your ears, buy a special lotion in a veterinary pharmacy. Claws are cut with claws. It is impossible to accustom an adult cat to this, so the kitten must get used to the monthly procedure for cutting its claws.
Feeding and walking
The savannah is fed with high-quality dry cat food with a high protein content. Up to a year, a kitten can be given special milk, which is sold at a pet store. These cats love raw frozen meat of chickens and turkeys, quail eggs.
You can walk the savannah on a special harness; the collar is too rough for her delicate neck. In a country house, a cat can walk in an aviary, closed with a net not only on the sides, but also on top.
Savannah F1 easily jumps over 3-meter fences, and climb over even higher. The animal can run away and get lost, finding him in this case will be a great success.
Parenting
To teach a cat good manners is not difficult. Kittens in the nursery undergo initial socialization, they are accustomed to the tray, are not afraid of people. Having brought a kitten to the house, they give him time to get used to and get comfortable. In the near future he should learn the word "You can’t!" When he wants to do something inappropriate.
In order to summon a cat to you, the usual "Kiss-kis-kis!" Will do. According to the testimony of the owners, the savannah can be taught to bring an abandoned ball or to give a paw, to jump on command. You need to train a kitten in harness since childhood. Fully character in animals is formed by 1 year, and they continue to grow until 3 years.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
A cat worth several thousand dollars shows the status of the owner. This is one of the advantages of the breed - to attract admiring glances of surrounding people to itself and its owner.
Other benefits of the cat savannah:
- exotic appearance;
- devotion to one master;
- high intelligence, good learning ability;
- excellent health;
- unpretentiousness in leaving;
- the ability to quickly adapt to any living conditions.
The grace and beauty of the animal gives the owner an aesthetic pleasure, which is why it is so much appreciated.
Large size can be attributed to both advantages and disadvantages. In the absence of walks and places for games, the beast can turn everything upside down in the house.
The disadvantages of the breed:
- high price of a kitten;
- the need for a large living space for maintenance;
- the cat can run away, is very mobile and active;
- difficult to breed.
It is dangerous to leave the savannah alone with small children. Suddenly she will not like too familiar treatment, and she will show her claws or teeth?
What is the difference between cats and cats
The savannas have the same color of cats and cats. Males are always larger than females; they are not used for breeding, since they are barren.Adult cats differ from cats not only in body size, but also in character. They are more independent, curious, playful, energetic, restrained in emotions.
Cats are affectionate, openly show their love for the owner, are more likely to be caressed. They are also playful and quick-witted, affectionate, difficult to endure a long absence of the owner.
