The door swings open without a sound, and a wild beast comes padding around. Tell us straight, and tell us true: what is this SAVANNAH cat, and what will it do?
History of the Breed
There’s no getting around a bit of deception in this story. Plenty of scammers still swarm around the Savannah, and we’ll name one of them, but first, the founding fathers of the breed. And we won’t forget the founding mothers either.
The Savannah comes from the United States. In the 1980s there were many catteries and farms there breeding servals, the long-legged wild cats of Africa. Breeder Judee Frank borrowed Suzi Wood’s male serval, Ernie, for her females. Ernie was welcomed not only by the cattery’s cats but also by Judee Frank’s own house cat.
That unnamed Siamese beauty should probably be considered the founding mother of the breed, because on April 7, 1986, she gave birth to a charming female kitten. The kitten weighed 8 ounces, had a wild spotted coat, long legs and big ears.
As a thank-you, the newborn was given to Suzi Wood, who recalled that the kitten looked like her serval father but “inherited her talkativeness from her Siamese mother.” This first-generation hybrid (F1) was named Savannah.
Three years later, Savannah had kittens with a handsome Turkish Angora tom named Albert. These were second-generation (F2) Savannahs. Suzi Wood decided to introduce the new breed to the world and published a couple of articles about her Savannahs.
Patrick Kelley became interested in the breed, bought a kitten and, together with talented breeder Joyce Sroufe, set out to develop it.
In 1996, the first Savannah breed standard was presented to the Board of Directors of The International Cat Association (TICA), and TICA granted the breed full championship status in 2012.
The breed’s story would be incomplete without one more name: Simon Brodie. This con man exploited the Savannah’s rarity to run the Ashera scam, passing off F1 Savannahs as a supposedly new breed he had created. Be careful: people still try to sell this made-up breed from time to time.
Savannah Breed Description
According to one account, the Savannah was developed to look like a miniature cheetah. Breeders also hoped the new breed would reduce the keeping of truly wild animals in cages and replace them among exotic-pet lovers. Indeed, a cheetah-like coat and wild grace are the Savannah’s signature traits. The breed standard lists other distinctive features.
- The head is elegant and small in relation to the body, shaped like an equilateral triangle not counting the ears. The whisker pads are barely noticeable;
- The ears are large, set high, with rounded tips. They’re so wide at the base that there’s very little space between them. Light “wild spots” (ocelli) on the backs of the ears are a hallmark of the breed;
- How else can you tell a Savannah? By the eyes; their shape is truly unique. The top line of the eye is boomerang-shaped and the bottom is almond-shaped. The space between the eyes equals the width of one eye. Eyes can be gold, copper or green, regardless of coat color;
- The nose is broad, with slightly convex nose leather. The nose leather can be red, brick-red, or black with a pink or red line down the center. A black Savannah has black nose leather.
- A Savannah kitten becomes a full-grown cat only at about 3 years old. Adults can be impressively large: early-generation males can weigh up to about 30 lb and stand about 17 inches at the shoulder! Owners agree that even the smallest Savannahs look imposing thanks to their tall, rangy build:
- the body is athletic (semi-foreign type), with a powerful chest, strong shoulders and hips, and a tucked-up flank;
- the legs are very long and slender. There’s no extra fat on a Savannah’s legs, just well-defined muscle. The front legs are noticeably shorter than the hind legs. The long legs are deceptive, creating the look of a slightly “cow-hocked” stance. The paws themselves are not large and are oval. Paw pads are deep charcoal or brownish-charcoal only!
- the tail is long enough that, when the cat stands, it doesn’t reach the floor. It’s of medium thickness and tapers toward the tip. Per the standard, the tail markings are always bold and contrasting.
- A Savannah’s coat feels different from an ordinary cat’s. It’s coarser and springier. And it’s remarkably dense: the undercoat is soft, covered by thick guard hairs. The coat is equally dense all over the body.
The famous cheetah-like spots vary in size and are scattered randomly over the body, but they’re uniform in color: either brown or black.
TICA accepts Savannahs in these colors:
- brown (black) spotted tabby
- silver spotted tabby
- black
- black smoke
Experts note that the coat color and pattern depend on the genes of the domestic cat used in the cross. White lockets on the chest or elsewhere, spots that aren’t brown or black, and a striped (mackerel) pattern are disqualifying traits for this breed.
IMPORTANT! The first generation from a serval cross is labeled F1 (about 50% serval blood). F1 × domestic cat = F2 (about 25% serval), and so on to F5 and beyond. The higher the number, the less “wild” the cat, and the answer to “How much does a Savannah cat cost?” becomes less shocking. From this point of view, F1s and F2s are the most valuable. Males are usually sterile through about the F4 generation.
Savannah Cat Personality
Savannahs are trainable. And we don’t mean the usual “Kitty, dinnertime!” but real commands like “Fetch!” Yes, a Savannah is supposed to be smart, inventive and affectionate. That last part sometimes misses the mark, though, especially with F1s.
Even if an F1 Savannah kitten starts out sweet, gentle and good-natured, there’s still a chance that around age three, when its personality fully forms, those traits will give way to a wilder temperament. That’s why F1s are often recommended to have a secure outdoor enclosure (catio). Then again, your cat may turn out to be a pleasant exception.
Otherwise, Savannahs are curious and very social. If there are other animals in the home, a Savannah instantly forms its own “pack” and takes the lead. By the way, Savannahs have a special fondness for dogs, probably because their personalities are similar.
Health
The Savannah is one of those rare man-made breeds with no well-documented genetic diseases. Many attribute this to the strong heredity of the wild serval. Timely vaccinations and deworming are the key to your pet’s good health. Savannahs live 17–20 years.
Care
Caring for this exotic beauty takes effort, just not the same as for ordinary cats. Savannahs don’t like the cold but adore water. Let them splash and swim to their heart’s content, in a tub or a pool, under supervision.
Indoors, they prefer the “upper floors,” so put away anything you’d hate to see broken. Keep in mind that a Savannah can clear about 8 feet in a single leap, like an Olympic athlete.
For your cat’s safety, also move common houseplants such as euphorbia, dieffenbachia, monstera, philodendron and other plants toxic to cats out of sight and reach.
Long harness walks are recommended; a spacious house with a secure catio can also give this luxurious cat the room it needs. Weekly brushing is enough to keep the coat in good shape.
Feeding
What should you feed a Savannah? It’s easier to answer what NOT to feed. Avoid grain-heavy foods: their digestive system doesn’t handle grain well. Skip milk and dairy products too, as they can cause digestive upset.
Savannahs are predators, so don’t try to make fish their staple. Organ meats such as hearts and gizzards will be a hit, and ground chicken is also recommended. If you’d rather not calculate calories and balance a homemade diet every day, choose a high-protein, premium commercial food (for example, Orijen, Instinct or Wellness CORE).
Photos
Russian TV host Victoria Bonya once described how long she searched for a Savannah. After calling breeders all over Europe and America, she finally bought a kitten for $13,000. When her husband learned the price, he suggested naming the cat Cash, but the Savannah’s personality decided otherwise, and the star couple’s pet is now called Schumacher. As you can see in the photo, he got the best of his ancestors.
Where to Buy a Savannah Kitten
A1 Savannahs, the cattery founded by breeder Joyce Sroufe, is still considered one of the best for the breed’s gene pool. Because the breed is young and in huge demand, Savannahs are rare and expensive, in fact among the most expensive of all cat breeds.
The price depends directly on the generation. In the US, typical prices from TICA-registered breeders in 2026 are:
- F1: about $12,000–20,000+
- F2: about $4,000–12,000
- F3: about $1,500–5,000
- F4 and later: about $1,000–3,000
Since males are sterile for several generations, they usually cost less than females. The breed is hard to breed, so specialized catteries are few.
Check the Law First
Hybrid cat laws vary by state, county and city. Savannahs are banned in a few states (such as Hawaii and Georgia), and other states and some cities (New York City, for example) restrict or ban early generations. Check your local rules before you put down a deposit.
Find a Savannah Cattery
- TICA breeder listings: choose “Savannah” (the CFA doesn’t recognize the breed);
- A1 Savannahs: the cattery founded by Joyce Sroufe, one of the breed’s pioneers.
Ask for TICA registration papers, the kitten’s generation in writing, a health guarantee and a contract. Be wary of “F1” kittens at bargain prices: they’re a common scam.
The Savannah: a king among cats, with a royal temperament!
