How to Idenitfy A Savannah Cat

The species of domestic cat known as the Savannah was first created in 1986 when a cat breeder succeeded in mating a wild Serval with A Domestic American Shorthair cat. The resulting hybrid kitten was named Savannah and is where all the subsequent cats of this breed get their name. The Savannah was not recognized as an official breed until the year 2000. The relative youth of the species as well as a streak of genetic inviability which makes the majority of male Savannahs sterile means this is a very rare and expensive breed that is not often seen outside of cat shows. As a result of this many people often mistake this hybrid for a wildcat. Here is a guide on how to correctly identify a Savannah cat.

Things You'll Need

  • Your Eyes
  • Cat
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Instructions

  1. How To Identify A Savannah Cat

    • 1

      Start by looking at the cat’s build. You should see a large cat roughly three feet in length and two feet high. It should have a very slim build with a thin body and legs. Because of this the cat will typically weigh no more than 17 pounds, despite its size, though some Savannahs on record were over forty pounds thanks to their genetic heritage. They should have thick, rounded haunches that taper to a narrow chest. Their paws should be very small, usually thinner than the connecting joint to the leg.

    • 2

      Examine the cat’s fur. The backs of the ears have ocelli, a central light band bordered by black, dark grey or brown, giving an eye-like effect. The short tail has black rings, with a solid black tip. The fur itself will be short and appear very silky, making it difficult to discern the individual hairs of the cat. Currently the only accepted color patterns are black, brown spotted tabby, and silver spotted tabby. The colors will look very much like that of its Serval parent. Because of the species’ youth there may be other color configurations that have not been officially accepted yet.

    • 3

      Examine the cat’s head. The skull shape and size should be almost identical to that of the common housecat, which makes it seem a little small for such a large body. The eyes are blue as a kitten and may be green, brown, gold or a blended shade as an adult. Black markings run from the corner of the eyes down the sides of the nose to the whiskers, similar to the markings a cheetah has. These marks reduce glare from the sun in the cat’s eyes to aid it while hunting. No other domestic cat has these markings and if the cat you’re examining possesses them then you’re looking at a savannah.