Whether you're in the market for a Savannah or already have one or ten, there are a few things to keep in mind when taking your Savannah outside. The outdoors can be an incredible experience for them, but your Savannah's safety--and your own are the number one priority. I've made a short article on some things to remember while getting ready to take your furry friend on a great outdoor adventure.

I've always been a bit of a "Cat Lady" and become familiar with Savannah's in the early years of the breed, finding them intriguing. I'd brought two domestic cats into my relationship when I married, but my husband, Matt, wasn't a cat lover. However, he understood us to be a package deal and came to like the cats more than he'd care to admit, even today. My domestic cats lived to the ripe old ages of 16 and 20, and we had a wonderful life with them. Matt never failed to remind me he didn't want more cats once they passed on, but I couldn't fathom my life without cats. So when they both passed, there was about one year without cats—and it was probably the longest year of my life.

The Savannah cat breed's miraculous story starts with the surprise birth of a single Serval-domestic hybrid kitten. From there, it evolves with several breeders responsible and recognized for the founding and progression of the Savannah breed, gaining The International Cat Association (TICA) Breed Recognition. Without TICA's recognition, the Savannah cat was nothing more than a hybrid cat, not an actual breed. Continue reading about the challenges and the visionaries who meticulously and carefully bred for a specific set of characteristics, shaping the Savannah breed to what it is today. The history is, however, not without discrepancies in some of the earlier details. I’ve shared the information obtained in the most neutral way possible, with respect for the accuracy and details as they were presented.

I feel it’s important for Savannah owners and enthusiasts to know the backstory of the breed’s creation and what it took to be where it is today. Special thanks to Patrick Kelley and Joyce Sroufe for the many enlightening discussions for this deep dive into early breed history and Brigitte Cowell Moyne for the endless amount of resources for achieving breed recognition and more.

This diagram depicts the facial progression of the African Serval kitten through the first year of life

I believe you can purchase just about anything over the Internet--even 20 years ago! Previously, I'd owned various exotic animals, one being an albino Burmese Python. We wanted an exotic cat as well. That's when we found Joyce Sroufe of ExoticCats.com (now A1Savannahs.com). She'd been instrumental in creating a new cat breed--a mix between an African Serval and a domestic cat.

The most simple tasks become complex when living with a Savannah. All I wanted was a cup of coffee.

After losing their cat Rex of seven years to heart disease, Chris and Joe welcomed their first Savannah Cat into their lives.