Savannahs come in several different colors and variations of these colors. Per the Savannah breed standard, permissible colors can be golden/brown, silver, black, and smoke, and patterns that include solid and spotted tabby. There are, however, many other color variations. While not acceptable in a cat show ring, cats of different colors and patterns can still be registered with TICA and are highly desirable by many Savannah owners. How colors and markings are passed along from studs and queens to their kittens isn't easy to understand and difficult to predict, even for experienced breeders. In this article, we'll touch on Savannah colors and patterns, genetics, and the abbreviations you'll often see in posts, photos, and articles about Savannah cats.

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.

Beautiful, wonderful Servals. Servals can be an incredible pet. The bond created between you, and your serval is the strongest bond you’ll ever have with an animal…for the RIGHT person. Unfortunately, most people are NOT the right person to own a Serval for various reasons.

Often, we as breeders must remind ourselves of the responsibilities and pledges we take when we become a breeder—an ethical breeder at that. Some subjects regarding those responsibilities need attention and to be addressed.

What does SBT Mean? Once a cat's parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents are ALL Savannahs, the result of those kittens is what's called "Stud Book Traditional" or SBT. This is the first generation considered a purebred Savannah and is the only classification for the Championship Competition with TICA. The earliest generation SBT's are achieved is F4 (but of course, that doesn't mean ALL F4's are SBT).

There are many options for easy scoop-and-serve premade food, but making raw yourself can be easier and less expensive. Cat CRAP on Facebook has an easy calculator to input and balances recipes using different cuts of meat/bone/organ (80/10/10).