Savannah cat: Cat Food and a Description of the Breed
The Savannah cat is an exotic hybrid breed that originates from crosses between the wild serval and domestic cats. Sometimes a Savannah cat costs up to 15.000 Euro, which makes it one of the most expensive cat breeds.
Depending on the proportion of wild blood, keeping a Savannah cat is sometimes subject to certain conditions. Nevertheless, these extraordinary cats have become quite popular pets.
History of the Savannah cat
The Savannah cat is a relatively young cat breed, which was created more or less accidentally in the 1980s by mating a male serval and a Siamese cat.
The Serval is an African wild cat, which is quite common especially south of the Sahara. Male specimens reach a weight of up to 18 kilos and a body length of about 100 centimetres, which is of course a considerable difference compared to a dainty Siamese cat.
The only offspring from the unwanted mating was given to the owner of the male, who undertook the first targeted breeding attempts from 1989 onwards. The first breed standard was finally established in 1996.
At the beginning of the targeted breeding numerous different cat breeds were still used. However, according to TICA, today mating is only allowed with Egyptian Mau, Oriental Shorthair, Ocicat and Domestic Shorthair.
Savannah cats are still divided into filial generations. These give information about when a serval was last crossed and how high the proportion of wild blood in the animal is. In Savannah cats from the first filial generation (F1), for example, the father is a serval and in animals from the second generation the grandfather is a serval.
Look of the Savannah cat
Animals from the first filial generations are still significantly larger and heavier than conventional domestic cats. From the fourth generation the Savannah cat is a little bit smaller. Nevertheless, with a length of up to 120 centimetres and a weight of eight to ten kilos it belongs to the large breeds among the domestic cats.
The coat of the Savannah cat is short and easy to groom. It shows the characteristic spotting of the serval. The basic colour is usually beige or golden, but depending on the crossed breeds other colours may occur.
A purebred mating, as it is standard today at serious breeders, is only possible from the fifth generation on. This is because males from the first four generations are usually sterile and therefore cannot reproduce.
Character of the Savannah cat
The Savannah cat is considered friendly and playful. She builds up a quite close relationship with her owner and enjoys his attention very much. At the same time the Savannah cat still has a very strong hunting instinct, which makes it hard to deny its serval descent.
Furthermore the Savannah cat is very intelligent and easily able to learn small tricks and to retrieve objects for example. With other pets like dogs she gets along well and living together with children usually works out without problems.
In contrast to other domestic cats the Savannah cat is not afraid of water. If she has the opportunity, she even likes to go swimming.
Keeping and care of the Savannah cat
The Savannah cat is a demanding domestic cat. For animals from the first four filial generations, there are also special requirements. They fall under species protection and their keeping is subject to approval in some federal states. In addition, an outdoor enclosure with an area of at least 25 square metres must be available to them.
The requirements are only waived for Savannah cats from the fifth generation onwards. These are no longer considered hybrid cats and can then be kept in the home relatively easily.
Nevertheless, even then it is still very important to offer the animals sufficient employment opportunities. Otherwise the existing boredom of the intelligent four-legged friends often discharges itself at the equipment of the owner.
Ideally, a cat-safe garden ensures that the Savannah cat can satisfy its pronounced urge to move and go on a discovery tour. She has enormous jumping power and can easily jump up to two meters high. Apart from that it is advisable not to keep a Savannah cat alone, but together with another cat.
The effort required for coat care is normally manageable. As long as the quadruped does not suffer from skin parasites such as cat fleas, occasional brushing is completely sufficient.
Savannah cat diseases
The Savannah cat is not fully grown until about three years old. Healthy animals usually reach an age of 15 to 20 years. Breed-typical diseases are not yet known.
Apart from normal cat diseases, the Savannah cat does not have an increased risk for certain health problems. With good husbandry conditions, cat owners can be happy about a vital and healthy four-legged friend.
The right food for the Savannah cat
Savannah cats from the first four filial generations are considered to be very demanding in terms of their nutritional needs. As a rule, it is advisable to bark these cats or even feed them with dead prey.
From the fifth filial generation on, however, the Savannah cat does not differ significantly from other domestic cats. A high quality cat food made of natural ingredients and with a high content of animal proteins is an excellent way to take good care of a Savannah cat.
In the assortment of I love my cat you will find everything you need for this purpose. In addition to species-appropriate cat food, there are, for example, various dietary supplements and high-quality care products for your Savannah cat available.
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