Savannah FAQ
While there are many great websites explaining the
technical aspects of the Savannah breed (what F1 means,
what B means, etc)- there are very few that gives
potential owners a true idea as to what life is like living
with a Savannah cat in the household...
We shall cover the basic facts on this page,
but hope to give you a general feel of life with a Savannah
as well.
1. What does F1, F2, F... mean?
Typically, Savannahs are discussed by their 'F' generation.
The 'F' stands for filial and it is in regard to the Serval(s) in
the background of the Savannah cat.
In general...
F1 Savannah......... 50% African Serval/50% Domestic
F2 Savannah......... 25% African Serval/75% Domestic
F3 Savannah.........12.5 % African Serval
Now, these numbers are not set in stone... If one were to breed an F1 Savannah female back to an African Serval, while the offspring would be called F1s (because the Serval is now a parent to the new kittens)- obviously, these kittens would not be 50% African Serval. In this case, most Savannah breeders would refer to these babies as 'high percentage F1s'.
2. What does A, B, and C mean? And SBT?
Now that you've mastered the filial generations, next you need to learn about the ABCs of Savannahs! What does it mean when you hear of an F5C or an F2B or a F3A Savannah?
Since the Savannahs are still a relatively new breed, outcrosses are still used in many breeding programs. Therefore, the ABCs of Savannahs are...
A... One parent is a registered Savannah and one parent is an outcross
B... Both parents are registered Savannahs, but one or more grandparent is an outcross
C... Both parents are registered Savannahs and grandparents are registered Savannahs
Once we get past the ABCs, we then finally reach 'Stud book traditional', which is what we are striving for in the TICA cat show rings... Stud book traditional (or SBT) have three generations of Savannah x Savannah breeding.
3. Why are Savannahs so expensive?
Perhaps you have been perusing Savannah sites and noticing the high prices, even for pets- or perhaps you have seen 'Cats 101' on Animal Planet and were shocked at the quoted $20,000 for an F1 Savannah.
First, Savannahs are an expensive cat for breeders and pet owners alike. The F1 generation is extremely difficult and costly to produce due to a disparity in gestation between domestic cats and African Servals, letalone the cost of owning an African Serval and caring for it properly. More then one F1 breeder has had an African Serval that has never produced kittens with its domestic mates as well.
Secondly, the prices of Savannahs truly do vary in the Savannah community. Research is recommended before putting a deposit on a kitten- if the price seems extremely high, ask why! Just like you should ask if the price seems suspiciously low! We hope to price our kittens affordably for most families.
While F1 kittens may be expensive, you will find a $20,000 kitten is a true oddity. F1 prices tend to range from $6000 to $9000 and then you will find a decrease in price with each lower generation.
4. Well, why shouldn't I just go buy an African Serval then?
It's easy to think, 'Why pay X amount for a Savannah, when I can pay LESS for an African Serval?'
An African Serval is a true exotic cat. First, in order to own one legally, one typically needs a permit. Secondly, owning an African Serval is not an easy task for most families.
Why?
The foremost reason why Servals are not easy 'keepers' is the fact that both the male and the female African Serval, even when fixed, tend to spray. And when we say 'spray', we really mean 'hose down the area with a pressure hose' type spray! When they are young, you may not have to deal with this issue, but as they mature, it is always recommended that you have an outdoor enclosure for your Serval to spend most of its time in.
Savannahs, on the other hand, even at the F1 level, are like other domestic cats and as long as they are spayed/neutered, do not tend to spray.
African Servals require a balanced diet that typically consists of raw meats and vitamins.
Savannahs, however, can easily thrive on a high quality cat food- although they wouldn't mind a raw snack now and then!
African Servals are not easily litter-boxed trained and I would go as far as to say that most people who say their Serval is litter boxed trained have it wrong... The owners are trained- NOT the Serval! They will go through litter after litter trying to find something that works for their exotic cat and they will move the litterboxes all over the house in an attempt to appease their Serval. Sometimes, this works- often, it does not.
Savannahs are easily litterboxed trained and at the level we are producing, F2s, we have not heard of any inherent issues.
5. Are Savannahs safe with children?
Our first Savannah we brought home was an F1 male kitten, Simon. At the time of his homecoming, we had a 3 month old baby boy and I was a bit worried that perhaps we had bitten off more then we could chew. Various websites stated that children and Savannahs arae a perfect match- while other websites stated that higher generation Savannahs were NOT safe with children. Well, which was it?
I'm happy to say that all of the F1s I have had in my home- four- have been completely kid-safe. While Simon enjoys interacting with the youngest family members, my female F1s tend to gravitate more towards the older children/adults in the household.
This being said, I do believe common sense should be exercised when one owns higher generation Savannahs and very small children. While Simon would not go out of his way to hurt a small child, if that child was hurting him and he was protecting himself, his claws and teeth could definitely hurt! Also, Simon had a grooming fetish where he liked to sit and lick the baby's head over and over and over- and with that spiky tongue, the baby did not enjoy it!
Common sense and animal ownership should go hand in hand. Do not leave small children alone with your Savannahs until they are both old enough to mutually respect one another.
Copyright AllEarz 2009/2010/2011
