MD Savannah Cats

More information about Savannah Cats

Bengal breeder Judee Frank managed to crossbreed a Serval and domestic cat, producing the first Savannah (named Savannah) on April 7, 1986. 

In 1996, Patrick Kelly and Joyce Sroufe wrote the original version of the Savannah breed standard, and presented it to the TICA board. However, in that same year, TICA had placed a moratorium on new breeds.   It was not until 2000, that the standard, with input from other breeders, was accepted by TICA in a narrow 7-to-6 vote. At that same time, the Savannah International Member & Breeder Association (SIMBA) was formed, and reported just over 100 registered savannahs.   As of 2001, the population of Savannahs was estimated to be over 200

Savannahs are considered one of the larger breeds of domesticated cats.   Their tall and slim build gives Savannahs the appearance of greater size than their actual weight due to the stronger genetic influence of the African Serval ancestor.

Male Savannahs tend to be larger than females. Early generation Savannahs may weigh 10 to 35 lbs. Size is also very dependent on generation and sex, with F1 male cats usually being the largest. Later generation Savannahs are usually between 8-17 lbs.

Because of the random factors in Savannah hybrid genetics, there can be significant variation in size, even in one litter. Some breeders report Savannahs in excess of 35 pounds, with at least one breeder claiming an over 40 pound male.

View the TICA Savannah Cat Standard by clicking below.  (PDF)

Click Here to view

Why are Savannahs so expensive?

Savannah cat and kittens are hard to come by, and many people want them.  The Savannah cat is a newer breed and there are a limited number of catteries  (MD Savannah cats is registered with the TICA as MDC Cattery).

Most importantly the Savannah cat is an offspring of a domestic cat and a wild African Serval.  Sometimes a Bengal is used which is part Asian Leopard ( some people call the resulting kittens Ashera cats as they have Serval, Asian Leopard, and Domestic cat in their genetics.  But rest assured, an Ashera cat is in reality a Savannah cat, don't get scammed by the guys selling an F1 Savannah cat for 20,000.  We will get you one for a fraction of that.

Also, You don't know if your Serval will or can mate with your chosen female. When they breed, the gestation (days of pregnancy) time for a Serval and a domestic cat is about 10 days different. If the babies are born too early only one may survive out of a small litter.

Prices of Savannah cats can vary. This is because breeders sometimes sell cats that may have a minor flaw.  This could include incorrect eye color, a slight kink in the tail or something else that makes it less than perfect to breed from and show, but doesn't have any effect on the cat's health or personality.   So, if you are buying a pedigree cat just as a pet and you don't plan to show or breed from it, a pet quality cat will be ideal. These are less expensive than show and breeding quality cats.

Generally, breeding cats are the most expensive to buy.