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FAQ
Savannah Cat FAQ's
1. Question: Do savannahs require a special diet?
Answer: No special diet is required for Savannah Cats, although I believe in
feeding only the best super premium foods. I recommend all natural diet with at
least 32% protein no by products preferred. Calcium in small quantities as well
as taurine (in small amounts) may be
added to the diet but if feeding a good quality food which is necessary this may
not be needed although taurine supplements have been veterinarian recommended
for the breed. If you are looking for a supplement I use missing link which has
all of the essential nutrients needed for the Savannah Cats as well as oasis but
there are many excellent supplements on the market appropriate for adding to a
commercial diet. Please follow your
veterinarians suggestions with calcium as well as taurine as too much can be
just as harmful as not enough .
2. Question: How big will my savannah get?
Answer:
No one can say for sure but a good estimate would be somewhere in between the
size of the mother and father.
This fact taken into consideration this is why I have been working on a hybrid
for some time to compensate for the loss in size by breeding a larger female to
the domestic in hopes of cutting down the hybrid size differential. If the
mother is larger than most domestics and father is 35-45 pounds a good guess
might be 15-25 pounds depending on the gender. Most of size is genetics and
mother nature.
3. Question: Do savannahs get
along with other animals?
Answer:
Yes but it is best to introduce animals early on when the savannah is a kitten
(closely supervised for the savannah kittens safety). Do not assume that a baby
can defend himself against a much larger dog that may consider it a threat and
do harm. I do not own dogs and do not recommend a kitten go into a home with an
unpredictable pet of any kind.
4. Question: Is there DNA testing
for savannah cats?
Yes there is DNA testing for savannahs and all other breeds of cats as
well .
5. Question: Can savannah cats be registered with The International Cat
Association (TICA)?
Answer: Yes, Savannahs are being
registered and are in evaluation category and can be shown at TICA shows all over the world for evaluation at f3
generation and by special
permission at f1 and f2 generation . Although not able to compete in the show
ring until achieving new breed status which is just around the corner.
TICA's phone number is: (512) 428-8046.
6. Question: Are savannah cats
compatible with children?
Answer: Yes as long as the children are taught to treat the cat properly .Most
incidents with pets and children occur from rough play or mistreatment on the
part of a young child that does not know any better.
7. Question: Are there any
diseases associated with savannahs as a breed?
Answer:
Savannahs seem to be very healthy. This could possibly be due to what is known
as "hybrid vigor". However the usual veterinarian recommended vaccination schedule
should be followed.
8. Question: Do I need a license
to keep a savannah cat?
Answer:
In most states keeping a Savannah Cat is no different than keeping any other
breed of Domestic cat. However check with your local Fish and Game if you are
not sure.
This is a document put out by the dept. of Agriculture on the
status of hybrids
United States Animal and
Department of Plant Health
Agriculture Inspection Service
Clarification of Hybrid Animal Crosses --
Animal Welfare
Date: FEB 21 1985
Area Veterinarians in Charge, VS
Directors, VS Regions
Animal Care Specialists, VS
Several years ago a memorandum clarifying the status of hybrid crosses between
wild and domestic animals under the Animal Welfare Act was issued. The
memorandum is apparently no longer available and did not receive wide
distribution. This memorandum is therefore being issued in order to clarify
the status of hybrid crosses.
All hybrid crosses between wild and domestic animals, such as wolf x dog, cat
x Jungle cat, buffalo x domestic cattle, etc., are considered to be domestic
animals. Thus, a wolf x dog cross is considered to be a dog and must be
maintained under the dog standards if it is a regulated animal. Any cross
between two wild animals is still considered to be a wild animal (i.e., wolf x
coyote, tiger x lion, etc.). This distinction should be kept in mind when
applying the standards during inspection or determining if licensing is
required or not.
/s/ R Rissler
R. L. Rissler
Assistant Director
Animal Health Programs
Veterinary Services
APHIS - Protecting American Agriculture
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