This breed tends to prefer a high protein, meat-based diet. They may not be able to digest cat foods containing grains or corn. Your breeder should be able to provide details of your kitten’s diet and how often they’re fed. Savannahs are particularly susceptible to changes in their diet, and any change should be gradual to avoid tummy upsets.

Savannah cats have a short coat and don’t need much grooming. A gentle brush once a week will do.

Their coat is black, brown spotted tabby, black silver, or black smoke in colour. It can be short to medium in length with striking dark spots and other markings. These spots can be round, oval or elongated and other distinctive features are their ears and eyes. Their ears are large and set high on top of their head. Their eyes are hooded and flat across the top. They also have a very long neck, a long body, and long legs. Their medium-length, thick tail has black rings with a black tip.

Savannah cats love to be active and can easily get bored. If kept indoors they’ll need plenty of space for play and exercise. And they’ll need scratching posts, perches to climb and toys to keep them entertained. They also like company, so it’s best not to leave them alone all day.

Letting them outdoors will give these athletic cats room to exercise and give them the mental stimulation they need. 

Savannah kittens will need to be introduced to the outside gradually to keep them safe. If you’re concerned about theft or straying while your Savannah is outdoors, read about our cover to learn more.

Savannahs are an intelligent cat breed. Over time - and with plenty of positive reinforcement - they can be trained to walk on a lead. They love playing games and can be trained to ‘fetch’. Toilet training should be simple too, but make sure the litter box is large enough for their long legs.

You can expect to pay between £250 – £1,800 for a Savannah kitten. The cost varies greatly depending on their generation – i.e. whether the kitten is an F1 cross or an F2, F3 or F4 etc. Breeders should be able to provide a detailed family tree for their kittens. Female Savannah cats usually cost more than males.

The first couple of generations can be unpredictable, and there are reports of these pets being unfriendly to strangers. The more closely-related the Savannah is to the Serval, the more like its wildcat ancestor it will be.

Later generations are no more dangerous than other domestic cats. But you should never leave young children with any cat without supervision.

As they’re extremely loyal to their owners, they can be overprotective and wary of strangers. They can chirp (like their Serval ancestors) and hiss loudly – the ‘snake hiss’. Socialisation is essential to avoid hissing at strangers.

They can also meow like their domestic cat relatives and will get along with other cats.

Savannah cats are legal in the UK if they are an F2, F3 or F4 variety. It’s illegal to own an F1 Savannah cat without a Dangerous Wild Animal Licence, which an average cat owner will not be able to get.

Savannahs prefer foods their wild ancestors would have eaten. They may not have evolved to eat cat foods containing grains or corn. Ask your breeder how often they feed their Savannahs and what type of foods they give their cats and stick with this diet. It is likely to be a specialised, high protein diet that is grain and corn-free.