Savannah vs Domestic Longhaired Cat - Breed Comparison

Savannah cats have been bred to look like a Serval but it is essentially a domestic cat. The first Savannah cat was born in the United States in April 1986. The person who was successful in making this happen was Judee Frank.

She bred a Serval wild cat and a Siamese cat and they produced a female kitten with the name of Savannah – named after the African savannas from where the serval cat comes from.

It will take your Savannah kitten about 3 years to reach his adult size. The Savannah will give birth to up to 6 kittens. The cat was recognized by TICA in 2001.

Today when you’re looking to buy a Savannah kitten, you’ll notice the cats are always described with a filial number, for example, F1, F2, F3, F4, and so on. The filial number describes the generation a cat comes from.

Because this cat belongs to a hybrid group, the feline is banned in a number of states and cities in the United States of America.

The Domestic Longhaired cat came about because of various attempts by breeders to bring in certain Persian cat varieties in the American Shorthairs.

The cat comes from champion bloodlines but one of the most remarkable traits of the Domestic Longhair cat is that they are just typical cats with long hair. In other words, Domestic Longhairs are a product of various cat breedings and it is thought they arrived in the USA with the early settlers.

They shouldn’t be confused with the purebred American Longhair cat. The ancestry of the Domestic Longhair cat is unknown but for people who own them, they are a longhaired cat that becomes special to their owners. The cat isn’t recognized by the larger cat organizations.

The Savannah Cat is a fairly large cat that weighs anything from 3 to 8 kg. It is a cross between a domestic cat and one of Africa’s smaller wild cats, the Serval.

Because of the Serval in the mix, the Savannah cat is able to leap into the air too because of his long legs. The cat has a short tail, and similar to the Cheetah has tear markings running from the corner of the eyes down to the whiskers.

A striking feature of this cat is his hooded eyes and the large ears. The Savannah cat has exotic looks and is regarded as a low maintenance cat with its short fur. The coat is tawny-colored with black spots but it comes in 4 background colors – smoke, silver, brown, and black.

Temperament:

An interesting aspect with the Savannah Cat is that they are sometimes compared to dogs. They become loyal pets and companions and will follow their owners around and can even be trained to walk on a leash.

The Savannah is an intelligent cat and can be taught a trick or two. Because the Savannah cat is a hybrid, they aren’t predictable in nature. Some are friendly and social while others are more wild and hostile. Some of them don’t like meeting strangers and will growl and hiss with uncertainty.

They enjoy playing in water and it will be a good idea to invest in a paddling pool for this cat’s outdoor enclosure. It’s an active cat and will require daily exercise. It is better suited to homes where there are older children.

These Domestic long-haired cats are hugely popular in the United States. They can be of any color and the coat can have different patterns too, including bi-color, tortoiseshell and tabby.

With his muscled, athletic body he can weigh between 3 and 6kg. He can have a variety of eye colors, ear sizes, and shapes Essentially, their size and shape is influenced by the breed that dominates.

Temperament:

These are just your regular, balanced cats and they make splendid pets for first-time cat owners, single pet owners, those with kids in the home and seniors. You can’t really tell how their personality will be and some will be more quiet than others and some more loving than others too. A lot depends on how you raise- and socialize your cat.

The Savannah cat's temperament is exceptional, and when you’ve got a Savannah in your home, you’ve got a true companion.

Cat lovers who have owned one of these cats will tell you that this cat is similar to a dog in many ways. The intelligent cat will follow his owners around and be a friendly, loyal, and devoted companion.

With so much intelligence, beauty, and energy, this cat has all the qualities of a splendid feline companion.

The Savannah will form a particularly strong bond with the human family member who grooms and feeds him.

Everybody who has known the social, affectionate, loyal cat has nothing but good words to say and he may just be the cat companion you want.

Domestic Longhairs are such wonderful cats and slot into a host of different lifestyles.

They are generally content cats with the different lifestyles they find themselves in. Some are smart, some playful, some quiet and some naughty, some are very vocal and some are content to be lap cats.

They're all different but they all have needs and concerns – to be part of a loving human family and to be treated with love, care and respect for the companionship they offer.

The Savannah is generally a healthy cat. The cat can also fall prey to some of the typical cat illnesses there are -

Allergies:

Allergies happen with cats when their immune systems become sensitive to certain things. Cat allergies can be environmental, from fleas or from food allergies.

While some allergies may come and go, others will require an examination by the vet as they can include itchy skin problems. Typical allergy symptoms include sneezing and coughing, runny eyes, diarrhea and vomiting.

Irritable bowel disease:

This is a gastrointestinal disorder. Cats of any age are affected but it is found more in older cats. Chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract can come about because of a food allergy for instance or parasitic or bacterial infection. Your Savannah cat will be vomiting and lethargic and have diarrhea and weight loss.

Hookworms:

These are parasites that invade the small intestines of a cat. It can cause anemia and inflammation of the small intestine. Hookworms can produce symptoms such as weight loss, coughing, and diarrhea as well as skin irritations.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy:

This condition causes thickening of the muscular walls of a cat’s heart. The heart’s left ventricle is thickened. The heart can beat rapidly and this results in more oxygen usage. It can also lead to oxygen starvation which causes heart cells to die off. A condition known as arrhythmia develops where the heart beats irregularly.

It is their mixed breeding that ensures that the Domestic Longhaired cat doesn’t have any health issues. Like any cat, things such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes and kidney disease can plague your cat.

A good diet, exercise, lots of love and care can all help to ensure your kitty kat doesn’t succumb to anything that your vet can’t handle.

As soon as your cat shows any sign of illness, get him to the vet. If you look after your cat well, he can avoid a lot of vet visits and can reach 15 to 20 years of age.

The Savannah cat's diet needs to be a high-quality type of food with efficient levels of protein and taurine. The reason for this is that all cats are carnivores. A properly balanced raw diet will be the best nutritionally balanced food you can provide.

The Savannah has a short coat, which makes him low maintenance. He will still need to be brushed once a week. This will ensure a healthy sheen, and it will remove loose hairs and dust.

Provide for this intelligent cat’s physical and mental stimulation. He will need a variety of interactive toys. You yourself, need to become involved with your feline friend and give him a game too.

Make sure your Savannah is up-to-date with all his vaccinations. If you’re in any doubt about your pet’s health and wellbeing, get him to the vet who can provide you with valuable information on his health and his diet to ensure optimal health for your feline friend.

The hair of the Domestic Longhair will need to be tackled and you will need a firm brush to gently brush your cat once a week. This ensures the hair remains silky and tangle-free.

Remember, there are always professional cat groomers who specialize in grooming cats and ensuring their teeth, inside of ears, their nails and their fur is in tip-top condition.

Keeping your cat healthy is always going to require a trip to the vet. Your Domestic Longhair is going to require certain vaccines and deworming to ensure he remains free of deadly cat diseases. Also, if your cat is acting in a lethargic, ‘sick’ way, it could well be a sign that he is ill and a trip to the vet will be imperative as the condition could become worse.

To ensure your cat has the best chance at health, make sure you feed him well. Gut health is absolutely imperative and feeding your cat too many carbs will give him plenty of digestive problems.

A cat is a carnivore – a meat eater – and therefore his food needs to be meat. A kitten will require 4 small meals a day and an adult cat – over the age of 1 year – will require 2 meals a day. Any questions you have about feeding your cat can be answered by your local veterinarian.

Speak to your vet about spaying or neutering your Domestic Longhaired Cat as this will prevent unwanted kittens, particularly if your cat is allowed outdoors and wanders off.

Also, neutering and spaying have a host of health benefits for your cat and it also improves their personality.