Savannah (SV) Breed Standard
PDF pictorial available HERE courtesy of The Savannah Breed Section website.
40 Points HEAD
6 Shape
7 Ears
6 Eyes
4 Chin
4 Muzzle
4 Profile
3 Nose
6 Neck
40 Points BODY
8 Torso
8 Legs
3 Feet
7 Tail
7 Boning
7 Musculature
20 points COAT/COLOR/PATTERN
8 Texture
8 Pattern
4 Color
40 Points HEAD
6 Shape
7 Ears
6 Eyes
4 Chin
4 Muzzle
4 Profile
3 Nose
6 Neck
40 Points BODY
8 Torso
8 Legs
3 Feet
7 Tail
7 Boning
7 Musculature
20 points COAT/COLOR/PATTERN
8 Texture
8 Pattern
4 Color
Savannah (SV) Breed Standard
CATEGORY - Traditional
DIVISIONS - Solid, Tabby and Silver/Smoke
COLORS - Black, Brown Spotted Tabby, Silver Spotted Tabby and Black Smoke.
PERMISSIBLE OUTCROSSES - NONE
HEAD
Shape: The face forms an equilateral triangle: the triangle is formed by the brow line over the eyes and the sides follow down the jaw bone with a rounded finish at the muzzle. Above this triangle the forehead and ears form a rectangle from the brow line to the tops of the ears. The head is small in proportion to the body.
Ears: Ears are remarkably large and high on the head. They are wide with a deep base. They should be very upright and have rounded tops. The outside base of the ear should start no lower on the head than at the height of the eyes, but may be set higher. The inside base of the ears is set close at the top of the head; ideally a vertical line can be drawn from the inner corner of the eye up to the inner base of ear. Ear furnishings may be present; pronounced ocelli are desirable.
Eyes: Eyes should appear small to medium in size and set underneath a slightly hooded brow. The top of the eye resembles a boomerang, which is set at an angle so that the corner of the eye slopes down a continuous line with the other outer edge of the nose bridge. The bottom half of the eye has an almond shape. The eyes are moderately deep set, low on the forehead, and at least one eye width apart. Dark tear markings are desirable and may be present along and between the eyes and the nose. All eye colors are allowed and are independent of coat color.
Chin: From the frontal view the chin tapers to follow the triangle of the head. In profile, the nose is slightly protruding so that the angle from the nose to the chin slants back, which may cause the chin to appear recessed.
Muzzle: The muzzle is tapered with no break. It falls within the bottom portion of the facial triangle that runs from the brow to the point of the chin. Whisker pads are not pronounced.
Profile: The forehead is a straight to slightly convex curve from the top of the head to the ridge just above the eye, where there is a slight change of direction and a straight to very-slight concave curve from that ridge to the tip of the nose. In profile, the face also forms a triangle from the top of the eye to the tip of the nose, turning to follow the jaw line and back up to the eye.
Nose: Viewing from the front, the nose is wide across the top with low set nostrils. In profile, there is a slight downward turn at the end, giving a rounded appearance. Nose leather is slightly convex, and wraps up over the nose.
Neck: Long and lean.
BODY
Torso: The torso is long, lean, and well muscled with a full deep rib cage, prominent shoulder blades, and a rounded rump. The hip and thigh are full and long, and somewhat heavy in proportion to the rest of the body.
Legs: Longer than average, well muscled, without appearing heavy or overly delicate. The back legs are slightly longer than the front legs.
Feet: Oval, medium in size.
Tail: Medium to thick in width. Medium in length, ending between the hock and just above ground level when standing. Tail should taper slightly to a blunt end. Whippy tails are not desired.
Boning: Medium boning with density and strength.
Musculature: Firm and well developed. Athletic yet not bulky. Lean but not delicate.
COAT
Texture: Short to medium in length, moderately dense and loose. It has a slightly coarse feel to it and lacks resilience. Coarser guard hairs cover a softer undercoat. The spots have a notably softer texture than the texture of the ground color hairs. Glitter is not desired.
Colors: Brown (Black) Spotted Tabby, Black Silver Spotted Tabby, Black, Black Smoke. No preference is given to ground color on the Brown (Black) Spotted Tabby. Bold solid markings are preferred on all tabbies.
In any variation the lips are black, and the tear duct lines are prominent. On the spotted Savannahs the nose leather can be pink to brick red surrounded by liner, solid black, or black with a pink to brick center or stripe. In black Savannahs, the nose leather must be solid black. Paw pads in any color variation should be deep charcoal or brownish black.
Pattern: SPOTTED PATTERN ONLY. The spotted Savannah pattern is made up of bold, solid dark spots which can be round, oval, or elongated. A series of parallel stripes, from the back of the head to just over the shoulder blades fan out slightly over the back. The spotting pattern follows the line of the stripes from the shoulders and continues along the length of the body. Vertically aligned spots are not desired. Smaller spots may be found on the legs and feet, as well as on the face. In the black Savannah ghost spotting may occur. A visible spotting pattern on the smoke Savannah is preferred. In all divisions, any visible pattern must be spotted.
TEMPERAMENT
The ideal Savannah is confident, alert, curious and friendly.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The overall impression of the Savannah is a tall lean graceful cat with striking dark spots and other bold markings, on a background color of any shade of brown, silver, black or black smoke. The Savannah cat is a domestic breed, which closely resembles its ancestral source the African Serval, but is smaller in stature. Affectionate and outgoing, with exceptionally long neck, legs, and tall ears, as well as a medium length tail, the Savannah is both unusual and beautiful. The Savannah is also an exceptionally graceful, well-balanced cat with striking color and pattern.
ALLOWANCES
Females proportionately smaller than males.
PENALIZE
Rosettes. Spots that are any color other than dark brown to black. Any distinct locket. Mackerel tabby type stripes. Cobby body. Notably small ears.
DISQUALIFY
Extra toes.
Temperament must be unchallenging; any sign of definite challenge shall disqualify. The cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or generally complain aloud but may not threaten to harm.
Evidence of intent to deceive the judge by artificial means, cats with all or part of their tail missing (except those breeds whose standard calls for this feature), totally blind cats, cats having more or less than five toes on each front foot and four on each back foot (unless proved to be the result of an injury or as authorized by a Board approved standard), male cats in the adult championship class which do not have two descended testicles, and, at the discretion of the judge, tail faults (visible or invisible) and/or crossed eyes shall be disqualified from championship competition.