SAVANNAH (SV)
HEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 points
Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Ears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . … 6
Chin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Muzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Nose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Neck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
BODY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 points
Torso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Legs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Feet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Tail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7
Boning . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Musculature . . . . . . . . . 7
COAT/COLOR/PATTERN . . . . 20 points
Texture . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CATEGORY: Traditional
DIVISIONS: Solid, Tabby and
Silver/Smoke Division
COLORS: Black, Brown (Black) Spotted Tabby, Black 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 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 the
ear. Ear furnishings may be present;
pronounced ocelli are desirable.
Eyes: Medium sized and set
underneath a slightly hooded brow. The top
of the eye resembles a boomerang set at
the exact angle so that the corner of the eye
slopes down the line of the nose. 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. Tear stain markings are present
along and between the eye 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 wellmuscled
with a full deep rib cage, prominent
shoulder blades, a slight, but not extreme,
tuck-up 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. Back legs are slightly longer than
the front legs.
Feet: Oval, medium in size.
Corrected 6/1/2013 Savannah Breed Standard, 05/01/2012
Tail: Medium to thick in width. Medium
in length, ending between the hock and just
above ground level when standing with
preferred length just below the hock. Tail
should taper slightly to a blunt end. Whippy
tails are not desired.
Boning: Medium boning with
densityand strength.
Musculature: Firm, well-developed, yet
smooth.
COAT: Short to medium in length with
good substance and a slightly coarse feel to
it. Coarser guard hairs cover a softer
undercoat; the spots have a notably softer
texture than the guard hairs. The coat is not
inordinately dense and lies relatively flat
against the body.
COLORS: Black, brown (black) spotted
tabby, black silver spotted tabby, 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 stripe. In black Savannahs, the nose
leather must be solid black. Paw pads in
either color variation should be deep
charcoal or brownish black.
PATTERN: SPOTTED PATTERN ONLY.
The spotted Savannah pattern is made up
of bold, solid dark-brown to black 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 and the
spotting pattern follows the line of the
stripes from the shoulders continuing the
length of the body. Smaller spots will 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 to
be a confident, alert, curious and friendly
cat.
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 on the neck, chest, abdomen
or any other area not provided for in the
standard. Vertically aligned spots or
mackerel tabby type stripes. Cobby body.
Small ears.
DISQUALIFY (DQ): 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. In
accordance with Show Rules, ARTICLE
SIXTEEN, the following shall be considered
mandatory disqualifications: a cat that bites
(216.9), a cat showing evidence of intent to
deceive (216.10), adult whole male cats not
having two descended testicles (216.11), cats
with all or part of the tail missing , except as
authorized by a Board approved standard
(216.12.1), cats with more than five toes on each
front foot and four toes on each back foot, unless
proved the result of an injury or as authorized by
a Board approved standard (216.12.2), visible or
invisible tail faults if Board approved standard
requires disqualification (216.12.4), crossed
eyes if Board approved standard requires
disqualification (216.12.5), total blindness
(216.12.6), markedly smaller size, not in keeping
with the breed (216.12.9), and depression of the
sternum or unusually small diameter of the rib
cage itself (216.12.11.1). See Show Rules,
ARTICLE SIXTEEN for more comprehensive
rules governing penalties and disqualifications.
Corrected 6/1/2013 Savannah Breed Standard, 05/01/2012