The Savannah is achieved by crossing a Serval cat with a domestic cat. The resulting cat is called an F1 and the offspring from the F1 will be called  F2 . These cats are known as the foundation generations for the breed. The F is for foundation and the numbers used lets you know how many generations removed from the Serval your cat is . With any hybrid cross resulting from the breeding of a wild cat to a domestic cat, the males are almost always sterile until the 4th-5th generation. This is why there are  a  variety of domestic  male cats used in breeding programs to create the early generation Savannahs. Some male cats that are being used in the early generations include Oriental Shorthair, Egyptian Mau and Serengeti. The Savannah is still a relatively new breed in the early stages of development but it gives people the option of owning an amazingly beautiful and friendly domestic cat, with the looks of a wild Serval. Unlike a Serval your cat will be smaller, content as an indoor cat and able to use a litter box. A SBT Savannah is one that is  bred down from the Serval but is is at least 4 Generations removed . While many Savannahs F1 through F5 are diluted with blood of regular house cats, the SBT Savannah is a "pure" Savannah that has guaranteed only Savannahs as parents for at least 3 Generations. A SBT will be the size of an F4/F5 Savannah but the personality will be a great deal more predictable.

The Savannah is considered to be a  large cat and it is the largest hybrid cat available at the moment, it is tall and thin with back legs often longer than the front. Earlier generation cats will be bigger and wilder looking cats and males are normally larger than females.  The TICA standard calls for a cat with an overall impression of lean gracefulness. The cat should have large dark spots and bold markings on a tawny, gold, orange, silver, black or black smoke background. They  come  in four recognised colour ways Brown spotted tabby, silver spotted tabby, black and black smoke.

Savannahs are documented as being friendly and playful. Like the Bengal they are active cats that love interaction with their owners. They are sometimes called the dogs of the cat world and it is one of the main things that attracted us to the breed. We wanted cats we could enjoy and interact with, not cats that just sit and lounge all day. Like Bengal cats they can also be trained to leash walk and enjoy a walk out and about. They are known jumpers and some even learn how to open doors. They often love to play with water and bat at their water bowl splashing the water (we keep our water bowls on plastic trays just in case). They get on well with children and other pets and we are not at all surprised at how very quickly Savannahs are gaining popularity at home and the show ring.

As with  any new breed the Savannah may seem expensive but you have to consider the dedication, time and money breeders have put into establishing the breed. There are only a few breeders worldwide to successfully mate a Serval to a domestic cat.