Living with an F2 Savannah Cat
Living with an F2 Savannah cat is a rewarding and unique experience. Like the F1’s, they are big, stunningly beautiful, highly intelligent creatures. There are many similarities between the F1 and F2 Savannah cats. To start with, there is a lot of overlap in terms of size between the two generations. Males will measure 16-18 inches at the shoulder and about 24 inches in length. The difference comes in the build. While the F1’s are going to maintain the extreme svelte body type, the F2’s are going to have a little more to them. They, in general, will be a stouter version of the F1’s; bigger boned, a more massive head, thicker necked and a little more middle. With that, the F2’s will often outweigh the F1’s. Most Select Exotics F2 Savannah cats will mature to be in a 20-25 pound range, with some individuals getting into the 25-30 pound range. If the extreme Serval type is the most important factor when deciding which generation is right for you, than an F1 is your best choice. However, if size is the most important factor, than the F2 Savannah cats should be a strong consideration, especially when considering the price difference.
F2 Savannah Cat Color
What about color? The F2 Savannah cats will maintain great contrast between their spots and basecoat and come in a wide range of color combinations. While the F1’s are relatively standard, being mostly golden based and sometimes silver, the F2’s will run the spectrum from having a cool-neutral tan to a vivid orange base with inky black to cinnamon-brown spots. They also come in silver tones and occasionally snow, smoke and melanistic. The recessive marbled gene can also be expressed starting with the F2 Savannah cats.
The Behavior of F2 Savannah Cats
Also like the F1’s, the F2 Savannah cats will bond very closely with their immediate family. They will greet you at the door when you come home, follow you around the house, sleep in bed with you at night and sometimes jump in the shower with you. There is variation in how the F2 Savannah cats relate to young children. Some will be very accepting of them and allow the kids to pick them up and carry them around. Most will not though. Most will play with them with teaser toys and allow them to pet them, but when the kids get to playing loud and fast the F2 Savannah cats will head to high ground. When visitors come to the home that they are not familiar with most will keep a safe distance. They will want to observe, but will do so from around a corner or up high on a shelf. Some will play with visitors with a toy, but generally will not allow visitors to touch them.
F2 Savannah cats will have a minimum of 25% Serval blood in them. At this point, with having had F5 Savannah males for many years, most F2’s will have about 30% Serval blood. On occasion a high percentage F1 female will have a litter, resulting in offspring in the 32-37% range. Those individuals will generally lean more towards the F1 in their body type and substance.
The F2 Savannah cats are going to be a little more adaptable than the F1’s and will handle change easier, but drastic change will still be hard for them to accept. With both the F1 and F2 Savannah cats it is important to have a positive first vet visit. If the first trip to the vet is positive they will be much more forgiving of negative experiences in the future. However, if the first vet experience in negative they will remember the experience and will be a handful for future vet visits. Diligent owners will be able to overcome or work around these quirks.