TICA Savannahs Standard

SAVANNAH (SV)
HEAD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 points BODY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 points
Shape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3                 Torso. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Ears. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7                 Legs .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Eyes .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4                 Feet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chin. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 7               Tail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Muzzle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7                Boning. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5                Musculature. . . . . . . . . 8
Nose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Neck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN.20 points
Texture. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CATEGORY: Traditional.

DIVISIONS: Solid, Tabby and Silver/Smoke Division.

COLORS: Black, Brown Spotted Tabby, Silver Spotted Tabby and Black Smoke ONLY.

HEAD:
Shape: The face forms an equilateral triangle. The top of the triangle is the brow line over the eyes; the sides follow down the jaw bone meeting at the chin. The triangle excludes the ears. The head is small in proportion to the body.
Ears: Ears are extremely large and high on the head. They are wide with a deep base and rounded tops. The inside base of the ears is set close at the top of the head. 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 chin is very shallow without much depth.
Muzzle: The muzzle is a tapered muzzle with no break. It falls within the bottom portion of the facial triangle that runs from the brow to the point of the chin.
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 not flat.
Neck: Long and lean.
BODY:
Torso: A semi-foreign body type with a full deep rib cage and 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: Very long and slender yet strong. Back legs are slightly longer than the front legs, and due to this extreme length, may now and then give a false appearance of being cow-hocked.
Feet: Oval, small to medium, with elongated toes.
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.
Boning: Medium boning with density and 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 spotted tabby, silver spotted tabby, black smoke ONLY. The only color variations allowed are the gold to orange ground color with bold, solid dark markings, the silver ground color with bold, solid dark markings, solid black and black smoke. Glitter is undesirable. In any variation the lips are black, as are the prominent black tear duct lines on the inner sides of each eye. On the spotted Savannahs the nose leather can be either brick red, solid black or black with a light red or pink line running down the center. In black Savannahs, the nose leather must be solid black. Paw pads in either color variation should be deep charcoal or brownish black.
PATTERN:
The spotted Savannah pattern is made up of bold, solid darkbrown to black spots, which can be round, oval, or elongated. Rosettes are undesirable. 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. The black Savannah should be solid black. Black spotting on a black background is the ideal. The spots should conform to the spotted Savannah’s standard. The smoke pattern will conform to the spotted Savannah’s standard.
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, large, dark spots and other bold markings on a luxurious tawny, gold , orange, silver, black or black smoke background. The cat is a replica of the tall, lean, muscular Serval cat of the African plains from which it originated. Affectionate and outgoing, with exceptionally long neck, legs and 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.
PENALIZE:
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. Revised 09/05/08 Savannah Breed Standard, 05/01/2008