The Savannah cat was originally developed in South Africa to help control rodent populations. Our domestic Savannah cats have many unique features that set them apart from other felines.
They can be distinguished by their long legs, large paws, short tail, and lack of spots on their coat. The Savannah’s body type is similar to that of a house cat with a medium-length body, rounded head, and thick fur.
However, Savannah cats have some very special dietary requirements. We explore what Savannah cats eat at the different stages of their life.
Savannah Cat Profile
Savannah cats are fascinating felines, and they come with their characteristics. It’s a good idea to understand first what drives Savannah cats before we explore what to feed them.
Temperament
Savannah cats are born hunters. Although they are domesticated cats, their hunting instinct is still very strong.
For this reason, they are not very often kept with pets, such as rabbits, fish, and hamsters.
Savannah cats may be kept with other cats and dogs, although it’s better to socialize them with other animals very early on.
Because of their hunting instincts, Savannah cats do best in a home where they can roam freely.
If you don’t allow your Savannah to go outside, he’ll probably spend most of his time hiding under furniture or coming up with games.
Behavior
Savannah cats are highly intelligent and curious creatures. Because of this, they enjoy interacting with people and other animals.
Their curiosity makes them great escape artists. If you leave your Savannah alone, he might try to get into trouble.
To avoid any unwanted adventures, make sure that your Savannah doesn’t have access to anything dangerous.
Lifespan
The lifespan of a Savannah cat depends on its diet. A well-fed cat will live up to 20 years.
Colors
A Savannah cat has no color pattern. This means that there are no stripes or spots on its coat. However, the coat itself is usually black or dark brown.
Coat
The Savannah cat’s coat is soft and dense. It comes in various lengths and textures. This allows for protection against cold weather while also allowing them to move around easily.
Size
The average weight of an adult Savannah cat is between 5 and 7 pounds. They can grow even larger than this if they’re given enough food.
Health
Because of their hunting nature, Savannah cats tend to be healthier than indoor-only cats.
Dentistry isn’t something that Savannah cats need to worry about. Their teeth are designed for chewing bones rather than eating treats.
Grooming
Grooming is important for all cats but especially for Savannah cats. These cats require frequent brushing to keep their coats clean and healthy.
Hair Shedding
Savannah cats shed less hair than most cats. For this reason, they rarely need grooming products like shampoos and conditioners.
As long as you brush them regularly, Savannah cats won’t suffer from bald patches.
Savannah Cat Nutrition
Like most cats, Savannah cats need a varied diet that includes protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fats, and water.
But unlike other cats, they require a slightly higher calorie intake. Savannah cats have a high metabolism rate and therefore require more calories than other cats.
A typical Savannah cat will consume anywhere from 2.5 to 3 pounds of food per week. This amount varies depending on the size of the cat.
Smaller Savannah cats may only need 1 pound or less of food each day. Larger Savannah cats may need up to 4 pounds of food each day.
A healthy Savannah cat should get at least 10% of his daily caloric needs from fat. Fat provides essential fatty acids (EFAs) such as omega-3 and omega-6. These EFAs are important for growth and development, immune system function, and normal brain functioning.
Most Savannah cats prefer dry foods, although canned diets are acceptable if you feed them twice a day. Dry foods contain fewer calories and tend to be lower in moisture content than wet foods.
Feeding Your Savannah Kitten
Feeding the right food starts at a very early age. The moment when a cat is born you need to keep an eye out for any particular tastes.
Savannah kittens from birth to 8 weeks old should be fed a diet of ground, raw chicken. You should add in vitamins and mineral supplements to support this early growth stage as well as possible.
When you notice that your little Savannah eats the raw chicken with ease, you can move over to wet cat food.
The move can be made easier by using a chicken-based formula. Mix this in with the raw, ground chicken until you notice that the cat has adjusted to its new diet.
From week 9 to 12, you need to try to wean your kitten off its current chicken diet, and fully move over to wet cat food.
While you can try to offer some small pieces of dry food, we found that most Savannah kittens at that age will likely just have a sniff and prefer the wet food.
Feeding Your Adult Savannah Cat
Now that your Savannah cat is fully grown, you can adjust its diet more easily.
Different preferences vary with the owner but below are some things to look out for when feeding your adult Savannah cat.
Dry Cat Food As A Practical Trade-Off
We found that some Savannah cat owners move over to dry cat food over time. This can be a good idea, however, you need to look out for the quality of the dry food.
As a raw diet can be a lot of work for the cat owner, feeding good quality dry cat food is the best alternative option here. It still provides good nutritional value for your feline friend.
Use Meat-Based
All cats originate from the wild, and when you use meat-based ingredients, it appeals so much more to them.
For this reason, try to feed your cat meat-based dry food. Some owners prefer chicken, however, you may also want to consider a duck-based formula as this is also very healthy for your cat.
Be Aware Of Potatoes
A lot of dry cat food brands add potatoes and sweet potatoes to their food. Ideally, you don’t want these in the first 5 main ingredients of the cat food.
While potatoes are still good for your Savannah cat, the amount needs to be carefully controlled.
Ingredients To Avoid
You must use good quality cat food to keep your feline active and healthy. Cat food with low-quality carbs will dehydrate your cat and this can lead to a range of health problems.
These unhealthy carbohydrates to avoid are rice, wheat, and corn.
Cat food formulas with these ingredients may be cheaper but in the long run, they will affect your cat’s health.
Feeding Your Savannah Cat The Right Way
Each cat is individual, and that’s the reason feeding behavior can vary widely, not just from breed to breed but also within a certain breed.
Particularly kittens have yet to establish a regular feeding routine. Some kittens may eat larger amounts of dry food than others.
Some kittens may take months to convert from wet food to dry cat food, while others may just take a few weeks.
You must observe your cat and make changes accordingly to what they need.
If your Savannah kitten doesn’t seem to like food, you can always try to mix it with some wet food, slowly increasing the ratio. This is a very gentle way to get a cat used to a change in their beloved eating habits.
If you want to keep feeding your hybrid cat, such as a Savannah, a raw diet, that’s fine. However, be aware that preparing a raw feast for your cat can take a lot of time and effort.
For a raw diet, you will need to ensure a balanced calcium-phosphorus ratio to keep your cat healthy. You can also feed a combination of raw cat food and dry food.
If you choose to feed this mix, the raw food must be a smaller amount than the raw food.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get your last-minute questions answered here!
What If My Savannah Cat Is Not Eating?
If your Savannah cat is not eating, there could be many reasons for this. Your cat may not like the food, or she is ill.
If your Savannah cat suddenly stopped eating for longer than a couple of days, you should seek advice from a vet.
What Should Savannah Cats Drink?
Just like all cats, Savannah cats should only drink water. You should provide fresh and clean water in a bowl daily.
Some cats also love drinking from the tap. However, it’s better when you provide a water fountain if you notice your cat prefers to drink running water.
Conclusion
Savannah cats have been bred for over 60 years and their popularity continues to grow. They’ve become so popular that some people think they look like domesticated cats!
We hope this article on what Savannah cats eat helps a long way to care for your favorite feline.
I’m Courtney Trent and I hope that I can answer some burning questions that you have about cats, as well as some questions that you’d never have thought to ask before.
I am aiming to shed new light on these amazing pets and hopefully change some people’s opinions on them. Also, let’s talk about wild cats - they’re just as awesome as domestic cats!
So, stay a while and learn more about domestic and wild cats from Windhaven Ocicats.
