homebuy adoptphotosbreed informationrelated linkscontact us

Breed Info

 

Savannahs

 

Although Savannahs did not gain worldwide popularity and recognition until the late 1990s, the first known Savannah (pairing of an African Serval and a domestic cat) was achieved in the Mid-1980s by breeder Judee Frank.  The F1 female resulting from this breeding was named "Savannah," and most appropriately, is the official name of this fascinating breed today, more than 20 years later.  However, the breed was actually named after the savannahs of Africa: the grasslands from which the breed's Serval ancestors originate.

 

Judee Frank’s Savannah attracted the interest of Patrick Kelly, who purchased one of Savannah's kittens. Patrick Kelly’s enthusiasm and vision for establishing a new domestic breed based on the Serval / domestic cat cross prompted him to research what steps would be needed to be recognized and accepted by an official feline registry.  Armed with that information, obtained from Leslie Bowers at TICA , Patrick approached several breeders who owned Servals and encouraged them to attempt the development of this breed.   Initially, very few breeders were interested.  But Patrick persisted and finally convinced one breeder, Joyce Sroufe, to join him in his efforts.   Patrick and Joyce wrote the original breed standard and presented it to the TICA Board of Directors in February 1996. Today, Patrick’s well-known SavannahCat.com is the foremost promoter of our breed on the internet and he has also had much success promoting Savannahs in "Cat Fancy" magazine.

 

Joyce Sroufe went on to become a very successful Savannah breeder and is often credited with being the founder of this breed.   Due to Joyce's diligence, perseverance, and faith in this breed, along with her extensive knowledge and skills in cat breeding, she produced more Savannahs than any other breeder at the time and was the first to breed down to the later generations and produce fertile males. Joyce was also the one who first introduced the breed to the public via exhibition at a major cat show in Westchester, New York in 1997. Her breeding program provided kittens to the pet world that resulted in an explosion of demand for these cats. It also provided breeding females and fertile males that became the basis for many other Savannah breeding programs. Joyce’s experience and belief in and commitment to the breed enabled her to mentor new breeders interested in becoming involved with the development of this breed.

 

Another person who deserves much recognition as being instrumental in the development of Savannahs as a very successful and popular breed is Lorre Smith, the first TICA Savannah Breed Chairman, whose dedicated efforts helped launch Savannahs forward within the ranks of TICA at a rate more rapid than any other breed in TICA history.  It was through Lorre's efforts during the moratorium on hybrid breeds within TICA, that this breed was eventually accepted by TICA into its New Breed program.  Lorre worked diligently with other breeders to refine the breed standard and thereby ensure the success of the Savannah breed in its advancement through the steps required within TICA in its march towards championship status.  Savannah Breed Section Members are currently working on advancing to championship status within TICA and expect to achieve this major milestone within the next five years. It is largely through Lorre's efforts that the breed has advanced so rapidly through TICA and has been so well accepted by TICA officials.

 

The response of TICA Judges and the general public has been overwhelmingly favorable over the past few years, establishing Savannah Cats, with their elegant, exotic looks and interactive personalities, as perhaps the most sought after companion animal in the world today.

Back To Top

Learn more about different generations of Savannah cats at Savannah Breed Section:
 Click here:  http://www.savannahbreedsection.org/generations.htm

 

Bengals

 

The Bengal is a medium to large domestic feline that originates from crossings of the small Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) to the domestic cat in an attempt to create a companion with an "exotic" look but a domestic temperament. After four to five generations of Bengal-to-Bengal breeding, the breed is recognized for championship competition by most international domestic cat associations including TICA, ACFA, GCCF, and AACE.

 

The Bengal's beautiful coat makes it stand out in a crowd. Numerous shades make up the background color of the Bengal, ranging from golden, rust, brown and orange, to sand, buff, or even ivory. Bengal spots also vary in color, from rust or cocoa and chocolate brown to charcoal or black. Some Bengal patterns have inherited striking rosettes or spots made up of more than one color, usually a secondary color forming a dark outlining to the spot.

 

The second Bengal pattern is called marble. This is created by the combination of rosettes from the Asian Leopard Cat and the domestic classic tabby pattern to produce a "marbleized" look, one or more colors swirled into the base colors. Ideally, both the spotted and marbled patterns should have a horizontal flow rather than a vertical appearance. Since the original purpose for breeding Bengal cats was to try to replicate the look of the exotic spotted Asian Leopard Cat, the dominant spotted pattern is most common.

The Bengal Cat has a happy, active, interactive and extremely intelligent personality. Every domestic cat breed has its unique features, and the exotic heritage of the Bengal cat can be seen in their every day activities. While Bengals will happily search out a lap or stretch out on the sofa next to you during naptime, they are very active during the rest of the day.

 

The energetic Bengal is not for people who just want a leopard print cat for decoration. Whether they are fishing in the aquarium or playing in their water-bowls, fetching balls for their families, taking walks on a leash or climbing to the top of the highest cupboards, Bengals are constantly on the move and are perfect for anyone who wants to interact and play with their cat daily. The Bengal cat, like many other pets, demands a good deal of attention and affection and enjoys being an integral part of the family.

The International Bengal Cat Society (TIBCS) is an all volunteer society of Bengal enthusiasts. TIBCS is proud to bring this exotic feline and its enthusiasts and breeders to the web. We hope you will share our excitement over this new, rapidly developing breed.

 

Back To Top

Learn more about the different kinds and colors of Bengals on TIBCS’s website too:
 Click here:  http://www.tibcs.com/aboutbengals/bengal.aspx