Serengeti

Overview

Overview of Serengeti

Bred to look like wild Servals on the outside but completely domestic on the inside - Serengeti cats were created thanks to Californian conservation biologist Karen Sausman in the 1990s. But unlike the creators of the Savannah cat, which is also meant to resemble a domestic serval, Sausman decided not to use any wild cats in her breeding program and instead opted for domestic kitties only! To develop Serengeti cats, she combined Bengal and Oriental Shorthair cats and refined the mix later. Bengals contributed their solid build and bright coat color, while the Oriental Shorthair contributed its long ears, long legs, and overall sophisticated looks. The Serengeti cat's most iconic feature is their incredibly long legs - they have the longest legs of any cat breed! They are a relatively new breed but have become established enough to gain recognition at The International Cat Association (TICA) breed registry in their own right! Their official colors are smoky black with spots, black tabby, brown tabby, or silver tabby. They can weigh between 8-15 lbs, and despite borrowing their name from the beautiful region of Tanzania, famous for its wildlife reserves, the Serengeti has never set a paw in Africa!