Glossary The following definitions describe common Savannah cat terms
Barring - tabby-striped markingsBreak - an indentation of the nose at about eye level or between the eyes
Clouded - describes one of the patterns of the Savannah which is a random swirling of the dark markings, similar to marble in other breeds.
Concave - curve shaped like the inside arc of a circle
Conformation - refers to how well a Savannah cat fits the Savannah Standard in terms of the body structure. Synonymous with 'type or typey'.
Convex - Curve shaped like the outside arc of a circle
Crossbreed - refers to the breeding of a Savannah with any cat other than the Serval cat or cat which in not acceptable as a outcross. It takes three generations from the initial out cross before these cats are recognized as full Savannahs again.
Filial - refers to the generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation. For example an F-1 is a domestic Savannah cat having a Serval parent; an F-2 is a domestic Savannah cat having a Serval grandparent and so forth.
Flank - The part between the ribs and the thighs on either side of the body
Foundation or foundation cat - refers to the ancestor cat from which the breed is derived. The Serval is the foundation cat for the Savannah cat.
Ground color - The area of color on the lower part of the hair shaft, also the agouti area between the markings in the tabby patterns
Hybrid - refers to the offspring produced from the mating of two individuals of unlike genetic constitution, in other words the offspring of two different animals, or species.
Long and substantial - used to indicate longer length of body that is not accompanied by foreign type
Muzzle break - change of direction between the muzzle and the cheekbones
Serval - refers to cats of the ORDER Carnivore, FAMILY Felidae, and Genus Leptailurus serval . Males are generally larger than females. The general coloration of the upper parts ranges from off white to dark gold in color with the underparts being paler or often white. The entire pelate is marked either with small, dark spots or with large spots that tend to merge into longitudinal stripes on the head and back. The tail displays several rings and a black tip. Their build is relatively light, averaging 18 to 40 pounds. Their legs and neck are long. Their ears are large and rounded. (Excerpt from Walker's Mammals of the World).
Locket - refers to a single white hair or a patch of white colored hair located any place within the coat. If a cat exhibits a locket most often they are located on the neck or groin, but the white hair may appear anywhere in the coat.
Ocelli - refers to the virtually white or light colored thumb-print shaped horizontal marking on the back of the ear.
Out crossing - refers to the producing of offspring from individuals usually of different breeds but of the same species.
Pelt or pelted - refers to the unique texture of the coat of a wild animal. Some Savannahs have this unique plush, unusually soft texture to their coats.
Pet - refers to a cat or kitten without breeding privileges or a cat or kitten that has been spay/neutered.
Rosette - refers to a spot within a spot. These two or three toned markings may be of various shapes such as doughnut shaped, arrow head shaped, paw print shaped, etc.
Rufinism - refers to the ocher yellow ground or background color of some Savannah coats.
Savannah cat - refers to the domestic breed of cat resulting from the mating of a Serval to a domestic cat.
'Snow' Savannah - layman's term used to describe seal lynx, seal mink, or seal sepia spotted or clouded Savannahs.
Sturdy - stocky, solidly built, thick set.
Ticking - refers to the banding of different colors of the hair shaft. Savannahs with multiple color bands along the length of the hair shaft usually exhibit less contrast as the markings are dull or less defined. Savannahs exhibiting poor contrast with multiple bands of color along the hair shaft are also referred to as having a 'salt and peppered' coat.
Torso - refers to the trunk of the body
Type or typey - refers to Savannahs which closely approximate the Savannah Standard in terms of body structure or conformation.
Wedge - (as viewed from the top of front) is created by straight lines from outer ear bases along sides of muzzle, without a break at the jaw line at the whiskers. Skull to be flat a the straight nose a continuation of the forehead
Whippy - referring to the tail, long, tapering, giving the effect of slenderness and length
Whole - refers to a male or female that has not been surgically or chemically spayed or neutered.
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