Is this a real savannah or am I being scammed?

[Jasminekeem]

Hi All!

I've been looking into getting a savannah cat for quite a while now. Ideally I wanted an F2 or F3 but I just met someone who was looking to sell their two F4 savannah kittens because they are moving to a state where savannahs are not legal. The seller paid 1500$ each from a breeder in Redding, CA. I am a bit apprehensive because they show very distinct rosettes, which from what I understand, is not common among savannahs. The seller says that the mother is a F3 snow savannah and the father is sired from a F3 and bengal.

Aside from their markings I am concerned because when I asked about the breeder/cattery they came from, the seller said that she does not remember the name of the breeder because it was listed in her phone/computer, both of which were stollen. I'm not sure how believable this is because I know that not everyone will research thoroughly before selecting a breeder so I don't know how likely this story is to be true.

What do you guys think? They are 19 weeks old. I'd appreciate any and all feedback!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I see only Bengal traits there. Doesn't mean they aren't Savannah/Bengal crosses, but they only show Bengal.

I agree, not remembering the breeder when it really would not have been long ago that they were purchased? It just sounds suspicious. You don't mention how much they are asking for these kittens, only that the seller supposedly paid $1,500 each? Mostly, if a price seems too good to be true, there's a reason for it.

I would say that without papers, there is no proof these are Savannah cats. Hence I personally would not pay good money for something that cannot be proven to be what it is represented to be. If they are being rehomed for a nominal fee and you'd like a Bengal kitten as much as a Savannah kitten, then there is no problem. But if you want a Savannah, surely you want one that resembles its Serval ancestor?

Additionally, when you purchase from a breeder you not only get all the great support and advice of that breeder, you get a health and genetic guarantee for your money. As well as background (you were told the parents were something but you don't know that to be true for these kittens), and papers. So by buying from Craigslist or some online classifieds you don't get the guarantee nor background you would get buying from a breeder, hence the price ought to be significantly cheaper. And without papers, I don't recommend paying more than you would from a shelter or rescue...

 

[DumaLove]

I completely agree with Brigitte. And I found this breeder which is likely where they came from. They have an F3 Snow Savannah queen. But interestingly, NO SV stud listed on their site only a Bengal stud. And their F4 SV kittens are listed for only $750. So as Brigitte said I would only pay a nominal rehoming fee and that is if you don't mind pretty kittens that seem to be more Bengal than savannah.

 

[Patti]

Well these cats have beautiful rosettes but not a lot of Savannah traits. I don't know what the seller is asking for these cats but I agree with Brigitte - without papers you should not pay any more than you would a shelter cat.

 

[Diane]

Rosetted spots....sure sign of Bengal blood....

 

[Trish Allearz]

Even with papers-- I wouldn't pay high end price for kittens without going through the breeder and health guarantees. HCM has ran rampant through the Bengal breed and it's the BYB type which don't test that perpetuate it. The kittens are cute, but I'd pay cost of spay/neuter and microchips. That's it.


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[Brigitte Cowell]

A very good point, the BYBs rarely test their breeding cats nor do they source their own breeding cats from the type of breeder that tests or cares. They aren't following up on their kittens to make sure they grow up healthy, they don't care if someone notifies them of a death of a cat they bred. They don't keep up with any health concerns in the breed group. Hence you are taking a much bigger risk buying from such a person that you might end up with huge vet bills :-(