Melanistic (solid black) Savannah kitten

[John Popp]

View attachment 8714

I've seen that look before and someone will have their hands full with that one.

As for photographing the subtleties in shading, you need a large light source and low contrast. With a DSLR and separate on camera flash it's best to bounce the light off the ceiling to soften shadows without direct light. There are also plenty of products out there to aid with this and just not the type of results you can easily obtain with a point and shoot or your phone.

 

[MK Anderson]

They're gorgeous, B!!

 

[Diane]

Black Savannahs are cool...I wonder if F1 savannah's come in black, I know there are black servals.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Diane, we don't know if the same color genes are involved in black Servals as in black Savannahs. As far as I know, there are no black Servals in captivity (although seen in some numbers in the mountains of Kenya) and so none in breeding programs to be able to study the genetics.

Right now, the black Savannahs depend on domestic cat genetics...but represent the black Serval just fine that way

We've not seen a black F1 to date... doesn't mean it can't happen of course! It is a recessive gene in domestic cats so to happen in an F1 it would likely require the Serval to be carrying for the same gene (the non-agouti gene).

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I've seen that look before and someone will have their hands full with that one.

As for photographing the subtleties in shading, you need a large light source and low contrast. With a DSLR and separate on camera flash it's best to bounce the light off the ceiling to soften shadows without direct light. There are also plenty of products out there to aid with this and just not the type of results you can easily obtain with a point and shoot or your phone.

I'm sure that helps some with their efforts....fortunately I have a husband that has cameras and lighting setups and takes care of such things for me ;-)

One day I will find time to graduate myself from point-and-shoots!

 

[Diane]

Diane, we don't know if the same color genes are involved in black Servals as in black Savannahs. As far as I know, there are no black Servals in captivity (although seen in some numbers in the mountains of Kenya) and so none in breeding programs to be able to study the genetics.

Right now, the black Savannahs depend on domestic cat genetics...but represent the black Serval just fine that way

We've not seen a black F1 to date... doesn't mean it can't happen of course! It is a recessive gene in domestic cats so to happen in an F1 it would likely require the Serval to be carrying for the same gene (the non-agouti gene).

Thanks for responding to my post Brigitte, I was just wondering because there is lower generations that are black. When I ever get my money saved up for a F1, I would be happy with a golden and black spotted serval looking savannah!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

There have been black F2s though, and they are pretty cool

 

[Jacq]

Yes, B. my favorite black F2 is Beast, Razi's brother. He is a black marble.

 

[AnnJ]

Beautiful pictures and yes looks like he has personality...lol.

I've been trying to learn all I can about Savannahs. I have adopted an F2 Bengal but she's so tiny. she's a lot smaller than the sbt RosePetal I got 9 years ago. And way smaller than the MC I've been living with..

I've been looking for a male as a playmate as Swipper wants to play rough. I always have scratches! Silver, light tan, smoke or black. I love the marbles though they're not standard pattern.

 

[WitchyWoman]

Yes, B. my favorite black F2 is Beast, Razi's brother. He is a black marble.

Whaaat!? Do you have any pictures. A black marble would be exquisite.