Oni: Bengal or Savannah?

[Chris Elliott]

I got Oni through SV Rescue last May. She was thought to be a Savannah at the time. We have almost no information on her--just a hand-written induction questionnaire from when she was surrendered. We just had these two photographs at the time:




She was identified as a F7 Savannah. However, she looks very much like a Bengal to me. The more I get to know her and the more I learn about the breeds, I'm thinking she has a lot if Bengal in her, maybe all Bengal. Here's some of my reasons:

- Her spots are two-tone and look like the Bengal paw print spots



- Her conformation is much more like a Bengal, more stocky and not so lanky as many Savannahs



- her head is wide with prominent cheekbones



- and her coat may have a bit of the Bengal sparkle.

(See the spots picture above.)

Any thoughts? Any questions or additional pictures that would help? I know that without any pedigree it's impossible to know for sure.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

The problem with this is that there are plenty of Savannahs out there showing their Bengal heritage. I do agree that even if Oni is an F7 Savannah that she shows a lot of Bengal heritage. I would think at the time we decided that as she was surrendered as Savannah at the shelter, and had larger ears than one would expect from a Bengal...that there was enough possibility for us to go ahead and adopt her out.

 

[Chris Elliott]

I don't care--she is just the sweetest, smartest, most talkative and opinionated cat I've ever had, and I love her dearly.

However, I am curious. Thanks for the info.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Unfortunately there's no DNA test to help us out here... mostly when we get contacted about a cat in a shelter if the cat looks more Bengal than Savannah we do question it. I think the owner had other Savannahs too and was definite on the breed, although my email archives says she was said to be an F6.

 

[Chris Elliott]

You're right--F6. Don't know how or when I transmogrified it into F7...

 

[Patti]

Oni may have a lot of Bengal blood in her (many of the early Savannahs did) I still see Savannah in her face, so I believe that SV Rescue was correct in calling her a Savannah.

 

[Carykd7kau]

I am NO expert , but her face looks Savannah to me too.

 

[Chris Elliott]

Ok, so it appears I have two Savannahs, both with Bengal blood. Ziggy's grandmother, who was bred to a Serval, was a Bengal.

Thanks!

 

[NikkiA]

Ok, so it appears I have two Savannahs, both with Bengal blood. Ziggy's grandmother, who was bred to a Serval, was a Bengal.

Thanks!

Looks to me like you have two wonderful kitties who are very lucky to have you!

 

[Chris Elliott]

Absolutely! And we are lucky to have them--thanks to SV Rescue!

Love them both. And Jax, our DMH mongrel.

Can't wait until we're sleeping with three cats! I'm often sleeping part of the night with Ziggy, until Oni starts crying for me, then switching bedrooms...if this lasts much longer I'm going to be in real trouble with Carolyn!