snow savannahs

[JaniceNatalie]

Back when the Savannah was first being developed breeders decided to use silver Savannahs to represent the white servals. It's anyone's guess why they decided on that, possibly because silver is more dramatic and would sell better, perhaps because by accepting pointed and melanistic (solid) we would have had to accept seal point (solid pointed like a siamese) as well as seal lynx (showing a pattern), but I suspect the main reason was because most breeders in the early days were Bengal breeders and already had silver cats to use in their program so it was an easier choice.

I have been in talks witha breeder. She has a breeding pair that always have produced, about 50/50, silver and Melanistic. In her last litter, she actually got a solid pointed (seal/chocolate) male with spots and stripes on the body. I'll see if I still have the email and show you the picture she sent me. We were talking about the genetics behind it back and forth. I think that's what might happen with mine. But again, I still have a lot more research papers to find and read.
I love the study of genetics. Always have! I'm such a geek.

 

[JaniceNatalie]

Sorry, it was actually a snow Savannah and a silver/black spotted, producing 50:50 of the same. I've asked the breeder to share the picture. Hopefully she will say yes. Would like to show you all, as it is very interesting.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

That's just it, with both being recessive, and the various genes involved, I'm thinking perhaps a dark pointed kitten may result. I'm very curious. I'd just sell or give them as domestic shorthairs. Not interested in selling Savannah kittens or trying to get major money or anything. I'm super curious as I can't find any info regarding the pairing so far, but I've been reading a few scientific research papers on feline genetics. I'm in the works of looking for more.
I studied a lot of genetics when I was in University and teach the fundamentals myself as a Biology teacher. I'm enjoying the research right now. Will update if I can figure anything out on paper.

I suggest getting the DNA color panel done to help you figure it out.

Both the colorpoint (snow) gene and the nonagouti (solid) gene are recessive so it will highly depend on what recessive genes each is hiding on what you would expect. The DNA test will tell you that at least.

Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians is still the "bible" for this...

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Sorry, it was actually a snow Savannah and a silver/black spotted, producing 50:50 of the same. I've asked the breeder to share the picture. Hopefully she will say yes. Would like to show you all, as it is very interesting.

If she got a solid colorpoint that means that both carried nonagouti, and the silver/black spotted also carried for colorpoint.

The combinations that are possible in any given pairing of course don't always show in every litter...hence you could easily not see the solid colorpoint for many litters until it popped out.

 

[Eddies]

But irregardless the kittens will still be Savannahs not "just" DSH...& still very interested in this pairing....

 

[JaniceNatalie]

 

[Eddies]

Of course they are all gorgeous SVs.... red heart I hear alot of "What is that" & "Oh aren't they expensive"...To me life is expensive, best fur friends, worth the investment. I can only imagine these nontraditional colors get even more questions... they are pretty. So do you raise the price for them or lower it since (I assume) you can't show it?

 

[JaniceNatalie]

The breeder is keeping him for now. I think he is beautiful. I would have taken him in a heartbeat. But, I also love the siamese breed very much. She is thinking about mating him to see what turns up, as she has his pedigree done all the way up to the serval and is curious. I've gone over the silent recessive genese with her. She is curious to see what a mating would do with him. Not sure which phenotype she would breed with. Her scientific curiosity is her business. I'm eager to see if she remembers to share info with me at that time.

 

[JaniceNatalie]

But irregardless the kittens will still be Savannahs not "just" DSH...& still very interested in this pairing....

If and when my two mate, I am very curious about the phenotypes of the offspring. No one that I am aware of has mated a pointed snow with a Melanistic.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

All snows are pointed... it's the result of the colorpoint gene whether mixed with the spotted tabby in the case of a lynxpoint, or with the nonagouti gene (as in traditional siamese cats).

I am not sure anyone that has a snow program has used a melanistic simply because they would have NO aim to produce solid colorpoints. This is what is so highly identifiable as a Siamese cat...why would we want to replicate a breed that is already there? In terms of the physical structure, the Thai cat is even more similar given the more moderate ear set and body type.

You can satisfy much of your curiosity by doing the DNA color tests... you would then know the possibilities more clearly.