Sumxu vs Savannah - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Savannah cats have been bred to look like a Serval but it is essentially a domestic cat. The first Savannah cat was born in the United States in April 1986. The person who was successful in making this happen was Judee Frank.

She bred a Serval wild cat and a Siamese cat and they produced a female kitten with the name of Savannah – named after the African savannas from where the serval cat comes from.

It will take your Savannah kitten about 3 years to reach his adult size. The Savannah will give birth to up to 6 kittens. The cat was recognized by TICA in 2001.

Today when you’re looking to buy a Savannah kitten, you’ll notice the cats are always described with a filial number, for example, F1, F2, F3, F4, and so on. The filial number describes the generation a cat comes from.

Because this cat belongs to a hybrid group, the feline is banned in a number of states and cities in the United States of America.

The Sumxu is an odd-looking cat with its droopy ears or drop-ears. The truth is, the cat is considered extinct and the last reported Chinese lop-eared cat was way back in 1938.

According to reports, the cat seems to have first made an appearance in 1656 and was always described as a curiosity. It seems as if they were valued as pets but they were also used as food. A Polish man was the first Westerner to describe the Sumxu in his illustrated book Flora Sinensis. The breed was once found in and around Peking and resembled a long-haired Scottish Fold.

The Savannah Cat is a fairly large cat that weighs anything from 3 to 8 kg. It is a cross between a domestic cat and one of Africa’s smaller wild cats, the Serval.

Because of the Serval in the mix, the Savannah cat is able to leap into the air too because of his long legs. The cat has a short tail, and similar to the Cheetah has tear markings running from the corner of the eyes down to the whiskers.

A striking feature of this cat is his hooded eyes and the large ears. The Savannah cat has exotic looks and is regarded as a low maintenance cat with its short fur. The coat is tawny-colored with black spots but it comes in 4 background colors – smoke, silver, brown, and black.

Temperament:

An interesting aspect with the Savannah Cat is that they are sometimes compared to dogs. They become loyal pets and companions and will follow their owners around and can even be trained to walk on a leash.

The Savannah is an intelligent cat and can be taught a trick or two. Because the Savannah cat is a hybrid, they aren’t predictable in nature. Some are friendly and social while others are more wild and hostile. Some of them don’t like meeting strangers and will growl and hiss with uncertainty.

They enjoy playing in water and it will be a good idea to invest in a paddling pool for this cat’s outdoor enclosure. It’s an active cat and will require daily exercise. It is better suited to homes where there are older children.

The Chinese have always eaten this cat and because it has always been found in restrictive conditions the cat lost its keen sense of hearing because it no longer needed to hunt. The cat's ears lost their upright nature and became the hanging ears that are characteristic of the Chinese cat.

The cat had a long silky, shiny coat and was a dirty yellowy type of color. It had a ruff, a thick tail and blue, slanted eyes. It is thought that the size of the Sumxu was somewhat larger than the standard cat so he would have been a medium to large-sized cat, weighing in the region of 4 to 7kg. He was thick-set and muscular.

Temperament

It is thought that this cat wasn’t particularly active and that it seems to only become really animated when offered food, preferring to lie beside a warm fire than to be found outside. We can only assume that it was a fairly quiet cat.

The Savannah cat's temperament is exceptional, and when you’ve got a Savannah in your home, you’ve got a true companion.

Cat lovers who have owned one of these cats will tell you that this cat is similar to a dog in many ways. The intelligent cat will follow his owners around and be a friendly, loyal, and devoted companion.

With so much intelligence, beauty, and energy, this cat has all the qualities of a splendid feline companion.

The Savannah will form a particularly strong bond with the human family member who grooms and feeds him.

Everybody who has known the social, affectionate, loyal cat has nothing but good words to say and he may just be the cat companion you want.

Not much is known of the character of the Sumxu cat as it is now extinct. It doesn't matter what kind of cat you have because every cat needs to be loved and well cared for. If you can't do that, then why get a cat in the first place.

One wonders what kind of pet the Sumxu cat would have made?

The Savannah is generally a healthy cat. The cat can also fall prey to some of the typical cat illnesses there are -

Allergies:

Allergies happen with cats when their immune systems become sensitive to certain things. Cat allergies can be environmental, from fleas or from food allergies.

While some allergies may come and go, others will require an examination by the vet as they can include itchy skin problems. Typical allergy symptoms include sneezing and coughing, runny eyes, diarrhea and vomiting.

Irritable bowel disease:

This is a gastrointestinal disorder. Cats of any age are affected but it is found more in older cats. Chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract can come about because of a food allergy for instance or parasitic or bacterial infection. Your Savannah cat will be vomiting and lethargic and have diarrhea and weight loss.

Hookworms:

These are parasites that invade the small intestines of a cat. It can cause anemia and inflammation of the small intestine. Hookworms can produce symptoms such as weight loss, coughing, and diarrhea as well as skin irritations.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy:

This condition causes thickening of the muscular walls of a cat’s heart. The heart’s left ventricle is thickened. The heart can beat rapidly and this results in more oxygen usage. It can also lead to oxygen starvation which causes heart cells to die off. A condition known as arrhythmia develops where the heart beats irregularly.

The Sumxu cat should have seen the veterinarian every year for an examination and to make sure his vaccinations and deworming were up to date.

Every cat deserves to be taken to the vet when they are sick or injured.

It is never a good idea to give your cat medication that hasn't been prescribed by the vet. If the Sumxu cat had ingested a poisonous substance, it would have been kind to call the vet. It would have been dangerous for the Chinese to eat such a cat that had ingested poison.

While cats should be spayed and neutered, it is quite possible that the Sumxu cat was eaten before it ever had a chance to become a parent. Neutering and spaying a cat has health benefits for the cat and can prevent cancers.

The Savannah cat's diet needs to be a high-quality type of food with efficient levels of protein and taurine. The reason for this is that all cats are carnivores. A properly balanced raw diet will be the best nutritionally balanced food you can provide.

The Savannah has a short coat, which makes him low maintenance. He will still need to be brushed once a week. This will ensure a healthy sheen, and it will remove loose hairs and dust.

Provide for this intelligent cat’s physical and mental stimulation. He will need a variety of interactive toys. You yourself, need to become involved with your feline friend and give him a game too.

Make sure your Savannah is up-to-date with all his vaccinations. If you’re in any doubt about your pet’s health and wellbeing, get him to the vet who can provide you with valuable information on his health and his diet to ensure optimal health for your feline friend.

One would have hoped that the now-extinct Sumxu cat received high-quality cat food. If you don't know what to feed your cat, your veterinarian will be able to advise you on the best diet. The cat food manufacturers always produce foods that take into account the cat's age and activity levels.

Certainly, every cat needs taurine, an essential amino acid, for heart and eye health. The food you choose for your cat should contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

You will need to provide fresh, cool water for your cat at all times. Wash and refill your cat’s water bowls regularly.

Take your pet to your vet for any signs of illness such as diarrhea, vomiting or lethargy.

The Sumxu cat would have required a brush every few days as the coat was long and silky. Brushing helps keep your cat's coat free of dust and loose hairs.

The Sumxu would have needed a warm, clean dry place to sleep.

Every cat that goes outdoors should have a collar and ID tag.

Your cat will need a litter box which should be placed in a quiet, accessible location. The Sumxu cat would not have liked feces in his litter box, and litter boxes of all cats should be kept clean.