The Best Cat Food for Savannah Cats & Kittens

So you’ve decided to bring a beautiful and charming Savannah into your family!

Savannah’s are beloved as pets and are known as one of the rare cat breeds with a dog-like personality. Many Savannah owners describe their cats following them around the house, running up to them when they get home- some even like to swim! They can also be leash trained and taught to fetch.

The Savannah’s bloodline comes from a combination of Siamese cats and Serval African wildcats. This gives them an air of dignity and majesty similar to that of a wildcat and a distinctive and beautiful appearance. It is also the reason for their exceptionally large size.

The unique family tree of Savannah cats leaves many wondering what kinds of special needs this unique breed might have. There are a few important issues that Savannah owners should be aware of when it comes to choosing the best cat food for Savannah cats.

How Many Generations Removed

When you purchase a Savannah cat, in most cases you will be told which generation they are, whether F1, F2, F6, etc. Savannah’s are a hybrid breed, and this number tells you how many generations removed they are from their wild cat ancestors.

Early generation Savannah’s like F1’s, F2’s, and F3’s are often bigger than later generation Savannah’s, sometimes weighing up to 20 pounds. A bigger body weight may mean that they have require more food than smaller cats. This is important to consider, since portion sizes in canned cat foods are usually optimized for smaller sized cats.

This is why one of the original breeders of Savannah cats, Joyce Sroufe, recommended giving adult Savannah’s a continuous supply of dry food to be supplemented with meat or wet food once a day.

Earlier generations might also have more of a preference for a raw meat diet than their later generation relatives.

Best Food for Savannah Kittens

It’s a good idea to start Savannah kittens out on a diet of chicken, since chicken is one of the easiest foods to digest. It’s also good to give them a food with vitamin and mineral supplements, which will help them to develop a healthy nervous system. If you have enough time to make some of their food yourself, chicken liver and gizzards are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Otherwise, many widely available foods are specially formulated with supplements.

At a younger age, you should avoid giving your Savannah dry food. Kittens have smaller stomachs, so you will need to feed them more frequently, at least 3 times per day.

Another important thing to consider is that what you give your kitten at a young age will form habits and preferences that will stick with them for their whole life! It may be fun to give cats foods with a lot of salt and artificial flavors because they will really like it, but you may find that they start refusing more healthy foods later on.

A Good Wet Food for Kittens

Now that we know that it's best to avoid dry food for Savannah kittens early on, let's take a look at what the best wet food for Savannah kittens is.

​BLUE Wilderness HP Grain Free

Blue Buffalo Wilderness has a specially formulated food for kittens. It is a smooth pate which means it is easy for even young kittens to eat and digest. It also contains a balance of vitamins and minerals, and is free from artificial flavors and grain fillers.

Dry Food for Young Savannah Cats

Between the ages of 3 to 6 months, it’s okay to start transitioning a Savannah to a dry food diet, but it is still preferable that it be a raw meat based, grain free food.

​Nature's Instinct Original

Nature’s Instinct has a raw, chicken based dry food formula for cats under 1 year old. It also contains an appropriate balance of vitamins and minerals and also contains chicken heart and liver, which is closer to the authentic diet of cats in the wild.

Feeding Adult Savannah Cats

It is well known among breeders of Savannahs that Savannah cats need more taurine than other cat breeds. Taurine is essential for skeletal muscle, which is important for Savannah cats due to their large size.

Thankfully, cat foods specially formulated with Taurine are easy to find. The kitten brands listed above both contain Taurine, as well as the following recommendations.

Leaving a continous supply of dry kibbles out works well for many Savannah owners, but others prefer to have feeding times with a fixed amount of food. It may be best to try both and see what the effect is. The best schedule might be different depending on the basic temperament of your cat. It could also be affected by activity level- outdoor cats might require more food.

Pay attention to the recommendations made on whichever food you decide to buy for your Savannah, keeping in mind that they may need more due to their bigger size. If in doubt, ask a vet.

What do Savannah Cats Eat in the Wild?

The traditional diet of Savannah’s ancestors consisted mainly of birds and rodents. This is why high protein, high fat, and low carb diet with plenty of meat is the best choice for Savannah cats. Savannah’s are versatile and can adapt to a wide variety of diets, but the healthiest choice is probably a diet based in raw meat.

The 5 Best Cat Food For Savannah Cats Are...

Here are a few foods you can try that are well suited for Savannah’s. These options are all grain free and contain a high protein formula that Savannah’s love.

Fromm’s Four Star Nutritional’s Game Bird Recipe

Fromm’s Game Bird recipe contains some wild bird meats that are favorites among both wild and domesticated cats, including duck, pheasant, and quail.

This cat foods also contain all natural sources of vitamins and minerals, like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, blueberries, and others. These may be more bio available than some artificial vitamin and mineral supplements.

This food also contains flax seeds which are a source of dietary fiber as well as omega fatty acids essential for healthy brain and nervous function.

Solid Gold Indigo Moon with Chicken and Eggs

With no artificial flavors or additives, Solid Gold contains a grain free, high protein blend that is great for supporting the health of any Savannah. It also contains a healthy blend of fruit and vegetables, including anti-oxidant rich pumpkin and cranberries. Kelp is also included, which helps support the glandular system.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Variety Pack

Blue Buffalo’s wet cat food are popular with cats for the flavor, and appreciated by owners for being free from additives and fillers. For the price, this is one of the best canned food for Savannah cats.

Tiki Cat Gourmet Whole Food

Seafood is a good addition to any cats diet, and Tiki Cat cat food is known for containing whole, high quality fish, shrimp, and squid.

Better in the Raw Cat Food Supplement

If you have some spare time and feel like trying your hand at making homemade cat food, it may be worth trying a supplement like Better in the Raw. Mix this powder with raw ground meat, form into the desired portion sized, and place in the freezer. Then simply thaw each portion out in advance of meal time.

The advantage of this method is you can better control the quality of meat and it can actually work out to be more economical. This path is not for the faint of heart, and it can be challenging to properly balance a raw meat diet, but many cat experts believe it is the best diet for cats available.

For more information on feeding cats a raw diet click here.

Health Issues to Watch for with Savannah Cats

Many exotic breeds of cats come from a smaller gene pool, which leads to a variety of congenital disorders that can affect the cat’s quality of life. Fortunately, Savannah cats are one of the healthiest cats around with no known health issues specific to their breed.

Like most purebred cats, however, they are slightly more at risk for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Some cats with HCM benefit from switching to a diet consisting purely of wet cat food, but it is best to refer to your vet in the unlikely event that your Savannah is diagnosed with HCM.

One of the most common issues Savannah owners run into is when their cats get carried away during play and choke on small toys. This is why it is important to avoid bringing small toys into the house. Maybe this is because they are not so far removed from wild African hunters. If you are going to buy toys for your Savannah, make sure that they are large enough that there is no risk of them being swallowed.

Adjusting to Individual Needs

Of course, there are no hard and fast rules. Some Savannah’s may do better with a continuous supply of kibbles, while others may do better with a purely wet food diet.

One of the great things about Savannah’s is that they are relatively uncomplicated when it comes to care. You don’t have to worry too much about overfeeding them, because they are quite good when it comes to self regulating their eating.

Just remember, to provide the best cat food for Savannah cats, stick with a high protein, grain free cat food made with high quality meat. This will make both you and your Savannah happier in the long run!